Content

When Gehazi in his greed begged of Naaman a talent of silver, Naaman said (2 K 5^), ' Be content, take two talents.' Evidently he did not mean ' be satisfied,' but ' be pleased, let it be your pleasure.' So also Ex 2-', Jos 7', Jg 17" 19', 2 K 6\ .lob 6-» (RV ' be pleased ') where the Heb. is I?!;] yi'"^ in liiph. = ' acquiesce,' and where the Eng. is obsol. except in the phrase ' well c.,' as Stevenson, Undenvoods, I. xxv. 55 (1887), 'So sits the while at home the mother well content.' Cf.

the voting formula 'Content' or 'non-Content' used in the House of Lords. In this sense the vb. content is also used. Wis 16-" ' bread . . able to c. every man's delight ' (RV ' having the virtue of every pleasant savour '), with which cf. Bacon, Essays, 'He that questioneth much, shall learne much, and content much.' J. HASTINGS.