A physical or spiritual quality which brings pleasure to those who behold it. Scripture stresses the beauty of God himself and his creation, while noting that the beauty of the creation can lead away from God or become idolised.
Beauty in nature
Job 38:31; Ecclesiastes 3:11 See also Genesis 49:21; Ezekiel 20:6, Ezekiel 31:7–9
Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loosen the belt of Orion?
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.
Beautiful people
Women
Genesis 29:17; Esther 1:11 See also Genesis 6:2, Genesis 12:11, Genesis 12:14, Genesis 24:15–16, Genesis 26:7; Deuteronomy 21:11; 1 Samuel 25:3; 2 Samuel 13:1, 2 Samuel 14:27; 1 Kings 1:3–4EST 1 Kings 2:7, Esther 2:17 Job 42:15; Psalm 45:11; Song of Solomon 2:14, Song of Solomon 4:7, Song of Solomon 7:1
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
Men
Genesis 39:6 See also 1 Samuel 16:12, 1 Samuel 17:42; 2 Samuel 14:25; 1 Kings 1:6; Song of Solomon 1:16, Song of Solomon 5:10; Ezekiel 23:6, Ezekiel 23:23
So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
An enhanced quality
Esther 2:2–3 See also Esther 2:9, Esther 2:12; Isaiah 3:24; Ezekiel 7:20
Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king, and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.
Beauty and lack of beauty as external impressions
Isaiah 53:2 See also Proverbs 11:22, Proverbs 31:30; 1 Peter 3:3
He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him.
May lead to pride and lust
Proverbs 6:25–26; Ezekiel 28:17 See also Genesis 12:11–12, Genesis 39:7; 2 Samuel 11:2–4; Ezekiel 23:12
Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
Your heart grew proud of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor; so I cast you to the earth; I made you a spectacle before kings.
Beautiful artefacts
Luke 21:5 See also Joshua 7:21; Ezekiel 27:3–4, Ezekiel 27:11, Ezekiel 27:24; Acts 3:2
As some of the disciples were remarking how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and consecrated gifts, Jesus said,
The beauty of Jerusalem
Psalm 50:2 See also Psalm 48:2; Jeremiah 6:2; Lamentations 2:15; Ezekiel 16:10–15, Ezekiel 16:25; Daniel 11:45; Revelation 21:2
From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
The beauty of God as the joy of believers
Psalm 27:4 See also 1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 29:2; Isaiah 4:2, Isaiah 28:5, Isaiah 33:17, Isaiah 52:7, Isaiah 61:3; Jeremiah 11:16; Romans 10:15
One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.