Thursday, June 11, 2020

Goodness, abundance, fatness, and delight

The Hebrew root for "goodness" is:

טוּב -- tub: good things, goods, goodness

In the Old Testament, we see frequent references to the "great goodness of God."  Here's an example:

25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness. (Nehemiah 9)

The context of this chapter is the Israelites reaffirming the covenant with God.  Notice the related terms, which I've put in bold, and how they swirl around the same covenant themes of "fullness" and "abundance":

50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.
51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness. (2 Nephi 9)

The concept of abundance without price conjures a lot of the same imagery as the Nehemiah passage.

Several variants of "great goodness" or "infinite goodness" show up in the Book of Mormon as well. Here are two examples:


17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! (2 Nephi 4)


3 And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things. (Mosiah 5)

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