← H1695 H1697 →

דָבַר

𐤃𐤁𐤓

dâbar

H1696 verb

SILEX Entry

Root דבר to speak, to arrange, to communicate

Definition

To speak, communicate, or express something verbally; to relate, report, or declare. The verb דָּבַר (dābar) primarily indicates the act of speaking or communicating, emphasizing the content and purpose of what is said, often in formal, deliberate, or consequential contexts. It can also, in less common usages, bear the sense of 'to lead,' 'to arrange,' or 'to deal with' and, very rarely, 'to destroy' or 'to subdue,' likely as an extended or specialized sense.

Semantic Range

to speak, to declare, to communicate, to talk, to report, to announce, to command, to instruct, to relate, to promise, to converse, to arrange (words or matters), to deal with, to subdue (rare), to destroy (rare)

Root / Etymology

From the root דבר, which primarily means 'to speak, arrange, or set in order.' The root also forms the noun דָּבָר (dābār, 'word,' 'matter,' 'thing'). The connection between the verbal and nominal forms highlights the close association in Hebrew thought between saying something and the event, matter, or thing spoken of. Some scholars posit an original sense of arranging or ordering (as in arranging words, discourse), reflected in both the verbal and nominal forms. In much later or poetic texts, it may exceptionally convey the sense of 'subdue' or 'destroy,' but most occurrences are connected to speech and communication.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, דָּבַר is the most common verb for intentional speech acts, especially when content, intention, or authority is emphasized (e.g., divine speech, prophetic declarations, covenantal statements). Distinguished from אָמַר (H559), which often denotes simple saying or direct quotations, דָּבַר tends to be used for more formal, purposeful, or consequential speaking. In legal, prophetic, and priestly texts, it marks authoritative pronouncements or instructions. The verb rarely has non-speech connotations (such as 'to lead' or 'to subdue'); these are concentrated in poetic or late biblical passages and are contextually determined. English translations often generalize both דָּבַר and אָמַר as 'say' or 'speak,' sometimes obscuring the formal or communicative nuance of דָּבַר. Over time, the root developed into the post-biblical Hebrew standard term for 'to speak.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue; answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

דבר (d-b-r) — to speak, to arrange, to communicate

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1682 דְּבוֹרָה bees
H1683 דְּבּוֹרָה Bee-woman
H1687 דְּבִיר in the innermost sanctuary
H1688 דְּבִיר Devir
H1697 דָּבָר in the matter

Word Forms

86 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1696-21 דִּבֶּ֤ר diber HVpp3ms spoke he declared 241
H1696-67 וַ/יְדַבֵּ֥ר vayedaber HC/Vpw3ms And spoke he declared 192
H1696-09 דַּבֵּֽר daber HVpv2ms Speak Declare! 77
H1696-20 דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי dibareti HVpp1cs I have spoken I spoke 73
H1696-38 לְ/דַבֵּ֣ר ledaber HR/Vpc to speak to declare 56
H1696-85 יְדַבֵּ֣ר yedaber HVpi3ms speaks he declares 44
H1696-17 דִּבַּֽרְתָּ dibareta HVpp2ms you have spoken you spoke 40
H1696-01 אֲדַבֵּ֑ר adaber HVpi1cs I speak I will speak 36
H1696-69 וַ/יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ vayedaberu HC/Vpw3mp and they spoke they spoke forth 32
H1696-50 תְּדַבֵּ֥ר tedaber HVpi2ms you shall speak you will speak 27

Occurrences in Scripture

1144 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1696-67 Genesis 8:15 וַ/יְדַבֵּ֥ר vayedaber HC/Vpw3ms And God spoke he declared
H1696-21 Genesis 12:4 דִּבֶּ֤ר diber HVpp3ms had spoken he declared
H1696-30 Genesis 16:13 הַ/דֹּבֵ֣ר hadover HTd/Vqrmsa who spoke the speaking-one
H1696-67 Genesis 17:3 וַ/יְדַבֵּ֥ר vayedaber HC/Vpw3ms and spoke he declared
H1696-38 Genesis 17:22 לְ/דַבֵּ֣ר ledaber HR/Vpc talking to declare
H1696-21 Genesis 17:23 דִּבֶּ֥ר diber HVpp3ms had spoken he declared
H1696-17 Genesis 18:5 דִּבַּֽרְתָּ dibareta HVpp2ms you have spoken you spoke
H1696-21 Genesis 18:19 דִּבֶּ֖ר diber HVpp3ms he has spoken he declared
H1696-38 Genesis 18:27 לְ/דַבֵּ֣ר ledaber HR/Vpc to speak to declare
H1696-38 Genesis 18:29 לְ/דַבֵּ֤ר ledaber HR/Vpc to speak to declare
← H1695 Hebrew Lexicon H1697 →