Bless (barak, ashar)

beforHim · #1 17th August 2009, 04:32 PM

Upon studying, I looked up (in Hebrew, barak) bless (-es, -ed). Lexicons say it means things like to kneel, and/or to praise (you could praise without kneeling, and kneel without praising). I didn't get very far in studying, I'll admit, but I'm a bit confused.

How can God bless us- it says God blessed some creatures and us (in the creation account), and in Genesis 5, it says God blessed us. I'm sure it pops up in other places like this. I know God doesn't praise us, and the Hebrew word "ashar" is the one translated blessed/blessings/blesses when used in material possessions, or "I will bless your house", etc.

Just reading the Bible in various English translations shows that this simply means "to show favor", "to guarantee prosperity/to prosper", etc. But when the Hebrew is looked at, there are two different words, and the one I'm thinking of (barak) doesn't seem to mean this at all!

Hence, my question is, what does it mean when God "blesses" us, not in the "ashar" sense but in the "barak" sense? I posted this same question at the General Theology forum, and the Hermeneutics forum.

Tishri1 · #2 7th December 2009, 08:23 PM

did you ever get an answer?

All I know is there is a feeling you get from this word of one lifting something up to kiss it(my interpretation) and also it conveys something that needs to be envied because of the specialness of the blessing

maybe this will help show how God can bless us
The Hebrew Priestly Blessing

LamorakDesGalis · #3 8th December 2009, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by beforHim

Upon studying, I looked up (in Hebrew, barak) bless (-es, -ed). Lexicons say it means things like to kneel, and/or to praise (you could praise without kneeling, and kneel without praising). I didn't get very far in studying, I'll admit, but I'm a bit confused.

I'm sorry about the confusion, but the concepts behind this is usually taught well into first year Hebrew. Hebrew verbs have different stems that affect the meaning. So barak in the piel stem means to bless and in the hiphil stem means to cause to kneel. Also its very common for words to share the same basic root in Hebrew. Both "bless" and "knee" in Hebrew share the same root letters "brk" - ברך .

Originally Posted by beforHim

How can God bless us- it says God blessed some creatures and us (in the creation account), and in Genesis 5, it says God blessed us. I'm sure it pops up in other places like this. I know God doesn't praise us, and the Hebrew word "ashar" is the one translated blessed/blessings/blesses when used in material possessions, or "I will bless your house", etc.

Can you cite the verse and/or chapter for this specific example? In general, in Psalm 1:1 for example, the "ashre" -אַשְׁרֵי - comes at the beginning of a sentence. Its more of a generic or introduction blessing.

Originally Posted by beforHim

Just reading the Bible in various English translations shows that this simply means "to show favor", "to guarantee prosperity/to prosper", etc. But when the Hebrew is looked at, there are two different words, and the one I'm thinking of (barak) doesn't seem to mean this at all!

Hence, my question is, what does it mean when God "blesses" us, not in the "ashar" sense but in the "barak" sense? I posted this same question at the General Theology forum, and the Hermeneutics forum.

Barak examples that I can think are specific blessing actions, like God blessing Abraham in Gen 12:2. God's blessing means one has God's divine favor bestowed upon them, such as Abraham, David and others who were specifically blessed. An "ashre" blessing such as in Psalm 1:1 is a generic path of happiness or well-being if one does (or does not) pursue what is listed.

LDG

Tishri1 · #4 8th December 2009, 12:47 AM

Thats our new Hebrew teacher isnt he great! you can join our Hebrew class too if you want
LDG's Biblical Hebrew Class- Directory of Classes

yonah_mishael · #5 10th May 2010, 08:53 PM

Of course, though, it's not "barak" but "barach." The final consonant is not a hard k. It is a soft kaf. Not only that, the word appears in the piel, meaning that it's "berech" rather than "barak."

בֵּרֵךְ = beréch = "he blessed"
וַיְבָרֶךְ = vayvárech = "and he blessed"

Be well.

yonah_mishael · #6 10th May 2010, 08:57 PM

It should be noticed, also, that אַשְׁרֵי ashrei ("blessed, happy") is related to the word אוֹשֶׁר ósher ("happiness") and מְאוּשָׁר me'ushar ("happy"). It's similar to the Greek word μακάριος.