Dict: easton - Bless

Bless @

(1.) God blesses his people when he bestows on them some gift temporal or spiritual kjv@Genesis:1:22 kjv@Genesis:24:35; kjv@Job:42:12; kjv@Psalms:45:2 kjv@Psalms:104:24 kjv@Psalms:104:35).

(2.) We bless God when we thank him for his mercies kjv@Psalms:103:1-2 kjv@Psalms:145:1-2).

(3.) A man blesses himself when he invokes God's blessing kjv@Isaiah:65:16), or rejoices in God's goodness to him kjv@Deuteronomy:29:19; kjv@Psalms:49:18).

(4.) One blesses another when he expresses good wishes or offers prayer to God for his welfare kjv@Genesis:24:60 kjv@Genesis:31:55; kjv@1Samuel:2:20). Sometimes blessings were uttered under divine inspiration, as in the case of Noah, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses kjv@Genesis:9:26-27 kjv@Genesis:27:28-29, 40; 48:15-20; 49:1-28; Deuteronomy:33). The priests were divinely authorized to bless the people kjv@Deuteronomy:10:8; kjv@Numbers:6:22-27). We have many examples of apostolic benediction ( kjv@2Corinthians:13:14; kjv@Ephesians:6:23-24; kjv@2Thessalonians:3:16-18; kjv@Hebrews:13:20-21; kjv@1Peter:5:10-11).

(5.) Among the Jews in their thank-offerings the master of the feast took a cup of wine in his hand, and after having blessed God for it and for other mercies then enjoyed, handed it to his guests, who all partook of it. kjv@Psalms:116:13 refers to this custom. It is also alluded to in kjv@1Corinthians:10:16, where the apostle speaks of the "cup of blessing."