What the Bible Says About Joy

"Joy" appears 165 times in the King James Bible, in 155 verses. 102 of the 165 are in the Old Testament and 63 in the New. The first is 1 Samuel 18:6, where the women of Israel come out with music to meet King Saul as David comes back from killing the Philistine. The last is Jude 1:24, "with exceeding joy".

43 of the Old Testament's stand for simchah, which Strong's Concordance defines as "blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival)." 15 stand for sason, "cheerfulness; specifically, welcome," and 12 for masos, "delight." 52 of the New Testament's stand for chara, "cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight." Below are passages on joy, each quoted word for word with its reference. Short notes give the Hebrew and Greek words behind the English. A table near the end counts the words behind joy, and a list gives every verse where the King James text says joy.

In thy presence is fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11 and Acts 2:28)

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)

Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. (Acts 2:28)

"Fulness" is soba, which Strong's defines as "satisfaction (of food or (figuratively) joy)," and "joy" is simchah. In Acts 2:25 to 28 Peter gives Psalm 16:8 to 11 at Pentecost, and Acts 2:28 carries the first two lines of Psalm 16:11. Its "joy" is euphrosunē, "joyfulness," which comes only twice in the New Testament. The other is Acts 14:17, "filling our hearts with food and gladness". "Make me full" is plēroō, the verb behind "that your joy might be full" in John 15:11.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation (Psalm 51:8 and 12)

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. (Psalm 51:8)

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Psalm 51:12)

"Joy" in both verses is sason, and "gladness" in 51:8 is simchah. Sason and simchah stand together in 13 verses of the Hebrew Bible, and Psalm 51:8 is one of them. "Rejoice" in 51:8 is gil, which Strong's defines as "properly, to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear." "Free" in 51:12 is nadib, "properly, voluntary, i.e. generous."

When the morning stars sang together (Job 38:7)

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:7)

The LORD asks Job this in the chapter that opens "Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind". "Sang" is ranan, "properly, to creak (or emit a stridulous sound), i.e. to shout (usually for joy)." "Shouted for joy" is one Hebrew verb, rua, "to mar (especially by breaking); figuratively, to split the ears (with sound), i.e. shout (for alarm or joy)." The KJV prints rua "make a joyful noise" in seven verses of the Psalms, among them Psalm 100:1, "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands."

The noise of the shout of joy (Ezra 3:11 to 13)

11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: 13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off. (Ezra 3:11-13)

The foundation of the house of the LORD has been laid, and the old men who had seen the first house weep. "Shout" in 3:11 is teruah, which Strong's defines as "clamor, i.e. acclamation of joy or a battle-cry; especially clangor of trumpets, as an alarum." It's in all three verses. "Shouted" in 3:11 and in "shouted with a loud shout" in 3:13 is rua, the verb of Job 38:7. "Joy" in 3:12 and 3:13 is simchah. "Was heard" is shama and the "afar" of "afar off" is rachoq, the same two words as in "was heard even afar off" at the end of Nehemiah 12:43.

The joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off (Nehemiah 12:43)

Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. (Nehemiah 12:43)

This is the day of "the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem" in Nehemiah 12:27. "Rejoiced" and "rejoice" are samach, three times in the verse, and "joy" is simchah, twice. Strong's derives simchah from samach through sameach, "blithe or gleeful." Nehemiah 8:10 is on the strength page. Its joy is a different word, the Hebrew chedvah, "rejoicing," which comes only there and in 1 Chronicles 16:27, where the KJV prints it gladness.

With joy shall ye draw water (Isaiah 12:3)

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)

"Joy" is sason. "Draw" is shaab, "to bale up water." "Wells" is mayan, "a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a source (of satisfaction)," and Strong's lists its King James renderings as fountain, spring and well.

Everlasting joy upon their heads (Isaiah 35:10 and 51:11)

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:10)

Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. (Isaiah 51:11)

In Hebrew the two verses are the same sixteen words in the same order, apart from one extra letter in each of two verbs and one "and." The King James translators put them into English two ways. "Ransomed" in 35:10 and "redeemed" in 51:11 are both padah, which Strong's defines as "to sever, i.e. ransom; gener. to release, preserve." "Songs" and "singing" are both rinnah, and "sighing" and "mourning" are both anachah, "sighing." The pair the KJV prints after "they shall obtain" is sason and simchah, in that order, both times. The KJV prints it "joy and gladness" in 35:10 and "gladness and joy" in 51:11.

Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart (Jeremiah 15:16)

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16)

"Joy" is sason and "rejoicing" is simchah. Jeremiah has the pair in five verses. In 7:34, 16:9 and 25:10 the KJV prints them "the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness," and in 33:11 "The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness".

