Heb. barak. This word reflects several shades of meaning. When God blesses a person, it means that God endows him with salutary gifts, or declares the person to be so endowed. When a man blesses God, it means that he acknowledges God as the dispenser of salutary gifts. In the OT men are frequently said to bless God (see Ps. 63:4; 103:1, 2, 20-22; 145:2; etc.). When a person blesses another person, he expresses the wish that that person may be endowed with salutary gifts. In the LXX, barak is usually rendered eulogeo, “to speak well of.” Infrequently barak is used to express an opposite meaning, “to curse” (see on Job 1:5).