As part of my seminary journey in a class that included both an OT perspective on Psalms and Proverbs as well as a NT focus on certain epistles, I was asked to perform a word study. My particular study was focused on the word “Blessed” that is found throughout the OT but particularly in Psalm 1:1.
Before we get to the study though, let’s first look at how to do a word study.
There are two steps in doing a standard word study of a Hebrew term. We begin with etymology for three reasons: (1) Hebrew words did not pop up in a linguistic vacuum; they were part of a matrix of terms in Semitic languages (and our resources for these languages are unbelievably rich today); (2) Hebrew terms tended to preserve elements of the historical meaning of the terms; and (3) the peculiar function of the three-radical root system in biblical Hebrew presented a “basic meaning” concept to words that extended through various permutations.
At the same time, no strong conclusions may be made about the meaning of words from etymology alone. The proof of biblical terms in the Hebrew Bible is always in usage. If usage confirms a sustained connection with a word’s etymology, then the interpreter may draw from this resource. But if the word no longer demonstrates this heritage in actual usage, then one may not read this historic meaning into the term. This would be another form of eisegesis.
The second major step in the study of a Hebrew term is in its usage in Hebrew Scripture. One may first get an idea of how widely and how often the term is actually used in texts. For a word that occurs with some frequency, one may do a wide sweep of literature and genre, then move to the block of text
(book, section, or chapter) where the word under study occurs and make observations. All along the way, attention should be made of synonyms and antonyms. A strong element in a good word study is to emphasize the “semantic range.” That is, the selected word will usually be seen to function in connection with other similar and dissimilar terms; the interaction among these words is a crucial part of the process.
Below is a basic form of a word study that we used. It begins with the etymology where we find the verbal root and its basic definition. As part of the etymological study, we also observe other usages of the word in the language, start a list of synonyms and antonyms, and propose a basic summary of the study at the etymological juncture.
Next, we move on to usage where we provide a broad sweep of the variety of passages where the word is used. then we narrow that list down by book or section to look at contextual clues for its meaning. finally, we observe other synonyms and antonyms of the word in the context of the term.
Finally, we put together a conclusion that summarizes the findings. You can also add a disclaimer about resources used.
- Etymology
- Original Word: “Blessed” in Psalm 1:1
- Blessed in Psalm 1:1 comes from the word “ʾesher” and is found in Strong’s at number 835. The definition of this particular word is “happiness, blessedness.”
- Synonyms
- The synonym of the word “blessed” in Psalm 1:1 from the Hebrew word “ʾesher” is happy
- Root word:
- The origin of this word is from the verb “ashar” which is Strong’s number 833. The basic definition of this word is “to go or be straight, go on, advance.”
- Synonyms
- The synonyms of the root word “blessed” in Psalm 1:1 from the Hebrew word “asher” are: (call, be) bless (-ed, happy), go, guide, lead, relieve
- Related words:
- A related word to the root is “ʾôsher” which means “happiness.”
- Synonyms
- The synonym of the related word “happiness” from the Hebrew word “ʾôsher” is happy
- Summary:
- The word “blessed” in Psalm 1:1 is from the word “ʾesher” and basically means happiness or blessedness. The root of the word “ʾesher” is “ashar” basically means “to go or be straight, go on, advance.” A related word that shares the same root is “ʾôsher” which means “happiness.”
- The definition of the root word “ashar” has a number of synonyms associated with it, including: bless, call him blessed, call the blessed, call you blessed, called her blessed, called me blessed, called blessed, direct, guide, guided, happy, proceed, reprove.
- Original Word: “Blessed” in Psalm 1:1
- Usage
- The root word “ashar” is used sixteen times
- Verb stem’s relationship of the verb’s subject to the action of the verb
- Qal
- Imperative: אִשְׁרוּ
- Proverbs 9:6 “And proceed in the way of understanding.”
- Imperative: אִשְׁרוּ
- Pi`el
- Perfect: אִשְּׁרוּ Mal 3:12 Gn 30:13;
- Imperfect: תְּאַשֵּׁר Pr 4:14 + 4 times;
- Imperative: אַשֵּׁר Pr 23:19;
- Particple: pl. מְאַשְּׁרִים Mal 3:15 + 2 times;
- 1. intensive go straight on, advance
- Proverbs 4:14 “And do not proceed in the way of evil men.”
