דָּבָר

𐤃𐤁𐤓

Davar

H1697 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A discrete unit of speech (word), message, or utterance; more broadly, an event, matter, issue, or thing under consideration. 'Davar' serves as a flexible term in Biblical Hebrew, used to denote both spoken and written words, as well as abstract or concrete matters or affairs. Its semantic range includes specific utterances, divine messages or commandments, matters of legal or administrative concern, and, in extended use, events, situations, or objects.

Semantic Range

word, utterance, message, command, law, matter, affair, event, case, issue, thing, object, business, report, event, situation, promise, statement, counsel, reason, cause

Root / Etymology

From the root דבר (d-b-r), meaning primarily 'to speak' or 'declare'. The noun form 'davar' originally denotes 'something spoken' but develops to encompass any matter, subject, or affair, whether linguistic or situational.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, 'davar' frequently denotes not only spoken words but also divine pronouncements, commands, or messages, and it is a common designation for YHWH's revelation or instruction. In legal and administrative contexts, it refers to a case, issue, or business at hand. The transition from speech to more abstract meanings (event, matter) illustrates the Hebrew language's tendency to conceptualize events or realities as articulated or established by words. The Greek Septuagint often renders 'davar' as λόγος (logos) or ῥῆμα (rhēma), emphasizing its double sense as both 'word' and 'matter'. English translations usually select words like 'word,' 'thing,' 'matter,' or 'affair' depending on context, but may under-represent the full elasticity of the term. In later Hebrew, 'davar' remains a general term for both 'word' and 'thing.' The relation to the verb דבר ('to speak, declare') underlies all uses, although concrete sense as 'object' or 'affair' becomes prominent, especially in administrative or narrative settings.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from דָבַר; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause; act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work.

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Ndebele indaba matter, business, affair, word, news
Shona nyaya matter, issue, story, news, case, conversation topic
Sukuma ndaba message, affair
Swati indaba matter, affair, news, issue, word
Xhosa indaba matter, issue, affair, news, story, subject of speech
Zulu Ndaba matter, affair, news, discussion
+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

דבר (d-b-r) — to speak, to declare

Root דבר to speak, to declare
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1682 דְּבוֹרָה bees
H1683 דְּבּוֹרָה Bee-woman
H1687 דְּבִיר in the innermost sanctuary
H1688 דְּבִיר Devir
H1696 דָבַר I will speak

Word Forms

82 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1697-13 דְּבַ֥ר devar HNcmsc the word word of word of 273
H1697-24 דִּבְרֵ֞י diverey HNcmpc words of words of words of 242
H1697-33 הַ/דָּבָ֥ר hadavar HTd/Ncmsa the word the spoken-matter the matter 220
H1697-12 דָּבָ֑ר davar HNcmsa word spoken matter matter 170
H1697-34 הַ/דְּבָרִ֣ים hadevarim HTd/Ncmpa the words the spoken matters the words 133
H1697-43 כִּ/דְבַ֥ר kidevar HR/Ncmsc according to the word according to the word of according to the word of 42
H1697-14 דְּבָרָ֑/י devaray HNcmpc/Sp1cs my words my utterances my words 36
H1697-22 דְּבָרִ֜ים devarim HNcmpa words spoken matters words 26
H1697-23 דְּבָר֑/וֹ devaro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his word his spoken-matter his word 24
H1697-16 דְּבָרָֽי/ו devarayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his words his spoken matters his words 21

Occurrences in Scripture

1455 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1697-65 Genesis 11:1 וּ/דְבָרִ֖ים udevarim HC/Ncmpa and of words and spoken matters and words
H1697-13 Genesis 12:17 דְּבַ֥ר devar HNcmsc the matter of word of the matter of
H1697-34 Genesis 15:1 הַ/דְּבָרִ֣ים hadevarim HTd/Ncmpa these things the spoken matters the matters
H1697-13 Genesis 15:1 דְבַר devar HNcmsc the word word of word of
H1697-13 Genesis 15:4 דְבַר devar HNcmsc the word word of word of
H1697-12 Genesis 18:14 דָּבָ֑ר davar HNcmsa anything spoken matter matter
H1697-35 Genesis 18:25 כַּ/דָּבָ֣ר kadavar HRd/Ncmsa like the thing as a spoken matter like the thing
H1697-12 Genesis 19:8 דָבָ֔ר davar HNcmsa anything spoken matter anything
H1697-46 Genesis 19:21 לַ/דָּבָ֣ר ladavar HRd/Ncmsa concerning the matter to the spoken matter to the matter
H1697-12 Genesis 19:22 דָּבָ֔ר davar HNcmsa anything spoken matter a thing