בָרַךְ
𐤁𐤓𐤊
bârak
H1288 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To bless, to endow with power for success, prosperity, fertility, or longevity; to recognize, affirm, or invoke divine favor or well-being. In its most typical sense, בָרַךְ refers to the act of conferring a benefit, either from a divine figure to a human or from one human to another, often formally recognizing favor or good fortune. Less commonly, the term can be used in euphemistic contexts to mean 'curse,' usually as a deliberate circumlocution in prohibitive formulas or legal settings.
Semantic Range
to bless, to grant success, to endow with prosperity or fertility, to praise or acknowledge (divine or human), to invoke or confer benefit; to kneel (literal posture); by euphemism, to curse (in legal or formulaic context)
Root / Etymology
From the root ברך, which primarily means 'to kneel.' The lexical form בָרַךְ developed from the gesture of kneeling, which indicated submission or paying homage, and came to be associated with an act conveying blessing and favor. The semantic development reflects the connection between physical posture of humility (kneeling) and the pronouncing or bestowal of blessing. The negative (euphemistic) sense, 'to curse,' likely arose from conventions of indirect speech in contexts involving prohibitions against blasphemy or treason.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בָרַךְ occurs frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible and stands as the primary verb for 'to bless,' whether by God toward humans and creation, by humans toward God (as acknowledgment or praise), or from one human to another. In direct speech, blessing often implies the concrete wish or invocation of fertility, prosperity, or protection. The action sometimes includes ritual gestures (such as laying on hands), particularly in the priestly context. In patriarchal narratives, בָרַךְ frames crucial moments of inheritance and the transmission of familial or tribal favor (e.g., Isaac blessing Jacob). During the monarchic period, blessings are used in royal and priestly rhetoric to articulate divine favor for individuals or the nation. In Wisdom literature and Psalms, the verb often expresses praise or acknowledgment of Yhwh's acts and attributes. The euphemistic negative sense ('to curse') occurs rarely and is marked, primarily limited to legal or formulaic settings (e.g., Job 1:5, 1 Kings 21:10), often out of reverence to avoid directly stating cursing of the deity or sovereign. English translations using 'bless' generally reflect the core sense, but may obscure the broader relational and performative dimensions of the verb, as well as its limited alternative usage as a polite circumlocution for 'curse.'
Translation Consistency
בָרַךְ overwhelmingly and typically means to confer divine or human favor, prosperity, or well-being. “Bless” is the natural, common English verb that matches the primary semantic range (to invoke, grant, or pronounce benefit) and covers the frequent rendered forms (blessed, blesses, blessing). Less common senses (euphemistic ‘curse,’ literal ‘kneel’) are marginal and should be handled as exceptions, so using a single consistent base verb ‘bless’ best preserves meaning and natural readability across all forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason); [idiom] abundantly, [idiom] altogether, [idiom] at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, [idiom] greatly, [idiom] indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, [idiom] still, thank.
Bantu Hebrew
| Language | Bantu Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kikuyu | baraka | blessing | |
| Kirundi | uburaka | blessing | |
| Lingala | libelaka | blessing (from God) | |
| Swahili | baraka | blessing |
Root Family
