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DEEP KJV WORD STUDY

Rather

Begin with the exact English word as it appears in the King James Bible. Follow its whole-Bible usage, book distribution, related indexed forms, Webster 1828, every occurrence, and the occurrence-specific Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek mappings behind it.

62exact KJV occurrences 14Old Testament 48New Testament 22books containing the word 8mapped Strong's IDs 44occurrence-specific Strong's links
FIRST OCCURRENCE

Joshua 22:24

And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?

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LAST OCCURRENCE

2 Peter 1:10

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

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KJV DISTRIBUTION

Where rather appears.

This is exact English-word usage from the canonical KJV token index, not a Strong's estimate.

Joshua 11 verses 2 Samuel 11 verses 2 Kings 11 verses Job 33 verses Psalms 22 verses Proverbs 54 verses Jeremiah 11 verses Matthew 66 verses Mark 22 verses Luke 77 verses John 11 verses Acts 11 verses Romans 55 verses 1 Corinthians 87 verses 2 Corinthians 44 verses Galatians 11 verses Ephesians 33 verses Philippians 11 verses 1 Timothy 33 verses Philemon 11 verses Hebrews 44 verses 2 Peter 11 verses
ORIGINAL-LANGUAGE MAP

Which Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek words stand behind this KJV word?

These relationships come from exact verse + token-position mappings. We do not assume that one English spelling always equals one Strong's number. A single English token can also carry more than one source tag, so the Strong's-link total can exceed the number of English occurrences.

GreekG2309
θέλω

thélō · thel'-o

1 times translated as this KJV form217 total Strong's occurrences

to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas G1014 properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations), i.e. choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication, to wish, i.e. be inclined to (sometimes adverbially, gladly); impersonally for the future tense, to be about to; by Hebraism, to delight in

Strong's KJV usage: :--desire, be disposed (forward), intend, list, love, mean, please, have rather, (be) will (have, -ling, - ling(-ly)).

Other KJV renderings

Strong's first: 1 Corinthians 14:19Strong's last: 1 Corinthians 14:19

Open full G2309 profile →

Strong's data is a concordance/lexical reference layer. Scripture context controls interpretation. Lexical source data is shown separately from future TWBC editorial teaching.

EVERY OCCURRENCE

Read the word in context.

62 occurrences match the current filters. Each row keeps its exact KJV token position so Original Word and TSK remain occurrence-specific.

Ephesians 5:4
G3123

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Ephesians 5:11
G3123

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Philippians 1:12
G3123

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

1 Timothy 1:4
G3123

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

1 Timothy 4:7
no direct Strong's tag

But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

1 Timothy 6:2
G3123

And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

Philemon 1:9
G3123

Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:25
G3123

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Hebrews 12:9
G3123

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Hebrews 12:13
G3123

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Hebrews 13:19
G4056

But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

2 Peter 1:10
G3123

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

WEBSTER’S 1828

English meaning and historical usage.

Dictionary data is kept visibly separate from Scripture and from lexical Strong's data.

rather

RATH'ER, adverb [I would rather go, or sooner go. The use is taken from pushing or moving forward.] [Latin ante, before.] But he said, yea rather happy are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Luke 11:28]

1. More readily or willingly; with better liking; with preference or choice.

My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life. Job 7:15.

Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19. Psalms 84:10.

2. In preference; preferably; with better reason. Good is rather to be chosen than evil. See Acts 5:29.

3. In a greater degree than otherwise.

He sought throughout the world, but sought in vain, and no where finding, rather fear'd her slain.

4. More properly; more correctly speaking.

This is an art which does mend nature, change it rather; but the art itself is nature.

5. Noting some degree of contrariety in fact.

She was nothing better, but rather grew worse. Mark 5:26.

Matthew 27:24.

The rather especially; for better reason; for particular cause.

You are come to me in a happy time, the rather for I have some sport in hand.

Had rather is supposed to be a corruption of would rather

I had rather speak five words with my understanding - 1 Corinthians 14:19. This phrase may have been originally, 'I'd rather ' for I would rather and the contraction afterwards mistaken for had. Correct speakers and writers generally use would in all such phrases; I would rather I prefer; I desire in preference.

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). A conservative base-form lookup may be used when the exact inflected KJV form is not a Webster headword.

SOURCE & METHOD

Know what each layer is—and what it is not.

KJV English usageExact token counts, verse counts, first/last occurrence, and book distribution come from the canonical TWBC PCE KJV index.
Webster 1828Historical English dictionary material is reproduced as dictionary data, not as inspired Scripture or TWBC commentary.
Original Word / Strong'sHebrew, Aramaic, and Greek links attach by exact verse + KJV token position. No global “English word always equals Strong's ID” rule is used.

Curated TWBC teaching will remain a separate editorial layer. Raw source data is never silently rewritten to force a doctrinal conclusion.