The “adieu” argument has long been refuted, so much so that one rarely these days find it raised by critics of the Book of Mormon. Notwithstanding, I came across the following in The Brown-Drivers-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon under ברך ("to bless"):
1467 ] בָּרַךְ1468) [Hebrew) (page 138) (Strong 1288,1263 . . . 5. bless, with the antithetical meaning curse (Thes) from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates: 1 K 21:10, 21:13 , Jb 1:5, 1:11, 2:5, 2:9, Psalm 10:3. Pu. Impf. יְבֹרַח 2 S 7:29 + 3 t.; תְּבֹרַח Ju 5:24, Pr 20:21; Pt. מְבֹרָח Nu 22:6 + 3 t.; f. מְבֹרֶכֶת Dt 33:13; מְבֹרָכָיו Psalm 37:22; —1. pass. to be blessed, adored: שׁם י׳ Jb 1:21, Psalm 113:2 2. prospered by God: a. persons 2 S 7:29, 1 Ch 17:27, Psalm 37:22, 112:2, 128:4, Pr 20:21. b. things Dt 33:13. 3. have prosperity invoked, by Balaam Nu 22:6. 4. in gratitude Pr 22:9, Ju 5:24. Hiph. וַיַּבְרֵח חַגְּמַלִּים and he made his camels kneel Gn 24:11 )J(. Hithp. הִתְבָּרֵח Dt 29:18 + 3 t.; Impf. יִתְבָּרֵח Is 65:16, Psalm 72:17; Pt. מִתְבָּרֵח Is 65:16; —bless oneself, congratulate onself בלבבו in his heart Dt 29:18; בזרעך with or by )cf. בְּ III. 2. d( thy seed (invoke for oneself the blessing of the see of Abraham) Gn 22:18, 26:4 (J); by the Messianic king Psalm 72:17; באלהי אמן Is 65:16; by י׳ Je 4:2.2. d( thy seed )invoke for oneself the blessing of the see of Abraham( Gn 22:18, 26:4 )J(; by the Messianic king Psalm 72:17; באלהי אמן Is 65:16; by י׳ Je 4:2.