He will joy over thee with singing (Zephaniah 3:17)

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

Four Hebrew words of gladness and song stand in this verse. "Rejoice" is sus, "to be bright, i.e. cheerful." "With joy" is simchah. "He will joy" is gil, the verb behind "rejoice" in Psalm 51:8. "Singing" is rinnah, "properly, a creaking (or shrill sound), i.e. shout (of joy or grief)," the word behind "songs" in Isaiah 35:10.

They rejoiced with exceeding great joy (Matthew 2:10)

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. (Matthew 2:10)

The wise men have followed the star "till it came and stood over where the young child was." The Greek runs rejoiced, joy, great, exceedingly, in that order. "Rejoiced" is chairō, and "joy" is chara, which Strong's derives from it and defines as "cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight." "Exceeding" is sphodra, "vehemently, i.e. in a high degree, much." It comes 11 times in the New Testament, seven of them in Matthew.

The babe leaped in my womb for joy (Luke 1:41 and 44)

And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: (Luke 1:41)

For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. (Luke 1:44)

"Leaped" in both verses is skirtaō, which Strong's defines as "to jump, i.e. sympathetically move (as the quickening of a fetus)." It comes three times in the New Testament, these two and Luke 6:23, "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy". "For joy" in 1:44 is agalliasis, "exultation; specially, welcome," the word behind the last joy in the KJV, in Jude 1:24.

Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth (Luke 15:7 and 10)

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7)

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:10)

"Joy" in both verses is chara. The man who finds his lost sheep "layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing" in 15:5, and that word is chairō, the verb chara comes from. He calls his friends and neighbours and says "Rejoice with me," and the woman who finds her piece of silver says the same in 15:9. That "Rejoice with me" is synchairō, "to sympathize in gladness, congratulate," which comes seven times in the New Testament.

That your joy might be full (John 15:11, 16:24 and 17:13)

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:11)

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24)

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. (John 17:13)

"Full" and "fulfilled" are plēroō, which Strong's defines as "to make replete." Chara and plēroō stand together in 11 verses of the New Testament, and six are in John and the letters of John. Besides these three, John 3:29 has "this my joy therefore is fulfilled," 1 John 1:4 "that your joy may be full" and 2 John 1:12 "that our joy may be full." The other five are Acts 13:52, Romans 15:13, 2 Corinthians 7:4, Philippians 2:2 and 2 Timothy 1:4, and Romans 15:13 is on the hope page.

Joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8)

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1 Peter 1:8)

"Joy" is chara. "Unspeakable" is aneklalētos, "not spoken out, i.e. (by implication) unutterable," and it comes nowhere else in the New Testament. "Full of glory" is one Greek word, a form of doxazō, "to render (or esteem) glorious (in a wide application)," which the KJV most often prints glorified or glorify.

For the joy that was set before him (Hebrews 12:2)

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

"Joy" is chara. "Set before" is prokeimai, which Strong's defines as "to lie before the view, i.e. (figuratively) to be present (to the mind), to stand forth (as an example or reward)." It comes five times in the New Testament, and the verse before has it too, in "the race that is set before us". The other three are 2 Corinthians 8:12, Hebrews 6:18 and Jude 1:7, and Hebrews 6:18 is on the hope page.

With exceeding joy (Jude 1:24 and 25)

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

Jude 1:24 is the last verse where the KJV says joy. "Exceeding joy" is one Greek word, agalliasis. It comes five times in the New Testament. The KJV prints it gladness in Luke 1:14, Acts 2:46 and Hebrews 1:9, and joy here and in Luke 1:44.

The words behind joy

The KJV says joy 165 times. Counted by their Strong's numbers, the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words in this table stand behind 161 of them. Three of the other four share a Hebrew verb with the English beside them, in "shouted for joy" in Job 38:7, "shout for joy" in Psalm 32:11 and "skippedst for joy" in Jeremiah 48:27. The fourth is the second joy of 2 Corinthians 2:3, in "the joy of you all," where the translators supplied "the joy" and printed copies set it in italics.

Simchah, sason and masos are 70 of the 102 in the Old Testament. Chara is 52 of the 63 in the New.

Every place the KJV says joy

Joy comes in these 155 verses.

