# bless, blessed, blessing

## Definition:

To “bless” someone or something means to cause good and beneficial things to happen to the person or thing that is being blessed.

* Blessing someone also means expressing a desire for positive and beneficial things to happen to that person.
* In Bible times, a father would often pronounce a formal blessing on his children.
* When people “bless” God or express a desire that God be blessed, this means they are praising him.
* The term “bless” is sometimes used for consecrating food before it is eaten, or for thanking and praising God for the food.


## Translation Suggestions:

* To “bless” could also be translated as to “provide abundantly for” or to “be very kind and favorable toward.”
* “God has brought great blessing to” could be translated as “God has given many good things to” or “God has provided abundantly for” or “God has caused many good things to happen to”.
* “He is blessed” could be translated as “he will greatly benefit” or “he will experience good things” or “God will cause him to flourish.”
* “Blessed is the person who” could be translated as “How good it is for the person who.”
* Expressions like “blessed be the Lord” could be translated as “May the Lord be praised” or “Praise the Lord” or “I praise the Lord.”
* In the context of blessing food, this could be translated as “thanked God for the food” or “praised God for giving them food” or “consecrated the food by praising God for it.”

(See also: [praise](../other/praise.md))

## Bible References:

* [1 Corinthians 10:16](rc://en/tn/help/1co/10/16)
* [Acts 13:34](rc://en/tn/help/act/13/34)
* [Ephesians 01:03](rc://en/tn/help/eph/01/03)
* [Genesis 14:20](rc://en/tn/help/gen/14/20)
* [Isaiah 44:03](rc://en/tn/help/isa/44/03)
* [James 01:25](rc://en/tn/help/jas/01/25)
* [Luke 06:20](rc://en/tn/help/luk/06/20)
* [Matthew 26:26](rc://en/tn/help/mat/26/26)
* [Nehemiah 09:05](rc://en/tn/help/neh/09/05)
* [Romans 04:09](rc://en/tn/help/rom/04/09)

## Examples from the Bible stories:

* __[01:07](rc://en/tn/help/obs/01/07)__ God saw that it was good and he __blessed__  them.
* __[01:15](rc://en/tn/help/obs/01/15)__ God made Adam and Eve in his own image. He __blessed__  them and told them, “Have many children and grandchildren and fill the earth.”
* __[01:16](rc://en/tn/help/obs/01/16)__ So God rested from all he had been doing. He __blessed__  the seventh day and made it holy, because on this day he rested from his work.
* __[04:04](rc://en/tn/help/obs/04/04)__ “I will make your name great. I will __bless__  those who __bless__  you and curse those who curse you. All families on earth will be __blessed__  because of you.”
* __[04:07](rc://en/tn/help/obs/04/07)__ Melchizedek __blessed__  Abram and said, “May God Most High who owns heaven and earth __bless__  Abram.”
* __[07:03](rc://en/tn/help/obs/07/03)__ Isaac wanted to give his __blessing__  to Esau.
* __[08:05](rc://en/tn/help/obs/08/05)__ Even in prison, Joseph remained faithful to God, and God __blessed__  him.

## Word Data:

* Strong’s: H833, H835, H1288, H1289, H1293, G1757, G2127, G2128, G2129, G3106, G3107, G3108, G6050
