BLESS (Wes), (Heb. aw-shar', to declare happy; baw-rak', to declare blessed). Bless, in general, signifies to wish or do well to, or speak well of.
When God is said to "bless," it signifies, (1) Td bestow plenty of temporal good things upon one, and make his outward affairs prosperous and successful, Gen. xxx:27. (2) To bestow both tem poral and spiritual good things, Gen. xii :2. (3) To justify one, and make him happy in the full enjoy ment of God, Rev. xiv :13. (4) To set apart things to a holy use, and render them answerable to that end (Gen. ii:3). (5) To give creatures a power of propagating their species, Gen. i :22.
(6) To endow one with heroic courage, miracu lous strength and other gifts and graces necessary to his calling (Judg. xiii :24). When Christ is said to bless, it signifies, (1) to give thanks to God, and pray for his blessing on nourishment, (Matt. xiv :to). (2) To recommend persons by prayer to the favor of God (Mark x :16). (3) In a way of thanksgiving to God, to set apart the elements of his holy supper to a sacred use (Matt, xxvi:26). (4) To save men from the guilt and
power of their sin, and bring them to God, as their portion and friend (Acts iii :26).
When men are said to bless, it denotes (1) To extol and praise God for his infinite excellencies, (Ps. civ :I). (2) To give him thanks for his mer cies and benefits ( Ps. xvi :7 ; ciii :1, 2). (3) Sol emnly to desire and foretell happiness to one (Gen. xlix • Deut. xxxiii). (4) Solemnly to pray for and 'declare God's readiness to do good to others (Num. vi :23, 24 ; 2 Sam. vi:r8). (5) Thankfully to value our great happiness in having God for our Saviour, portion and Lord (Is. lxv :16 ; Jer. ' iv :2). (6) To salute persons, wishing them peace and prosperity (Gen. xlvii :7; Ps. cxxix :8). (7) To pray for, and speak well of others (Luke vi :28). (8) Fondly to imagine ourselves wise, happy, and in friendship with God, because of outward prosperity (Ps. xlix :t8), or flatter our selves that God will not punish our sin (Deut. xxix:io). (Brown, Bib. Dict.)