← H1300 H1302 →

בָּרָק

𐤁𐤓𐤒

Baraq

H1301 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ברק to flash, to gleam, to shine briefly, to strike as lightning

Definition

A personal name, most notably borne by a prominent Israelite military leader from Naphtali during the time of the Judges. The lexical sense of the name likely derives from 'lightning,' and by extension may evoke attributes such as swiftness, brilliance, or striking power. In its primary biblical occurrence, it is a proper noun, not a common noun or appellative.

Semantic Range

personal name, derived from 'lightning'; metaphorical extension to attributes such as speed or impact; used only as a proper noun in the Hebrew Bible

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root בָּרָק (barak), meaning 'lightning.' The name בָּרָק is derived from the root, functioning as a proper name based on the visual or metaphorical qualities of lightning. There is no indication of an alternate root or foreign origin.

Historical & Contextual Notes

בָּרָק is used in the Hebrew Bible as the name of an Israelite leader from Naphtali, summoned by the prophetess Deborah to lead a coalition against foreign oppression (Judges 4–5). The name's meaning remains consistent—rooted in the imagery of lightning—but it functions strictly as a proper name in the biblical text. The term does not carry connotations relating to later religious or ethnic terminology. In post-biblical Jewish tradition and later translations, the name is often rendered directly in transliteration (Barak). There are no significant shifts in usage across periods, as the term appears exclusively as a personal name in the period of the Judges. English translations capture the proper noun status but may obscure the underlying wordplay or imagery evoked by 'lightning.' The name Barak is not to be conflated with the verb בָּרַךְ ('to bless') or the root related to 'kneeling.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as בָּרָק; Barak, an Israelite; Barak.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

ברק (b-r-q) — to flash, to gleam, to shine briefly, to strike as lightning

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1299 בָּרַק Flash forth!
H1300 בָּרָק Lightning
H1303 בַּרְקָן the flashing-briers
H1304 בָּרֶקֶת and flashing gem

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1301-01 בָּרָ֔ק baraq HNp Barak Lightning 8
H1301-03 וּ/בָרָ֗ק uvaraq HC/Np and Barak and Lightning 2
H1301-04 בָרָ֑ק varaq HNp Barak Lightning 2
H1301-02 לְ/בָרָ֣ק levaraq HR/Np to Barak to Barak 1

Occurrences in Scripture

13 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1301-02 Judges 4:6 לְ/בָרָ֣ק levaraq HR/Np to Barak to Barak
H1301-01 Judges 4:8 בָּרָ֔ק baraq HNp Barak Lightning
H1301-01 Judges 4:9 בָּרָ֖ק baraq HNp Barak Lightning
H1301-01 Judges 4:10 בָּרָ֜ק baraq HNp Barak Lightning
H1301-01 Judges 4:12 בָּרָ֥ק baraq HNp Barak Lightning
H1301-01 Judges 4:14 בָּרָ֜ק baraq HNp Barak Lightning
H1301-01 Judges 4:14 בָּרָק֙ baraq-2 HNp Barak Lightning
H1301-04 Judges 4:15 בָרָ֑ק varaq HNp Barak Lightning
H1301-03 Judges 4:16 וּ/בָרָ֗ק uvaraq HC/Np But Barak and Lightning
H1301-04 Judges 4:22 בָרָק֮ varaq HNp Barak Lightning
← H1300 Hebrew Lexicon H1302 →