בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם
b-'ezrat ha-shém
The English phrase 'God willing' can be expressed in Hebrew as בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם (b-'ezrat ha-shém) or אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם.
Meaning: God willing (intj)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם | b-'ezrat ha-shém |
| אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם | 'im yirtsé ha-shém |
Both phrases are used to express the sentiment of 'God willing'. בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם is frequently used as an interjection when discussing future plans or hopes. אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם is used to express humility.
What does it mean word for word?
בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם literally means 'with the help of the Name'. אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם literally means 'if the Name will want'.
Which one should you use?
בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם carries the sense of 'with the help of God', while אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם carries the sense of 'if God wills'.
How do you pronounce it?
b-'ezrat ha-shém
Did you know?
- Using these phrases when discussing the future is a way to avoid 'tempting fate', similar to the concept of 'knocking on wood' in English.
- The abbreviation בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם is often written as the acronym בע״ה (be'ezrat hashem) in Hebrew correspondence and even in digital chats.
- Even in secular Israeli society, you may hear people use בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם as a cultural idiom to express hope, even if the speaker is not particularly religious.
Example sentences for Hebrew are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Rotem and Daniel are talking about a job interview.
- רוטם Rotemדניאל, מתי התשובה מהראיון תגיע?Daniel, matay hatshuva mehara'ayon tagia?Daniel, when will the answer from the interview arrive?
- דניאל Danielהם אמרו שיחזרו אליי מחר, בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם.Hem amru sheyachzoru elay machar, be'ezrat HaShem.They said they will get back to me tomorrow, God willing.
- רוטם Rotemאני בטוחה שתקבל את הג'וב!Ani betucha shetekabel et hageb!I am sure you will get the job!
- דניאל Danielתודה רבה, אני מקווה שזה יקרה.Toda raba, ani mekave sheze yikre.Thank you very much, I hope it happens.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God willing” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