- 2. causative lead on
- Proverbs 23:19 “and be wise, And direct your heart in the way.
- Isaiah 3:12 “And women rule over them. O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray”
- Isaiah 9:16 “For those who guide this people are leading them astray”
- 3. set right, righten
- Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless…”
- 4. pronounce happy, call blessed
- Genesis 30:13 “Then Leah said, ‘Happy am I! For women will call me happy.’”
- Job 29:11 “For when the ear heard, it called me blessed.”
- Psalm 72:17 “And let men bless themselves by him; Let all nations call him blessed.”
- Proverbs 31:28 “Her children rise up and bless her”
- Songs 6:9 “The maidens saw her and called her blessed”
- Malachi 3:12 “All the nations will call you blessed”
- Malachi 3:15 “So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only”
- Qal
- Pu`al
- Imperfect: יְאֻשַּׁר Psalm 41:2
- Participle: מְאֻשָּׁר Proverbs 3:18 Isaiah 9:15.
- 1. be led on
- Isaiah 9:16 “And those who are guided by them are brought to confusion.”
- 2. be made happy, blessed
- Psalm 41:2 “The Lord will protect him and keep him alive, And he shall be called blessed upon the earth;
- Proverbs 3:18 “…to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.”
- Verb stem’s relationship of the verb’s subject to the action of the verb
- The original word “ʾesher” is a masculine noun that is used 45 times
- The word is 41 times to refer to “blessed”
- Kings 10:8 (2 times); 2 Chronicles 9:7 (2 times); Psalm 119:1; Proverbs 20:7; Psalm 32:2; Psalm 84:6; Psalm 84:13; Proverbs 3:13; Proverbs 8:34; Proverbs 28:14; Psalm 34:9; Psalm 40:5; Psalm 94:12; Psalm 127:5; Psalm 1:1; Psalm 112:1; Isaiah 56:2; Psalm 33:12; Psalm 89:16; Psalm 144:15 (2 times); Psalm 2:12; Psalm 32:1; Psalm 41:2; Psalm 84:5; Psalm 106:3; Psalm 119:2; Psalm 128:1; Isaiah 30:18; Daniel 12:12; Psalm 65:5; Proverbs 8:32; Psalm 137:8; Psalm 137:9; Psalm 146:5; Deuteronomy 33:29; Ecclesiastes 10:17; Isaiah 32:20; Proverbs 16:20
- The word is used four times referring to “happy”
- Job 5:17, Psalm 128:2; Proverbs 14:21; Proverbs 29:18
- The word is 41 times to refer to “blessed”
- The root word “ashar” is used sixteen times
- Conclusion
- The original meaning of the word blessed as found in Psalm 1:1 (“How blessed” in NASB) comes from the Hebrew word “ʾesher” that is found 45 times in the Old Testament. This word comes from the root word, “ashar”, that is used sixteen times. The basic definition of this root word is “to go or be straight, go on, advance.” The second son born to Leah’s maid Zilpah was named Asher because she was happy and the other women would call her happy. In surveying the definition of the word “ʾesher”, which is happiness or blessedness, this appears to follow the verb stem Pu`al of the root word “asher”. This stem follows the use of the word that is used in Psalm 41:2 and Proverbs 3:18 where it means to be made happy or blessed. However, it can also be seen from the context of the verse and what was discovered of the root word, that not only is the man happy and blessed when they do not follow the counsel of the wicked, but that they do not proceed in the way of evil men (compare to the Pi`el stem as used in Proverbs 4:14). As the person is guided by the Lord and His Word, their path is straight and they advance in the ways of the Lord. They are able to delight in the God and who He is. God will lead them and make their path straight and will not advance in the ways of wickedness or the path of sinners. As verse 1 demonstrates the walk of the wicked, the path of sinners, and the seat of scoffers, the man of God is blessed and happy to be on the straight path of God, delighting in His laws and ways. His roots will go deep in God and not be swayed by the wicked.
