English · KJV
H8588

תַּעֲנוּג

taʻănûwg /tah-an-oog'/ Ask about this word
Rootor תַּעֲנֻג · and (feminine) תַּעֲנֻגָה · from עָנַג
Meaningluxury
KJV usagedelicate, delight, pleasant.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of taʻănûwg — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word taʻănûwg, represented by H8588, is a term for luxury or delight. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. The word conveys meanings of being delicate and pleasant, encompassing both material and relational joys.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H8588 is used to describe a range of prized experiences and possessions. In Ecclesiastes, it is listed as one of the ultimate worldly acquisitions, gathered alongside silver H3701, gold H2091, and singers H7891 as "the delights of the sons of men" Ecclesiastes 2:8. The word also expresses the preciousness of a beloved, as seen in Song of Solomon 7:6, which exclaims, "how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!" In contrast, the book of Micah uses the term to highlight profound loss, referring to cherished children as "delicate" Micah 1:16 and homes as "pleasant" Micah 2:9, both of which are taken away.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of delight and pleasantness:

  • H5276 nâʻêm: This root word, meaning to be pleasant, is used in direct parallel with H8588 to describe the beauty of a loved one Song of Solomon 7:6.
  • H1121 bên: Meaning son, this word is closely associated with H8588 in contexts describing the "delights of the sons of men" Ecclesiastes 2:8 and cherished, "delicate children" Micah 1:16.
  • H160 ʼahăbâh: This term for love is linked to H8588 in the Song of Solomon, where love itself is addressed as the source of delights Song of Solomon 7:6.

Theological Significance

The thematic significance of H8588 is seen in its varied applications, highlighting what is valued in life.

  • Material Luxury: The word is used to represent the peak of earthly pleasure and wealth, something a person might gather for themselves, as Solomon did with treasures from kings H4428 and provinces H4082 Ecclesiastes 2:8.
  • Relational Affection: It moves beyond the material to describe the deep pleasure found in human relationships, specifically in romantic love H160 and in the bond with one's children H1121.
  • The Transience of Earthly Joy: In the prophetic context of Micah, things described as delicate or pleasant—children and homes—are precisely what are lost due to judgment and captivity, underscoring the fragile nature of earthly delights (Micah 1:16, Micah 2:9).

Summary

In summary, H8588 captures a specific kind of pleasure that is tied to things held dear. Whether referring to the luxuries gathered by a king, the affection for a loved one, or the cherished innocence of children, taʻănûwg defines a preciousness that is deeply felt. Its use in scripture demonstrates that such delights can be a source of great joy, but also a source of great sorrow when they are taken away.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 5 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • תַּעֲנוּגָיִ
  • תַעֲנוּגֹת
  • תַּעֲנוּגִים
  • תַּעֲנוּג

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H3701 כֶּסֶף from כָּסַף; silver (from its pale color); by implication, money; money, price, silver(-ling). H2091 זָהָב from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky; g H7891 שִׁיר or (the original form) שׁוּר; (1 Samuel 18:6), a primitive root (rather identical with שׁוּר through the idea of strolli H5276 נָעֵם a primitive root; to be agreeable (literally or figuratively); pass in beauty, be delight, be pleasant, be sweet. H1121 בֵּן from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, inclu H160 אַהֲבָה feminine of אַהַב and meaning the same; {affection (in a good or a bad sense)}; love.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 5 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Micah (2 verses); never once in the other 35.

1
Proverbs
1
Ecclesiastes
1
Song of Solomon
2
Micah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.