English · KJV
H1294

בְּרָכָה

Bᵉrâkâh /ber-aw-kaw'/ Ask about this word
Rootthe same as בְּרָכָה
MeaningBerakah, the name of an Israelite, and also of a valley in Palestine
KJV usageBerachah.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Bᵉrâkâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word Bᵉrâkâh, represented by H1294, is used as a proper name for both an Israelite and a valley in Palestine. Its base definition is the same as the word for blessing, tying its meaning directly to the concept of divine favor and praise. It appears 3 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H1294 identifies two distinct subjects. Firstly, it is the name of an Israelite warrior, an Antothite H6069 who is listed among the chief men who joined David 1 Chronicles 12:3. Secondly, it is the name given to a valley where the people of Judah assembled H6950 on the fourth H7243 day to bless H1288 the LORD H3068 after a great victory. The place H4725 was explicitly called H7121 "The valley of Berachah" as a memorial of this event 2 Chronicles 20:26.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the meaning and use of Berachah:

  • H1288 bârak (to bless): This is the root action that gives the valley its name. The valley was named Berachah precisely because the people gathered there to bless the LORD 2 Chronicles 20:26.
  • H6010 ʻêmeq (valley): This word defines the geographical nature of the place named Berachah. The full title of the location is "the valley of Berachah" 2 Chronicles 20:26.
  • H8034 shêm (name): This term is central to the valley's story, as the narrative emphasizes that the name was called Berachah to serve as a lasting memorial of the event 2 Chronicles 20:26.
  • H1121 bên (son): In the context of Berachah the person, this word is used to establish lineage and association, listing him with others like "the sons of Shemaah" and "the sons of Azmaveth" 1 Chronicles 12:3.

Theological Significance

The significance of H1294 is found in the concepts it represents through its naming.

  • A Memorial of Worship: The Valley of Berachah stands as a permanent geographical testament to an act of collective praise. Its name was given specifically to ensure that the people's act of blessing the LORD would be remembered 2 Chronicles 20:26.
  • Identity and Association: As a personal name, Berachah is identified as part of a community of warriors. His inclusion with others, such as Ahiezer H295 and Joash H3101, demonstrates the biblical pattern of defining an individual by their relationships and tribal affiliation 1 Chronicles 12:3.
  • Connection of Place and Action: The word illustrates a deep biblical connection between a physical place and a spiritual event. The valley is not just a location but is intrinsically linked to the act of blessing that occurred there.

Summary

In summary, H1294 is more than just a name; it is a word loaded with commemorative significance. Whether identifying an Israelite warrior or a valley, Bᵉrâkâh directly points to the act and concept of "blessing." It highlights the biblical practice of using names to memorialize divine encounters and to situate individuals within their sacred history and community.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • בְּרָכָה
  • בְרָכָה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H6069 עַנְתֹתִי or עַנְּתוֹתִי; patrial from עֲנָתוֹת; a Antothite or inhabitant of Anathoth; of Anathoth, Anethothite, Anetothite, Anto H6950 קָהַל a primitive root; to convoke; assemble (selves) (together), gather (selves) (together). H7243 רְבִיעִי or רְבִעִי; from רָבַע; fourth; also (fractionally) a fourth; foursquare, fourth (part). H1288 בָרַךְ a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); a H3068 יְהֹוָה from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹו H4725 מָקוֹם or מָקֹם; also (feminine) מְקוֹמָה; or מְקֹמָה; from קוּם; properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a local

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
1 Chronicles
1
2 Chronicles

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.