• 1 Samuel 18:6
• 1 Kings 1:40
• 1 Chronicles 12:40, 15:16, 15:25, 29:9, 29:17
• 2 Chronicles 20:27, 30:26
• Ezra 3:12, 3:13, 6:16, 6:22
• Nehemiah 8:10, 12:43
• Esther 8:16, 8:17, 9:22
• Job 8:19, 20:5, 29:13, 33:26, 38:7, 41:22
• Psalms 5:11, 16:11, 21:1, 27:6, 30:5, 32:11, 35:27, 42:4, 43:4, 48:2, 51:8, 51:12, 65:13, 67:4, 105:43, 126:5, 132:9, 132:16, 137:6
• Proverbs 12:20, 14:10, 15:21, 15:23, 17:21, 21:15, 23:24
• Ecclesiastes 2:10, 2:26, 5:20, 9:7
• Isaiah 9:3, 9:17, 12:3, 16:10, 22:13, 24:8, 24:11, 29:19, 32:13, 32:14, 35:2, 35:10, 51:3, 51:11, 52:9, 55:12, 60:15, 61:3, 61:7, 65:14, 65:18, 65:19, 66:5, 66:10
• Jeremiah 15:16, 31:13, 33:9, 33:11, 48:27, 48:33, 49:25
• Lamentations 2:15, 5:15
• Ezekiel 24:25, 36:5
• Hosea 9:1
• Joel 1:12, 1:16
• Habakkuk 3:18
• Zephaniah 3:17
• Zechariah 8:19
• Matthew 2:10, 13:20, 13:44, 25:21, 25:23, 28:8
• Luke 1:14, 1:44, 2:10, 6:23, 8:13, 10:17, 15:7, 15:10, 24:41, 24:52
• John 3:29, 15:11, 16:20, 16:21, 16:22, 16:24, 17:13
• Acts 2:28, 8:8, 13:52, 15:3, 20:24
• Romans 5:11, 14:17, 15:13, 15:32
• 2 Corinthians 1:24, 2:3, 7:13, 8:2
• Galatians 5:22
• Philippians 1:4, 1:25, 2:2, 2:17, 2:18, 4:1
• 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 2:19, 2:20, 3:9
• 2 Timothy 1:4
• Philemon 1:7, 1:20
• Hebrews 12:2, 13:17
• James 1:2, 4:9
• 1 Peter 1:8, 4:13
• 1 John 1:4
• 2 John 1:12
• 3 John 1:4
• Jude 1:24

Ten of them are quoted on other pages here. Nehemiah 8:10 and Habakkuk 3:18 are on the strength page. Psalm 30:5, Isaiah 61:3, John 16:20 and 16:22 are on the grief page. Luke 2:10 is on the fear page and Romans 15:13 on the hope page. Galatians 5:22 is on the peace page and James 1:2 on the temptation page.

Worry, fear, grief, strength, love, forgiveness, hope, peace, anger, pride, temptation and wisdom

Worry, fear, grief, strength, love, forgiveness, hope, peace, anger, pride, temptation and wisdom have pages of their own. They're What the Bible Says About Worry, What the Bible Says About Fear, What the Bible Says About Grief, What the Bible Says About Strength, What the Bible Says About Love, What the Bible Says About Forgiveness, What the Bible Says About Hope, What the Bible Says About Peace, What the Bible Says About Anger, What the Bible Says About Pride, What the Bible Says About Temptation and What the Bible Says About Wisdom. Every chapter quoted here can be read whole in Read the Bible.

How this page was made

Every verse is quoted from the 1769 standard text of the King James Version and checked word for word against two more digital copies. The printed KJV sets supplied words in italics, which this page doesn't show. Verse numbers follow the KJV. Hebrew Bibles number 14 verses named here differently. 1 Chronicles 12:40 is 12:41 there, Job 41:22 is 41:14, Ecclesiastes 5:20 is 5:19, and Isaiah 9:3 and 9:17 are 9:2 and 9:16. Psalm 5:11, 21:1, 30:5, 42:4, 48:2, 65:13 and 67:4 are each one verse higher there, and Psalm 51:8 and 51:12 are 51:10 and 51:14.

Hebrew and Aramaic words were identified with the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. Greek words were identified with STEPBible's tagged Greek New Testament. The counts of the words behind joy come from the Strong's numbers in the CrossWire Bible Society's KJV, each checked against the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible or STEPBible's Greek, and STEPBible's Greek gives the three that CrossWire leaves without a number. In one verse the count follows the Hebrew instead of the CrossWire numbers. In Isaiah 35:10 CrossWire puts simchah on the second "joy" and sason on "gladness." The Hebrew has sason first and simchah second, and where the KJV prints that same pair "joy and gladness" in Psalm 51:8, Isaiah 22:13 and 51:3, CrossWire puts sason on joy, so this page counts that joy as sason. Greek counts follow the Textus Receptus as STEPBible gives it. Every Greek word the notes cite in a quoted verse stands in all eight Greek editions STEPBible compares. Some quoted words don't. "Wise" in Jude 1:25 and "remain" in John 15:11 stand in two of the eight, and the notes cite no Greek for words like them. STEPBible is a Tyndale House Cambridge project. STEPBible's data and the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible are both shared under CC BY 4.0. The definitions come from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). If you find a mistake, tell us through the support page.

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