ברך (Barukhe) — to bless, bestow favor, invoke well-being
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1263 | בָּרוּךְ | blessed one |
| H1289 | בְּרַךְ | to pronounce blessing |
| H1290 | בֶּרֶךְ | knee |
| H1291 | בֶּרֶךְ | his knees |
| H1292 | בָּרַכְאֵל | El has blessed |
Word Forms
105 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1288-12 |
בָּר֤וּךְ | barukhe | HVqsmsa |
Blessed | blessed one | blessed | 52 |
H1288-80 |
וַ/יְבָ֧רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed | 29 |
H1288-101 |
יְבָרֶכְ/ךָ֥ | yevarekhekha | HVpi3ms/Sp2ms |
bless you | he will bless you | he will bless you | 15 |
H1288-08 |
בָּרֲכ֖וּ | barakhu | HVpv2mp |
bless | Pronounce blessing, you all! | Bless, you all! | 13 |
H1288-100 |
יְבָרֵ֣ךְ | yevarekhe | HVpi3ms |
bless | may he bless | may he bless | 12 |
H1288-13 |
בֵּרַ֥ךְ | berakhe | HVpp3ms |
blessed | he bestowed blessing | he blessed | 11 |
H1288-31 |
לְ/בָרֵ֥ךְ | levarekhe | HR/Vpc |
to bless | to bestow blessing | to bless | 9 |
H1288-79 |
וַ/יְבָרֲכ֣וּ | vayevarakhu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and they blessed | they bestowed blessing | and they blessed | 8 |
H1288-55 |
וּ/בָר֥וּךְ | uvarukhe | HC/Vqsmsa |
and blessed be | and blessed one | and blessed | 7 |
H1288-07 |
בָּרֲכִ֣י | barakhi | HVpv2fs |
Bless | Bless! (you, feminine) | Bless (you, feminine) | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
330 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1288-80 |
Genesis 28:1 | וַ/יְבָ֣רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-100 |
Genesis 28:3 | יְבָרֵ֣ךְ | yevarekhe | HVpj3ms |
bless | may he bless | may he bless |
H1288-89 |
Genesis 28:6 | בֵרַ֣ךְ | verakhe | HVpp3ms |
had blessed | he bestowed blessing | he blessed |
H1288-28 |
Genesis 28:6 | בְּ/בָרֲכ֣/וֹ | bevarakho | HR/Vpc/Sp3ms |
when he blessed | in his blessing | when he blessed him |
H1288-87 |
Genesis 28:14 | וְ/נִבְרֲכ֥וּ | veniverakhu | HC/VNp3cp |
shall be blessed | and they were blessed | and shall be blessed |
H1288-78 |
Genesis 30:27 | וַ/יְבָרֲכֵ֥/נִי | vayevarakheni | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp1cs |
has blessed me | he blessed me | and he has blessed me |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 30:30 | וַ/יְבָ֧רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and has blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 32:1 | וַ/יְבָ֣רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-18 |
Genesis 32:27 | בֵּרַכְתָּֽ/נִי | berakhetani | HVpp2ms/Sp1cs |
you have blessed me | you have conferred favor on me | you have blessed me |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 32:30 | וַ/יְבָ֥רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 35:9 | וַ/יְבָ֖רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 39:5 | וַ/יְבָ֧רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 47:7 | וַ/יְבָ֥רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 47:10 | וַ/יְבָ֥רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 48:3 | וַ/יְבָ֖רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-68 |
Genesis 48:9 | וַ/אֲבָרֲכֵֽ/ם | vaavarakhem | HC/Vpi1cs/Sp3mp |
and I will bless them | I will bless them | and I will bless them |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 48:15 | וַ/יְבָ֥רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
And he blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-100 |
Genesis 48:16 | יְבָרֵךְ֮ | yevarekhe | HVpi3ms |
bless | may he bless | may he bless |
H1288-77 |
Genesis 48:20 | וַ/יְבָ֨רֲכֵ֜/ם | vayevarakhem | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3mp |
and he blessed them | and he bestowed blessing on them | and he blessed them |
H1288-100 |
Genesis 48:20 | יְבָרֵ֤ךְ | yevarekhe | HVpi3ms |
will bless | may he bless | may he bless |
H1288-94 |
