Bless, God blesses man.

[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.

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 language forum.

 

[MrPolo]

I would think often it is meant as a bestowal of grace.

 

[Emmy]

Dear beforHim. I always like to look at/accept blessings, as God`s Approval. Unless God blesses a deed, or a person, or anything, God does not approve, or accept it. We need God`s approval for all we do, or say, and if God gives it His blessings, He approves. If we sincerely ask, God will give His blessings, and if we find that God does not bless our doings, He does not approve of them. Sincere greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[beforHim]

meant as a bestowal of grace.

blessings, as God`s Approval

Here's the problem- the definitions given are the ones we think the word "bless" commonly has, and the Hebrew word "ashar" is like the above. But the Hebrew word, translated also as bless, I'm speaking of has a lexicon definition of "to kneel, to praise". Would God kneel to Noah and/or praise Him (Gen 9:6), or anyone for that matter?

One of my friends brought up a good point- is praise synonymous with worship? I'll have to look this up, because I really don't think if blessing=praise=worship that the Hebrews would've said God worships us.