Bible Dictionary
FAVOR
Favor means goodwill, acceptance, kindness, or the benefits that flow from them. Scripture frequently speaks of finding favor with people or receiving favor and grace from God.
Definition
Favor means goodwill, acceptance, kindness, grace, or the benefits that flow from them. In older usage it may also refer to countenance or outward appearance.
Biblical Usage
Scripture speaks of finding favor in the eyes of people or of God and of receiving kindness, grace, acceptance, and goodwill. In one proverb the word concerns external appearance and is revised as grace.
Historical Background
The term alternates with grace and translates several Hebrew words and the Greek word charis. Revised translations distinguish its senses by using goodwill, kindness, pity, peace, grace, or year of Yahweh’s favor.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>fa'-ver (chen, ratson, with other Hebrew words; charis): Means generally good will, acceptance, and the benefits flowing from these; in older usage it meant also the countenance, hence, appearance. Alternating in English Versions of the Bible with "grace," it is used chiefly of man, but sometimes also of God (Ge 18:3; 30:27; 39:21; Ex 3:21; 2Sa 15:25, "in the eyes of Yahweh," etc.). It is used perhaps in the sense of "countenance" in Pr 31:30, "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain" (the King James Version), where for "favor" the Revised Version (British and American) has "grace"; the reference is to external appearance. "Favored" is used in the sense of "appearance" in the phrase "well-favored" (Ge 29:17; 39:6; 41:2,4).; conversely, "ill-favored" (Ge 41:3,4). For "favor" the Revised Version (British and American) has "have pity on" (Ps 109:12), "good will" (Pr 14:9), "peace" (So 8:10); the English Revised Version "grace" (Ru 2:13), the American Standard Revised Version "kindness" (Es 2:17; Da 1:9), etc. In the American Standard Revised Version "the acceptable year of the Lord" (Isa 61:2) is changed Into "the year of Yahweh's favor"; "Do I now persuade men" (Ga 1:10) into, "Am I now seeking the favor of men," and there are other the Revised Version (British and American) changes.</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>