בָּרַכְאֵל
𐤁𐤓𐤊𐤀𐤋
Barakheel
H1292 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'El/Elohim has blessed.' Used in the Hebrew Bible as the name of an individual— specifically, the father of Elihu the Buzite in the book of Job. By form, the name expresses an invocation or declaration of blessing conferred by the deity El or Elohim, reflecting a common formula in theophoric names.
Semantic Range
(personal name) El has blessed, blessed by God; by extension, used only as a proper name, not a title or attribute
Root / Etymology
Compound formation from the verb בָּרַךְ (barakh, 'to bless') and אֵל (El, a Northwest Semitic term for 'God' or a god, often referencing the chief deity; in Israelite usage, a designation for the God of Israel). The name constructs a typical theophoric pattern: verb + divine name/title, interpreted as 'El has blessed' or 'Blessed by God.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
בָּרַכְאֵל appears only in Job 32:2, identifying Barakel as an ancestor of Elihu, one of Job’s interlocutors. The full name typifies Northwest Semitic theophoric onomastics, where El—or occasionally other divine names—forms part of a compound personal name that states a relationship with, or action by, the deity. Names of this type were common throughout the first millennium BCE across the Levant. Importantly, 'El' in this context reflects an older West Semitic term for God, which later becomes more specifically associated with the Israelite deity but could also function in wider Pantheonic settings before exclusive association with YHWH. The name does not denote ethnicity, geography, or religious affiliation by itself. Modern translations often render בָּרַכְאֵל as 'Barachel,' with little explanation of its meaning. There is no evidence for the presence of any broader title or status associated with the name; it identifies a lineage for Elihu, perhaps to distinguish him from other characters elsewhere in wisdom traditions.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בָרַךְ and אֵל, God has blessed; Barakel, the father of one of Job's friends; Barachel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ברך (b-r-k) — to bless, to kneel, to confer favor
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1263 | בָּרוּךְ | blessed one |
| H1288 | בָרַךְ | let me bless |
| H1289 | בְּרַךְ | to pronounce blessing |
| H1290 | בֶּרֶךְ | knee |
| H1291 | בֶּרֶךְ | his knees |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1292-01 |
בַּרַכְאֵ֣ל | barakheel | HNp |
Barachel | El has blessed | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences