PLEASURE (חֵ֫פֶץ, H2914, delight, pleasure; רָצﯴן, H8356, goodwill, pleasure; εὐδοκία, G2306, good thought, good pleasure, purpose; ἡδονή, G2454, sweetness, pleasure). Both of the Heb. words contain the idea of “good will,” “good pleasure” (Neh 9:37; Pss 51:18; 111:2; Eccl 5:4; 12:1; Isa 58:3, 13 in both RSV and KJV), but חֵ֫פֶץ, H2914, has also that of “purpose” (Exod 10:10, “will” in RSV; Isa 44:28; 46:10; 48:14; 53:10, “will” in RSV; Ps 103:21, “will” in RSV).

The Gr. εὐδοκία, G2306, has that of goodwill in the sense of a good purpose (Eph 1:5, 9; Phil 2:13; 2 Thess 1:11), but ἡδονή, G2454, is simply “pleasure” (Luke 8:14; Titus 3:3; 2 Pet 2:13; RSV and KJV). The KJV largely fails to bring out the idea of purpose in the Heb. חֵ֫פֶץ, H2914, whereas the RSV brings it out appropriately (Isa 44:28; 46:10; 48:14). The KJV is faithful in its tr. in the NT in that it adheres to the idea of “good pleasure” for εὐδοκία, G2306, (Eph 1:5, 9; Phil 2:13; 2 Thess 1:11) but the RSV more accurately introduces the idea of “purpose” or “resolve.”