טוּב
𐤈𐤅𐤁
ṭûwb
H2898 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A noun denoting goodness, wellbeing, or that which is desirable, excellent, or beneficial. Often refers to a state or quality of goodness, moral excellence, material prosperity, or positive circumstance. Can describe both abstract qualities (goodness, virtue) and concrete benefits (prosperity, good things, abundance), and is also used for beautiful or pleasing things and experiences.
Semantic Range
goodness, well-being, prosperity, beauty, excellence, abundance, welfare, moral goodness, material benefit, gladness, pleasantness, delight, the best (contextual superlative), good things
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root ט-ו-ב, which fundamentally means 'to be good,' 'be pleasant,' or 'be beneficial.' The noun formation טוּב denotes the quality, state, or result of being good or beneficial. The adjectival root meaning is closely related, but the noun emphasizes the outcome or manifestation of 'goodness' in the moral, aesthetic, or material sense.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, טוּב is deployed in a range of literary and historical contexts: it may refer to moral or ethical goodness (e.g., God's or a person's goodness), to tangible prosperity or abundance (especially of land, agricultural yields, or worldly prosperity), and to emotional well-being, gladness, or delight. It stands in contrast to רָע ('evil' or 'bad') and often parallels or is synonymous with שִׂמְחָה (joy) or חֶסֶד (kindness), though each with distinct nuance. Use of טוּב spans from the earliest Israelite traditions to later biblical writings and is found in various genres — legal, poetic, prophetic, narrative. In post-exilic and Second Temple texts, the term retains both its moral and material associations, sometimes corresponding to welfare or general prosperity. English translations often render it simply as 'goodness,' 'prosperity,' or 'good things,' which may not capture the term's fullness, especially where moral or aesthetic connotations are present. Later Jewish and Christian literature sometimes translate טוּב as 'the best,' but this is usually interpretive context rather than inherent superlative sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from טוֹב; good (as a noun), in the widest sense, especially goodness (superlative concretely, the best), beauty, gladness, welfare; fair, gladness, good(-ness, thing, -s), joy, go well with.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
טוב (ṭ-w-b) — goodness, pleasantness, benefit
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2869 | טָב | good |
| H2895 | טוֹב | you did good |
| H2896 | טוֹב | in the good |
| H2897 | טוֹב | good |
| H2899 | טוֹב אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ | and good |
Word Forms
12 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2898-04 |
ט֥וּב | tuv | HNcmsc |
good | goodness of | 12 |
H2898-01 |
בְּֽ/טוּב | betuv | HR/Ncmsc |
in the good fortune | in goodness | 4 |
H2898-07 |
טוּבְ/ךָ֣ | tuvekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
goodness | your goodness | 3 |
H2898-09 |
טוּב֖/וֹ | tuvo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his good | his goodness | 3 |
H2898-08 |
טוּבִ/י֙ | tuvi | HNcmsc/Sp1cs |
My goodness | my goodness | 2 |
H2898-03 |
מִ/טּ֣וּב | mituv | HR/Ncmsc |
for goodness | from goodness | 2 |
H2898-12 |
וְ/טוּבָ֑/הּ | vetuvah | HC/Ncmsc/Sp3fs |
and-its-goodness | and her goodness | 1 |
H2898-05 |
טוּבָ֔/הּ | tuvah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
its goodness | her goodness | 1 |
H2898-11 |
וּ/בְ/טוּבְ/ךָ֨ | uvetuvekha | HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
and-in/goodness-of-you | and in your goodness | 1 |
H2898-02 |
בְּ/טוּבְ/ךָ֥ | betuvekha | HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
in your goodness | in your goodness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
32 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2898-04 |
Genesis 24:10 | ט֥וּב | tuv | HNcmsc |
good things | goodness of |
H2898-04 |
Genesis 45:18 | טוּב֙ | tuv | HNcmsc |
best | goodness of |
H2898-04 |
Genesis 45:20 | ט֛וּב | tuv | HNcmsc |
best | goodness of |
H2898-03 |
Genesis 45:23 | מִ/טּ֣וּב | mituv | HR/Ncmsc |
with the best | from goodness |
H2898-08 |
Exodus 33:19 | טוּבִ/י֙ | tuvi | HNcmsc/Sp1cs |
My goodness | my goodness |
H2898-04 |
Deuteronomy 6:11 | טוּב֮ | tuv | HNcmsa |
good things | goodness of |
H2898-10 |
Deuteronomy 28:47 | וּ/בְ/ט֣וּב | uvetuv | HC/R/Ncmsc |
and with goodness | and in goodness-of |
H2898-04 |
2 Kings 8:9 | ט֣וּב | tuv | HNcmsc |
good | goodness of |
H2898-04 |
Isaiah 1:19 | ט֥וּב | tuv | HNcmsc |
good | goodness of |
H2898-04 |
Isaiah 63:7 | טוּב֙ | tuv | HNcmsa |
goodness | goodness of |