דָבַר (da.var)
da.var
to speak: speak
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 920 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb dabar means to speak, but its root idea is arranging or ordering things. In Scripture it covers a wide range of speech acts: God speaks creation into order, prophets declare warnings, and people converse with one another. The word appears nearly one thousand times, often in Exodus and Jeremiah where divine commands and prophetic messages are central.
Its forms show distinct nuances. The simple Qal stem denotes general speaking or declaring. The Piel stem can emphasize promising or commanding, while the Hiphil shifts meaning toward leading or subduing, reflecting the root’s connection to ordering or directing. This range allows dabar to describe everything from casual talk to authoritative divine speech.
A notable feature is how dabar frames God’s interaction with humanity. When God speaks in Exodus 6:2, it is not mere noise but an ordered declaration that establishes relationship and purpose. Translators usually render it as “speak” or “say,” though the Hebrew carries a sense of intentional structure behind the words.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word dabar carries a sense of intentional structure behind its words. It is not just noise or casual chat; it is speech that arranges reality and establishes purpose. When God speaks, He brings order to chaos and defines relationships. This means your prayers are heard by a God who listens with intent, not indifference.
In Genesis 18, Abraham engages in this kind of meaningful dialogue with the Lord. He does not shout into the void but speaks to a God who responds. Your conversations with God work the same way. You can bring your questions and requests, knowing that the One you speak to is attentive and active.
This word reminds us that communication is a bridge. Whether you are receiving direction or offering praise, dabar shows that words have weight. They shape our understanding of who God is and how He moves in our lives. Trust that your voice matters in this divine conversation.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 920 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he spoke177×
- he spoke91×
- speak67×
- to/ speak51×
- he has spoken51×
- he had spoken51×
- and/ they spoke34×
- I will speak26×
- you have spoken23×
- I have spoken21×
- I spoke19×
- you will speak18×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יְדַבֵּ֥ר85×
- דִּבֶּ֥ר55×
- וַ/יְדַבֵּ֣ר45×
- דִּבֶּ֣ר35×
- לְ/דַבֵּ֣ר18×
- דִּבֶּ֖ר15×
- דִּבