Topical Bible: Blessings

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Definition and Nature:
In the biblical context, blessings are expressions of God's favor and goodness towards individuals or groups. They encompass both spiritual and material benefits bestowed by God, often as a result of obedience, faith, and righteousness. Blessings can also be conferred by individuals, such as patriarchs or leaders, invoking God's favor upon others.

Old Testament Context:
The concept of blessings is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, where it is often associated with God's covenantal promises. In Genesis, God blesses Adam and Eve, instructing them to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). The patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, receive blessings that include promises of land, descendants, and divine protection. For instance, God tells Abraham, "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2).

Blessings in the Old Testament are frequently linked to obedience to God's commandments. In Deuteronomy 28, blessings are promised to Israel contingent upon their adherence to God's laws: "And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 28:2).

New Testament Context:
In the New Testament, blessings take on a more spiritual dimension, emphasizing the eternal and spiritual benefits of being in Christ. Jesus, in the Beatitudes, pronounces blessings on those who exhibit certain virtues, such as the poor in spirit and the peacemakers (Matthew 5:3-12). These blessings are often paradoxical, highlighting the values of the Kingdom of God as opposed to worldly standards.

The Apostle Paul speaks of spiritual blessings in Christ, stating, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 1:3). These blessings include redemption, forgiveness, and the sealing of the Holy Spirit.

Purpose and Function:
Blessings serve multiple purposes in the biblical narrative. They are a means of conveying God's favor and approval, a tool for imparting hope and encouragement, and a mechanism for establishing and reinforcing covenantal relationships. They also function as a form of intercession, where individuals invoke God's favor upon others, as seen in the priestly blessing: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you" (Numbers 6:24-25).

Human Agency in Blessings:
While blessings originate from God, humans play a role in their transmission. Patriarchs, prophets, and priests often pronounce blessings, acting as intermediaries between God and His people. For example, Jacob blesses his sons, imparting prophetic words over their futures (Genesis 49). Similarly, the New Testament encourages believers to bless others, even their persecutors: "Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14).

Conditions and Consequences:
Biblical blessings are frequently conditional, dependent on faithfulness and obedience to God's commands. The blessings and curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28 illustrate the consequences of obedience versus disobedience. However, God's grace also allows for blessings that transcend human merit, as seen in the unmerited favor extended through Christ.

Eschatological Aspect:
The ultimate blessing for believers is eternal life and communion with God. Revelation describes the eschatological fulfillment of God's blessings, where His servants will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads (Revelation 22:4). This eternal blessing signifies the consummation of God's redemptive plan and the restoration of creation.

Greek

2821. klesis -- a calling
... 2821 (from 2564 , "to call, summon") -- ; used of to receive His gift of salvation --
with all His blessings that go with it (Ro 11:29; Eph 4:4; 2 Pet 1:10). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2821.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

1293. berakah -- a blessing
... Word Origin from barak Definition a blessing NASB Word Usage benefit (1), blessed
(1), blessing (48), blessings (11), generous (1), gift (3), most blessed (1 ...
/hebrew/1293.htm - 6k

Library

'All Spiritual Blessings'
... EPHESIANS 'ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS'. 'Blessed be God ... who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.'"Ephesians 1:3. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/all spiritual blessings.htm

January the Sixth "Count Your Blessings"
... JANUARY The Sixth "COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS". PSALM cv.1-15. "Count your blessings!"
Yes, but over what area shall I look for them? There is my personal life. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/january the sixth count your.htm

February the Seventeenth Blessings and Cursings
... FEBRUARY The Seventeenth BLESSINGS AND CURSINGS. "He read all the words of
the law, the blessings and the cursings." "Joshua 8:30-35. ...
/.../february the seventeenth blessings and.htm

Great Incidental Blessings.
... The Plan Great Incidental Blessings. Now, without doubt the sending of
the missionaries has vastly improved conditions of human ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/great incidental blessings.htm

Psalm 128. Family Blessings.
... Psalm 128. Family blessings. ... 2 A careful providence shall stand And ever guard thy
head, Shall on the labours of thy hand Its kindly blessings shed. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/watts/the psalms of david/psalm 128 family blessings.htm

Blessings of Spring.
... THE SEASONS, ANNUAL OCCASIONS, ETC. 859. " Blessings of Spring. 859. SM
Watts. Blessings of Spring. 1 Good is the heavenly King ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/859 blessings of spring.htm

Psalm 112:2. LM The Blessings of the Pious and Charitable.
... THE Psalms of David, In Metre. Psalm 112:2. LM The blessings of the pious
and charitable. 1 Thrice happy man who fears the Lord, Loves ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watts/the psalms of david/psalm 112 2 0 l m the.htm

The Blessings of Peace.
... PHILANTHROPIC SUBJECTS. 812. " The Blessings of Peace. 812. 7s. M. Lewins
Mead Coll. The Blessings of Peace. 1 Peace! the welcome ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/812 the blessings of.htm

Of the Blessings with which the Creator Has Filled this Life ...
... Book XXII. Chapter 24."Of the Blessings with Which the Creator Has Filled
This Life, Obnoxious Though It Be to the Curse. But ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 24 of the blessings with.htm

Blessings of the Gospel.
... 256. " Blessings of the Gospel. 256. CM S. Streeter. Blessings of the Gospel.
1 What glorious tidings do I hear From my Redeemer's tongue! ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/256 blessings of the.htm

Thesaurus

Blessings (45 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Blessings (45 Occurrences). ...Blessings on Him who comes
in the Lord's name! God in the highest Heavens save Him!" (WEY). ...
/b/blessings.htm - 19k

Lieth (135 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty,
who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the ...
/l/lieth.htm - 36k

Fertile (55 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Genesis 49:25 Even by the God of your father, who will be your help, and
by the Ruler of all, who will make you full with blessings from heaven on high ...
/f/fertile.htm - 23k

Benediction
... That section of the church which regards the minister as clothed with sacerdotal
powers, holds that the blessings pronounced are actually conferred in the act ...
/b/benediction.htm - 12k

Breasts (39 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:25 even by the God of your father, who will help you; by the Almighty,
who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep ...
/b/breasts.htm - 18k

Below (52 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:25 even by the God of your father, who will help you; by the Almighty,
who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep ...
/b/below.htm - 22k

Beneath (73 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee, And by the Almighty,
who shall bless thee, With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the ...
/b/beneath.htm - 29k

Blesses (18 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty,
who shall bless thee, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the ...
/b/blesses.htm - 11k

Couches (15 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty,
who shall bless thee, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the ...
/c/couches.htm - 10k

Curses (55 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Romans 3:14 Whose mouth is full of curses and bitter words: (BBE RSV). Romans
12:14 Invoke blessings on your persecutors--blessings, not curses. (WEY BBE ...
/c/curses.htm - 22k

Resources

What are the blessings God promised Israel for obedience? | GotQuestions.org

What are spiritual blessings? | GotQuestions.org

What are the seven blessings of Revelation? | GotQuestions.org

Blessings: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Blessings (45 Occurrences)

Matthew 21:9
and the multitudes--some of the people preceding Him and some following--sang aloud, "God save the Son of David! Blessings on Him who comes in the Lord's name! God in the highest Heavens save Him!"
(WEY)

Mark 11:10
Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our forefather David! God in the highest Heavens save Him!"
(WEY)

John 12:13
took branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, shouting as they went, "God save him! Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord--even on the King of Israel!"
(WEY)

Acts 13:34
"Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus:'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'
(WEB ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Romans 12:14
Invoke blessings on your persecutors--blessings, not curses.
(WEY)

Romans 15:27
Yes, they have kindly done this, and, in fact, it was a debt they owed them. For seeing that the Gentiles have been admitted in to partnership with the Jews in their spiritual blessings, they in turn are under an obligation to render sacred service to the Jews in temporal things.
(WEY RSV NIV)

1 Corinthians 2:12
But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes forth from God, that we may know the blessings that have been so freely given to us by God.
(WEY)

1 Corinthians 4:12
And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly;
(BBE)

1 Corinthians 9:23
Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.
(See RSV NIV)

2 Corinthians 9:6
And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;
(YLT)

Galatians 6:6
But let those who receive instruction in Christian truth share with their instructors all temporal blessings.
(WEY)

Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
(KJV WBS)

Hebrews 9:11
But Christ appeared as a High Priest of the blessings that are soon to come by means of the greater and more perfect Tent of worship, a tent which has not been built with hands--that is to say does not belong to this material creation--
(WEY)

Hebrews 10:1
For, since the Law exhibits only an outline of the blessings to come and not a perfect representation of the things themselves, the priests can never, by repeating the same sacrifices which they continually offer year after year, give complete freedom from sin to those who draw near.
(WEY)

Hebrews 11:13
All these died in the possession of faith. They had not received the promised blessings, but had seen them from a distance and had greeted them, and had acknowledged themselves to be foreigners and strangers here on earth;
(WEY)

Hebrews 11:20
By faith, concerning coming things, Isaac did bless Jacob and Esau;
(See RSV)

Genesis 48:20
And he blessed them that day, saying: 'By thee shall Israel bless, saying: God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh.' And he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
(See RSV)

Genesis 49:25
even by the God of your father, who will help you; by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 49:26
The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of your ancestors, above the boundaries of the ancient hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 7:14
You will have greater blessings than any other people: no male or female among you or among your cattle will be without offspring.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the Lord had the tribe of Levi marked out to take up the ark of the Lord's agreement, to be before the Lord and to do his work and to give blessings in his name, to this day.
(BBE NIV)

Deuteronomy 11:29
And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 16:10
And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God after the measure of the freewill-offering of thy hand, which thou shalt give, according as the LORD thy God blesseth thee.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 21:5
Then the priests, the sons of Levi, are to come near; for they have been marked out by the Lord your God to be his servants and to give blessings in the name of the Lord; and by their decision every argument and every blow is to be judged:
(BBE NIV)

Deuteronomy 28:2
and all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed;
(See NIV)

Joshua 8:34
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
(KJV WBS NIV)

Judges 5:24
Blessings be on Jael, more than on all women! Blessings greater than on any in the tents!
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was made separate and holy, he and his sons for ever, for the care of the most holy things and the burning of offerings before the Lord, to do his work and give blessings in his name for ever.
(BBE RSV NIV)

Psalms 21:3
For you meet him with the blessings of goodness. You set a crown of fine gold on his head.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 21:6
For thou hast made him to be blessings for ever; thou hast filled him with joy by thy countenance.
(DBY YLT NIV)

Psalms 66:8
Give blessings to our God, O you peoples, let the voice of his praise be loud;
(BBE)

Psalms 72:15
May he have long life, and may gold from Sheba be given to him: may prayers be made for him at all times; may blessings be on him every day.
(BBE RSV)

Psalms 84:6
Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs. Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS)

Psalms 103:2
Give praise to the Lord, O my soul; let not all his blessings go from your memory.
(BBE)

Psalms 112:2
His seed will be strong on the earth; blessings will be on the generation of the upright.
(BBE)

Psalms 115:12
The Lord has kept us in mind and will give us his blessing; he will send blessings on the house of Israel and on the house of Aaron.
(BBE)

Psalms 115:13
He will send blessings on the worshippers of the Lord, on the small and on the great.
(BBE)

Psalms 128:2
You will have the fruit of the work of your hands: happy will you be, and all will be well for you.
(See NIV)

Psalms 144:15
Happy is the nation whose ways are so ordered: yes, happy is the nation whose God is the Lord.
(See RSV)

Psalms 147:13
He has made strong the iron bands of your doors; he has sent blessings on your children inside your walls.
(BBE)

Proverbs 10:6
Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Hosea 3:5
Afterward the children of Israel shall return, and seek Yahweh their God, and David their king, and shall come with trembling to Yahweh and to his blessings in the last days.
(WEB NIV)

Malachi 2:2
If you will not listen, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name," says Yahweh of Armies, "then will I send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Blessings

Blessings and Curses

Related Terms

Lieth (135 Occurrences)

Fertile (55 Occurrences)

Benediction

Breasts (39 Occurrences)

Below (52 Occurrences)

Beneath (73 Occurrences)

Blesses (18 Occurrences)

Couches (15 Occurrences)