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בְּרָכָה berākāh – blessing

Semantic Fields: Blessing   
Author(s): James K. Aitken
First published: 2024-09-05
Citation: James K. Aitken, בְּרָכָה berākāh – blessing,
               Semantics of Ancient Hebrew Database (sahd-online.com), 2024

Introduction

Grammatical Type: noun fem.

Occurrences: 71x HB (30/19/22); 13x Sir; 51x Qum; 2x inscr. (Total: 137).

  • Torah: Gen 12:2; 27:12, 35, 36(2x), 38, 41; 28:4; 33:11; 39:5; 49:25(3x), 26(2x), 28; Exod 32:29; Lev 25:21; Deut 11:26, 27, 29; 12:15; 16:17; 23:6; 28:2, 8; 30:1, 19; 33:1, 23.
  • Nebiim: Josh 8:34; 15:19; Judg 1:15; 1 Sam 25:27; 30:26; 2 Sam 7:29; 2 Kgs 5:15; 18:31; Isa 19:24; 36:16; 44:3; 65:8; Ezek 34:26(2x); 44:30; Joel 2:14; Zech 8:13; Mal 2:2; 3:10.
  • Ketubim: Pss 3:9; 21:4, 7; 24:5; 37:26; 84:7; 109:17; 129:8; 133:3; Job 29:13; Prov 10:6, 7, 22; 11:11, 25, 26; 24:25; 28:20; Neh 9:5; 13:2; 2 Chron 20:26(2x).
  • Sira: 3:8A, 9A; 4:13A; 7:32A,D; 11:20[22]A; 33:17E (ב[רכ]ת); 39:22B (Bmg: ?); 40:27B; 44:22[23]B; 44:23B (Bmg: בכורה); 45:7 (Bmg; B: כבוד);‎ 46:11B; 50:20B.
  • Qumran: 1QHa 4(17):20; 1QM 12:12; 19:4; 1pPs(1Q16) 8:2 (בר[כת);‎ 1QSb(1Q28b) 1:1; 3:22; 4:3; 3Q15 ii 13 (ברכא);‎ 4Q88 vii 14; 4Q158 14 i 3; 4Q219 ii 33, 34; 4Q252 iii 13; iv 3; 4Q286 7 i 4; 4Q287 3:1; 4Q291 1:6 (]ברכ);‎ 4Q301 3a-b 7; 4Q379 15:1; 4QMMT C14 (4Q398 14-17 i 6); C20 (4Q398 11-13 3); 4Q403 1 i 28; 4Q427 3:2; 7 ii 5 (]לב);‎ 8 i 18; 13 ii 1 (]ברכ);‎ 4Q431 2:4; 4Q448 C (iii) 4; 4Q455 1(?); 4Q472 1:3; 4Q491 17:5; 4Q502 19:2; 45:1; 98:4; 4Q504 1-2 iv 13; v 16 (scribal emendation to the pl. ברכותיכה);‎ 4Q510 1:1; 4Q511 52-59:3; 4Q521 2 iii 3; 8:7; 4Q525 11-12:1; 6Q16 3:4; 11QPs^(a)(5) 22:1, 12, 13; 11Q14 1 ii 9; 11Q17 iii 5 (]בר);‎ x 4; 30:5; 11QT 29:9(?); 53:3; see Aitken, The Semantics of Blessing and Cursing, 121.
  • Inscr.: D-2.028:1, 7(=RR-Arad(6):28.1, 7); see see Aitken, The Semantics of Blessing and Cursing, 121.

7. Conclusion

A.1 The ancient versions recognize a variety of meanings for בְּרָכָה and in this they seem to be correct. בְּרָכָה denotes first the act of uttering a blessing upon someone or the action of the verb ברך.

A.2 בְּרָכָה has a derived secondary meaning of anything prosperous or benificial.

A.3 In LBH בְּרָכָה develops the meaning of ‘praise’, a probable consequence of the use of the verb ברך in meaning ‘to praise’.

A.4 As the verb ברך can be found in greeting formulas, בְּרָכָה is attested at the opening of a letter on an inscription.

A.5 Extensions in use can be seen in בְּרָכָה denoting an object of reciprocal exchange and possibly in its denoting ‘surrender’ or ‘peace’.

For this entry, see James K. Aitken, The Semantics of Blessing and Cursing in Ancient Hebrew (2007), 121-32 (Printed publications).

Semantics of Ancient Hebrew Database