ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA HEBREA
Ṭôwb (טוֹב) — Good in the Hebrew Bible
Ṭôwb (טוֹב, H2896) is the core Hebrew word for 'good,' covering moral, aesthetic, and utilitarian senses, used across 341 verses.
Significado de la palabra
In its broadest sense, ṭôwb denotes what is good — pleasant, fitting, beautiful, beneficial, or morally right. The lexicon entry frames it as 'good in the widest sense,' so the same lemma covers a beauty that pleases the eye, a deed that benefits a neighbor, and a character that is righteous before God.
As a noun, ṭôwb refers to a good thing, goods, or prosperity (wealth, welfare). As an adjective it describes a good man or woman, good land, or good fruit. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'well,' as in the KJV usage list (kindly, gladly, cheerfully, well-favoured).
Uso en las Escrituras
The opening chapters of Genesis give the word its theological weight: seven times God evaluates his creative work and calls it ṭôwb (Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). On the sixth day the assessment rises to 'very good' (Gen 1:31), making ṭôwb the divine verdict on creation itself.
The same word also describes Eden's trees (Gen 2:9), the quality of Havilah's gold (Gen 2:12), and the moral evaluation 'It is not good that the man should be alone' (Gen 2:18). It is paired with 'evil' (ra') as the second pole of the phrase 'knowledge of good and evil' (Gen 2:17, 3:5), a foundational contrast for Hebrew ethics.
La palabra en detalle
- H2896 One lemma, many roles. ṭôwb works as adjective ('good land'), noun ('the good / goods'), and adverb ('well'); context decides which. In Gen 1, God's repeated 'it was good' makes the word a cosmic verdict, not merely a taste preference.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Genesis 1:4 First use of ṭôwb in Scripture: God evaluates light as good, establishing the word as the divine criterion for creation.
- Genesis 1:31 The climactic 'very good' — ṭôwb covers the whole creation after humankind is made, summing up God's satisfaction with all he has made.
- Genesis 2:9 Ṭôwb describes Eden's trees as both pleasant to the sight and good for food — the word bridges aesthetic and utilitarian value.
- Genesis 2:17 Paired with 'evil' (ra'), ṭôwb becomes one half of the foundational Hebrew moral pair 'good and evil.'
Preguntas frecuentes
Is ṭôwb only moral 'good'?
No. The lexicon defines ṭôwb 'in the widest sense,' covering what is beautiful, pleasant, useful, fitting, and morally right. Its meaning is fixed by context, not by a single narrow sense.
Why does Gen 1:31 say 'very good' (ṭôwb me'od)?
The Hebrew phrase intensifies ṭôwb with me'od ('very, exceedingly') on the sixth day, after humankind is created. It signals that the goodness of the whole creation reaches its peak when humanity joins it.
How does ṭôwb relate to 'good and evil'?
In Gen 2:17 and 3:5, ṭôwb is paired with ra' ('evil') to form the fixed pair 'good and evil.' This pair becomes the basic moral polarity in Hebrew thought, used later in Deut 30:15, 19 and Isaiah 5:20.