- Appendix: Source Information
- 835 word: esher
- [אֶ֫שֶׁר S835 TWOT183a GK890, or אָשָׁר, cf. Lag 143] n.[m.] only Pl. cstr. אַשְׁרֵי happiness, blessedness of 1 K 10:8 + 32 times & c. sf., v infr.; abstr. intens. exclam. O the happiness, blessedness of, אַשְׁרֵי אֲנָשֶׁיךָ אַשְׁרֵי עֲבָדֶיךָ אֵלֶּה happy thy men, happy these thy servants 1 K 10:8 ( = 2 Ch 9:7); אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יוֹכִיחֶנּוּ אֱלוֹהַּ blessed the man whom Eloah correcteth Jb 5:17; אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי דֶרֶךְ blessed the perfect in way ψ 119:1; אַשְׁרֵי בָנָיו אַחֲרָיו blessed his children after him Pr 20:7; elsewhere cstr. with אָדָם ψ 32:2; 84:6, 3 Pr 3:13; 8:34; 28:14; with הַגְּבֶר ψ 34:9; 40:5; 94:12; 127:5; (הָ)אִישׁ ψ 1:1; 112:1; אֱנוֹשׁ Is 56:2; הַגּוֹי ψ 33:12; הָעָם ψ 89:16; 144:15(); before ptcp. ψ 2:12; 32:1; 41:2; 84:5; 106:3; 119:2; 128:1 Is 30:18 Dn 12:12; before verbal clauses without relative ψ 65:5 Pr 8:32; with שֶׁ־ ψ 137:8, 9; 146:5; with sf. אַשְׁרֶיךָ (for אֲשָׁרֶיךָ) O thy happiness! Dt 33:29 ψ 128:2; אַשְׁרֵיךְ Ec 10:17; אַשְׁרֵיכֶם Is 32:20; אַשְׁרָיו Pr 14:21, 16:20; אַשְׁרֵהוּ Pr 29:18 (on these forms v. Ges 93, . 1, ).[1]
- “835. אֶשֶׁר esher (80d); from 833; happiness, blessedness:—blessed (41), happy(4).”[2]
- “835. אֶשֶׁר ʾesher, eh´-sher; from 833; happiness; only in masc. plur. constr. as interjec., how happy!:—blessed, happy.”[3]
- 833 root: ashar
- [אָשַׁר S833 TWOT183 GK886, 887] vb. go straight, go on, advance (Assyrian ašâru Zim 11; Arabic Aramaic in deriv.)—Qal Imv. אִשְׁרוּ Pr 9:6 אִשְׁרוּ בְדֶרֶךְ בִּינָה go straight on in the way of understanding. Pi. Pf. אִשְּׁרוּ Mal 3:12 Gn 30:13; Impf. תְּאַשֵּׁר Pr 4:14 + 4 times; Imv. אַשֵּׁר Pr 23:19; Pt. pl. מְאַשְּׁרִים Mal 3:15 + 2 times;— 1. intensive go straight on, advance Pr 4:14. 2. causative lead on Pr 23:19 Is 3:12; 9:15. 3. set right, righten Is 1:17. 4. pronounce happy, call blessed Gn 30:13 (J) Jb 29:11 ψ 72:17 Pr 31:28 Ct 6:9 Mal 3:12, 15. Pu. Impf. Kt יְאֻשַּׁר Qr וְאֻשַּׁר ψ 41:3; Pt. מְאֻשָּׁר Pr 3:18 Is 9:15. 1. be led on Is 9:15. 2. be made happy, blessed ψ 41:3 Pr 3:18.[4]
- “833. אָשַׁר ashar (80d); of prim. root; to go straight, go on, advance:—bless(1), call him blessed(1), call the blessed(1), call you blessed(1), called her blessed(1), called me blessed(1), called blessed(1), direct(1), guide(2), guided(1), happy(2), proceed(2), reprove(1).”[5]
- “833. אָשַׁר ʾâshar, aw-shar´; or אָשֵׁר ʾâshêr, aw-share´; a prim. root; to be straight (used in the widest sense, espec. to be level, right, happy); fig. to go forward, be honest, prosper:—(call, be) bless (-ed, happy), go, guide, lead, relieve.”[6]
- 835 word: esher
[1] Francis Brown, Samuel R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977), 80–81.
[2] Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc, 1998), under chap 831, sec 835 “אֶשֶׁר esher,” Logos Bible Software.
[3] James Strong, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible, vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 18.
[4] Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, 80.
[5] Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic, under chap 831, sec 833 “אָשַׁר ashar,” Logos Bible Software.
[6] Strong, A Concise Dictionary, 18.
[7] Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic, under chap 831, sec 837 “אשֶׁר osher,” Logos Bible Software.
[8] Strong, A Concise Dictionary, 18.