STRONGS NUMBER H1288


Word Summary
barak: to kneel, bless
Original Word: בָרַךְ
Transliteration: barak
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-rak')
Part of Speech: Verb
Short Definition: to kneel, bless
Meaning: to kneel, to bless God, man, to curse
Strong's Concordance
abundantly, altogether, at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, greatly,

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) -- X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

H1288. barak

[בָּרַךְ‎]329 verb kneel, bless (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic ; Ethiopic : Aramaic בְּרֵךְ‎ (praise), Palmyrene especially in לעלמא שמו בריך‎ VogPalm. 74 ff. compare 94, 144) —

Qal Imperfect יִבְּרַךְ2 Chronicles 6:13; נִבְרְכָהPsalm 95:6; בָּרוֺךְ‎ (see

Pi`el); Passive participle בָּרוּךְGenesis 9:26 70t.; —

1 kneel down (so Arabic, Syriac, Ethiopic): עַלבִּֿרְכָּיו וַיִּבְרַךְand he kneeled upon his knees2 Chronicles 6:13; י לפני ׳נִבְרְכָהlet us kneel before Yahweh Psalm 95:6.

2 bless (only passive participle).

a. of God: י ׳בָּרוּךְblessed be (or is) ׳יExodus 18:10 (E) Genesis 9:26; 24:27 (J) Ruth 4:14; 1 Samuel 25:32: 25:39; 2 Samuel 18:28; 1 Kings 1:48; 1 Kings 5:21; 8:51, 56; 10:9; 1 Chronicles 16:36; 29:10; 2 Chronicles 2:11; 6:4; 9:8; Ezra 7:27; Psalm 28:6; 31:22; Psalm 41:14; 72:18; Psalm 89:53; 106:48; 119:12; 124:6; 135:21; 144:1; Zechariah 11:5; ׳ב אלהיםPsalm 66:20; Psalm 68:36; ׳ב אדני68:20 (probably for an original יהוה‎); ׳ב עליון אלGenesis 14:20 (E); ׳ב צוּרִי2 Samuel 22:47 (= Psalm 18:47); ׳ב י ׳כבודEzekiel 3:12; כבודו ׳ב שׁםPsalm 72:19.

b. of men: Genesis 27:33 (J) Numbers 22:12 (E) Deuteronomy 7:14; 28:3, 6; 33:20, 24; 1 Samuel 25:33; 26:25; Judges 17:2; 1 Kings 2:45; Psalm 118:26; Isaiah 19:25; Jeremiah 17:7; 20:14; ברוך מברכךblessed be the one blessing thee Genesis 27:29; Numbers 24:9 (E); ׳ב ליהוהRuth 2:19-20, 3:10; 1 Samuel 15:13; 23:21; 2 Samuel 2:5; Psalm 115:15; ׳ב עליון לאלGenesis 14:19; י ׳בְּרוּךְ24:31; 26:29 (J); י ׳בְּרוּכֵיIsaiah 65:23.

c. things: בטנך פרי בָּרוּךְblessed be the fruit of thy womb Deuteronomy 28:4 compare 28:5; 1 Samuel 25:33; Proverbs 5:18.

Niph`al Perfect נִבְרְכוּGenesis 12:3; 18:18; 28:14 (J) bless oneself (compare Hithpa`el).

Pi`el233 Perfect בֵּרַךְGenesis 24:1 29t.; בֵּרֵךְPsalm 10:3; Numbers 23:20; בֵּרְכוּ2 Chronicles 20:26; וּבֵרֲכוּJob 1:5; suffix בֵּרֲכַּנִי בֵּרֲכוֺ,‎, etc., Genesis 27:27 5t.; בֵּרַכְךָDeuteronomy 2:7 9t.; Imperfect וַיְּבֶ֫רֶךְ יְבָרֵךְ,‎ etc., Genesis 28:3 52t.; אֲבָֽרֲכָה12:3 2t.; plural יְבָֽרֲכוּ24:60 11t.; suffix יְבָרֶכְךָ27:10 21t.; יְבָֽרֲכֶךָּ49:25 2t.; יְבָֽרֲכֵהוּ14:19 16t.; יְבָֽרֲכֵם48:20 6t.; אֲבָרֶכְכָה27:7; נִּי תְּבָֽרֲכַּ27:19, 31; יְבָֽרֲכֶנְהוּPsalm 72:15; יְבָֽרֲכוּכָה145:10; Imperative בָּרֵךְDeuteronomy 33:11 29t.; Infinitive construct בָּרֵךְGenesis 22:17 24t.; Infinitive absolute בָּרוֺךְJoshua 24:10 (Ki, compare Köi. 191, Ew§ 240 b, 2 Ol Sta); Participle מְבָרֵךְProverbs 27:14 4t.; —

1 bless God, adore with bended knees: accusative י ׳ברךGenesis 24:48 (J) Deuteronomy 8:10; Judges 5:2, 9; 1 Chronicles 29:10, 20; 2 Chronicles 20:26; 31:8; Nehemiah 9:5; Psalm 16:7; 26:12; 34:2; 63:5; 103:20; 103:21; 103:22; 115:18; 134:1; 134:2; 135:19; 135:20; 145:2; 145:10; י את ׳נפשׁי ברכי103:1; 103:2; 103:22; 104:1; 104:35; שׁם ברךbless the name of Yahweh Nehemiah 9:5; Psalm 96:2; 100:4; 145:1, 21; אלהים ברךJoshua 22:33; Psalm 66:8; 68:27 (doubtless for an original יהוה‎), with לְ1 Chronicles 29:20; אָוָן מְבָרֵךְIsaiah 66:3 (of idolatrous worship).