Genesis 49:25 | וִ/יבָ֣רְכֶ֔/ךָּ | vivarekhekha | HC/Vpi3ms/Sp2ms |
and may he bless you | he will intensively bless you | he will bless you |
H1288-80 |
Genesis 49:28 | וַ/יְבָ֣רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
and blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-13 |
Genesis 49:28 | בֵּרַ֥ךְ | berakhe | HVpp3ms |
he blessed | he bestowed blessing | he blessed |
H1288-59 |
Exodus 12:32 | וּ/בֵֽרַכְתֶּ֖ם | uverakhetem | HC/Vpq2mp |
and bless | and you all bestow blessing | and bless |
H1288-12 |
Exodus 18:10 | בָּר֣וּךְ | barukhe | HVqsmsa |
Blessed [be] | blessed one | blessed |
H1288-13 |
Exodus 20:11 | בֵּרַ֧ךְ | berakhe | HVpp3ms |
blessed | he bestowed blessing | he blessed |
H1288-62 |
Exodus 20:24 | וּ/בֵרַכְתִּֽי/ךָ | uverakhetikha | HC/Vpq1cs/Sp2ms |
and I will bless you | and I blessed you | and I will bless you |
H1288-56 |
Exodus 23:25 | וּ/בֵרַ֥ךְ | uverakhe | HC/Vpq3ms |
and-he-will-bless | and he bestowed blessing | and he will bless |
H1288-80 |
Exodus 39:43 | וַ/יְבָ֥רֶךְ | vayevarekhe | HC/Vpw3ms |
And Moses blessed | and he bestowed blessing | and he blessed |
H1288-82 |
Leviticus 9:22 | וַֽ/יְבָרְכֵ֑/ם | vayevarekhem | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3mp |
and he blessed them | and he bestowed blessing on them | and he blessed them |
H1288-79 |
Leviticus 9:23 | וַֽ/יְבָרֲכ֖וּ | vayevarakhu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and they blessed | they bestowed blessing | and they blessed |
H1288-43 |
Numbers 6:23 | תְבָרֲכ֖וּ | tevarakhu | HVpi2mp |
you shall bless | you shall bestow blessing | you shall bless |
H1288-101 |
Numbers 6:24 | יְבָרֶכְ/ךָ֥ | yevarekhekha | HVpj3ms/Sp2ms |
bless you | he will bless you | may he bless you |
H1288-03 |
Numbers 6:27 | אֲבָרֲכֵֽ/ם | avarakhem | HVpi1cs/Sp3mp |
will bless them | I will bless them | I will bless them |
H1288-44 |
Numbers 22:6 | תְּבָרֵךְ֙ | tevarekhe | HVpi2ms |
you-bless | you will intensely bless | you will intensely bless |
H1288-36 |
Numbers 22:6 | מְבֹרָ֔ךְ | mevorakhe | HVPsmsa |
blessed | one endowed with blessing | one being blessed |
H1288-74 |
Numbers 22:12 | בָר֖וּךְ | varukhe | HVqsmsa |
blessed | blessed one | blessed one |
H1288-17 |
Numbers 23:11 | בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ | berakheta | HVpp2ms |
you have blessed | you have bestowed blessing | you have blessed |
H1288-73 |
Numbers 23:11 | בָרֵֽךְ | varekhe | HVpa |
blessing | to richly bless | to richly bless |
H1288-73 |
Numbers 23:20 | בָרֵ֖ךְ | varekhe | HVpa |
to bless | to richly bless | to richly bless |
H1288-64 |
Numbers 23:20 | וּ/בֵרֵ֖ךְ | uverekhe | HC/Vpp3ms |
and he has blessed | and he has endowed-with-blessing | and he has blessed |
H1288-09 |
Numbers 23:25 | בָּרֵ֖ךְ | barekhe | HVpa |
bless | intensely bless | intensely bless |
H1288-42 |
Numbers 23:25 | תְבָרֲכֶֽ/נּוּ | tevarakhenu | HVpi2ms/Sp3ms |
will you bless | you will bless him | you will bless him |
H1288-31 |
Numbers 24:1 | לְ/בָרֵ֣ךְ | levarekhe | HR/Vpc |
to bless | to bestow blessing | to bless |
H1288-32 |
Numbers 24:9 | מְבָרֲכֶ֣י/ךָ | mevarakheykha | HVprmpc/Sp2ms |
those who bless you | those blessing you | those who bless you |
H1288-74 |
Numbers 24:9 | בָר֔וּךְ | varukhe | HVqsmsa |
will be blessed | blessed one | will be blessed |
H1288-17 |
Numbers 24:10 | בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ | berakheta | HVpp2ms |
you have blessed | you have bestowed blessing | you have blessed |
H1288-73 |
Numbers 24:10 | בָרֵ֔ךְ | varekhe | HVpa |
blessing | to richly bless | to richly bless |
H1288-93 |
Deuteronomy 1:11 | וִ/יבָרֵ֣ךְ | vivarekhe | HC/Vpi3ms |
and may He bless | he will confer blessing | and may He bless |
H1288-14 |
Deuteronomy 2:7 | בֵּֽרַכְ/ךָ֗ | berakhekha | HVpp3ms/Sp2ms |
has blessed you | he has richly blessed you | he has blessed you |