What Does 1 Kings 8:14 Mean in the King James?
And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The king’s blessing joins two turns: his face turns toward the assembly, while barak carries the word-family image of a bending knee.
THE MEANING
You are included as the king turns toward the gathered people and speaks blessing over them. The assembly stands together, and blessing becomes a shared moment of direct address.
THE ROOT
וַיְבָרֶךְ
wayevarekh
GROWS FROM
ברך
To bless; its word family also carries the image of the knee and bending.
English can make “blessed” sound like a spoken formula, but ברך (barak, bless) echoes בֶּרֶךְ (berekh, knee) in its word family. Here, the king’s turned face and the blessing’s bending image meet in a posture of regard toward the assembly.
ALSO GROWS
berekh: Knee
בֶּרֶךְ
Its shared consonants let the blessing carry an image of bending or kneeling.
berakhah: Blessing
בְּרָכָה
This related noun shows the spoken good as something that can be extended to others.
THE PATTERN
Scripture presents blessing as a directed gift, spoken or enacted toward people.
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.THE THREAD
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:Numbers 6:24 uses ברך (barak, bless), the same Hebrew root as “blessed” here. In Kings, the king turns toward the assembled people as he speaks that blessing; Numbers shows the same word directed to the hearer.
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