2 God blesses

a. men: absolute Numbers 23:20 (E) Psalm 109:28; with accusative Genesis 32:27; 32:30; 48:16; Exodus 20:24; Numbers 24:1; Joshua 24:10 (E) Genesis 12:2-3, 22:17; 24:1, 35; 26:12; 30:27, 30; 39:5; 49:25; Joshua 17:14 (J) Genesis 1:22, 28; 5:2; 9:1; 17:16, 20; 25:11; 26:3, 24; 28:3; 35:9; 48:3; Numbers 6:24, 27 (P) Deuteronomy 1:11; 2:7; 7:13; 12:7; 14:24, 29; 15:4, 6, 10, 14, 18; 16:10, 15; 23:21; 24:13, 19; 26:15; 28:8; 30:16; Judges 13:24; 2 Samuel 6:11-12, 7:29; 1 Chronicles 4:10; 13:14; 17:27; 26:5; 2 Chronicles 31:10; Nehemiah 8:6; Ruth 2:4; Job 42:12; Psalm 5:13; Psalm 28:9; 29:11; 45:3; 67:2; 67:7; Psalm 67:8; 107:38; 115:12; 115:13; 128:5; 134:3; 147:13; Proverbs 3:33; Isaiah 19:25; 51:2; 61:9; Jeremiah 31:23; Haggai 2:19,

b. things: Sabbath Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:11 (P); field Genesis 27:27 (E); bread Exodus 23:25 (E); work Deuteronomy 28:12; Job 1:10 compare Deuteronomy 33:11; Psalm 65:11; 132:15.

3 men bless men: priests & kings י ׳בשׁםDeuteronomy 10:8; 21:5; 2 Samuel 6:18; 1 Chronicles 16:2; 23:13; Psalm 129:8; Melchizedek Abraham Genesis 14:19; Moses Deuteronomy 33:1; Exodus 12:32; 39:43; Joshua Joshua 14:13; 22:6-7, priests Leviticus 9:22-23, Numbers 6:23; Deuteronomy 27:12; Joshua 8:33; 2 Chronicles 30:27; Psalm 118:26; Solomon 1 Kings 8:14, 55 ( = 2 Chronicles 6:3); David 2 Samuel 6:20 (= 1 Chronicles 16:43) 2 Samuel 19:40; Eli 1 Samuel 2:20; Balaam Numbers 22:6; 23:11, 20, 25; 24:10; fathers, especially on death-bed Genesis 27:4 12t. Genesis 27 (all J E) 28:1, 6 (P) 32:1 (E) 48:9 (P) 48:15, 20; 49:28 (J) 2 Samuel 13:25; in consecrating a sacrifice 1 Samuel 9:13.

4 salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing (stronger than שׁלום‎):ישׂראל יברך בךwith thee will Israel bless Genesis 48:20 (E).

a. in meeting Genesis 47:7 (P) 2 Kings 4:29; 10:15; 1 Samuel 13:10.

b. in departing Genesis 24:60 (J) 47:10 (P) 1 Kings 8:66.

c. by messengers 1 Samuel 25:14; 2 Samuel 8:10; 1 Chronicles 18:10.

d. in gratitude Job 31:20; Proverbs 30:11; Nehemiah 11:2.

e. morning salutation Proverbs 27:14.

f. congratulations for prosperity Genesis 12:3 (J) 27:29; Numbers 24:9 (E) 1 Kings 1:47; Psalm 49:19; 62:5.

g. in homage 2 Samuel 14:22; Psalm 72:15.

h. in friendliness 2 Samuel 21:3.

5 bless, with the antithetical meaning curse (Thes) from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates: 1 Kings 21:10, 13; Job 1:5, 11; 2:5, 9; Psalm 10:3.

Pu`al Imperfect יְבֹרַךְ2 Samuel 7:29 3t.; תְּבֹרַךְJudges 5:24; Proverbs 20:21; Participle מְבֹרָךְNumbers 22:6 3t.; feminine מְבֹרֶכֶתDeuteronomy 33:13; מְבֹרָכָיוPsalm 37:22; —

1 passive to be blessed, adored: י ׳שׁםJob 1:21; Psalm 113:2

2 prospered by God:

a. persons 2 Samuel 7:29; 1 Chronicles 17:27; Psalm 37:22; 112:2; 128:4; Proverbs 20:21.

b. things Deuteronomy 33:13.

3 have prosperity invoked, by Balaam Numbers 22:6.

4 in gratitude Proverbs 22:9; Judges 5:24.

Hiph`il חַגְּמַלִּים וַיַּבְרֵךְand he made his camels kneel Genesis 24:11 (J).

Hithpa`el הִתְבָּרֵךְDeuteronomy 29:18 3t.; Imperfect יִתְבָּרֵךְIsaiah 65:16; Psalm 72:17; Participle מִתְבָּרֵךְIsaiah 65:16; — bless oneself, congratulate onself בלבבו‎ in his heart Deuteronomy 29:18; בזרעך‎ with or by (compare בְּ‎ III. 2. d) thy seed (invoke for oneself the blessing of the see of Abraham) Genesis 22:18; 26:4 (J); by the Messianic king Psalm 72:17; אמן באלהיIsaiah 65:16; by ׳יJeremiah 4:2.

[בְּרַךְ‎] verb kneel, bless (so Biblical Hebrew); —

Pe Participle

1 active עַלבִּֿרְכוֺ֫הִי בָּרֵךְDaniel 6:11 kneeling on his knees (in prayer).

2 passive בְּרִיךְDaniel 3:28 blessed (be) the God, etc.

Pa`el bless, praise: Perfect3masculine singular בָּרִךְDaniel 2:19, 1singular בָּֽתְכֵת‎ (K§ 39, 3) 4:31, both with ל‎ of God; Passive participle מְבָרַךְ2:20 the name of God (be) blessed.