What does בָּרַךְ · נֶפֶשׁ mean in the Bible?
בָּרַךְ · נֶפֶשׁ is a Hebrew phrase meaning "he blesses himself, congratulates his own life".
Hebrew · H1288, H5315
יְבָרֵךְ נַפְשׁוֹ
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) · properly, a breathing creature , i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality ; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
בָּרַךְH1288to 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)
Pronunciationbarak
Blessing flows from kneeling posture of submission; carries covenantal power to confer or withhold benefit.
Open lexicon entry →נֶפֶשׁH5315properly, a breathing creature , i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality ; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
Pronunciationnafsho
Vitality or lifeforce of a creature; ranges from physical breath to desire, appetite, and personal identity or selfhood.
Open lexicon entry →What does יְבָרֵךְ נַפְשׁוֹ (yevarekh nafsho) mean in the Bible?
בָּרַךְ · נֶפֶשׁ is a Hebrew phrase meaning "he blesses himself, congratulates his own life".
Full entry for יְבָרֵךְ נַפְשׁוֹ (H1288, H5315) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H1288, H5315?
H1288, H5315 is connected to 1,087 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. he blesses himself, congratulates his own life
Source Gloss
he blesses himself, congratulates his own life
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups4Aligned forms155
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense64×
Participle passive1Chr 16:36 · 1Chr 29:10 · 1Kgs 1:48 · 1Kgs 2:45 · 1Kgs 5:21 · 1Kgs 8:15 · 1Kgs 8:56 · 1Kgs 10:9 · 1Sam 15:13 · 1Sam 23:21 · 1Sam 25:32 · 1Sam 25:39 · 1Sam 26:25 · 2Chr 2:11 · 2Chr 6:4 · 2Chr 9:863×
CohortativePs 95:61×
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action79×
Sequential imperfect1Chr 29:20 · Judg 5:2 · Judg 5:9 · Neh 9:5 · Ps 66:8 · Ps 68:27 · Ps 96:2 · Ps 100:4 · Ps 103:20 · Ps 103:21 · Ps 103:22 · Ps 134:1 · Ps 135:19 · Ps 135:20 · Ps 103:1 · Ps 103:223×
Imperfect1Sam 9:13 · Gen 48:16 · Gen 48:20 · Prov 3:33 · Prov 30:11 · Ps 29:11 · Ps 49:19 · Ps 115:12 · Ps 115:13 · Hag 2:19 · Ps 16:7 · Ps 26:12 · Ps 132:15 · Num 22:6 · Ps 5:13 · Ps 65:1122×
Perfect1Kgs 21:13 · 2Chr 31:10 · 2Sam 6:12 · Deut 33:1 · Exod 20:11 · Gen 24:1 · Gen 24:35 · Gen 28:6 · Gen 49:28 · Isa 61:9 · Job 42:12 · Ps 10:3 · Ps 147:13 · 1Chr 17:27 · 1Kgs 21:10 · Job 1:1021×
Infinitive absolute1Chr 4:10 · Deut 15:4 · Gen 22:17 · Josh 24:10 · Num 23:11 · Num 23:20 · Num 23:25 · Num 24:10 · Ps 132:159×
Participle activeIsa 66:3 · Prov 27:142×
JussiveGen 28:31×
CohortativePs 34:21×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject11×
Imperfect2Sam 7:29 · Prov 22:9 · Ps 112:2 · Ps 128:4 · Judg 5:24 · Prov 20:217×
Participle passiveDeut 33:13 · Job 1:21 · Num 22:6 · Ps 113:24×
Hithpaelreflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others1×
ImperfectIsa 65:161×
Word Origins
יְבָרֵךְ נַפְשׁוֹ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Cross-Language Connections
Greek words that correspond to or develop the meaning of this Hebrew word in the New Testament.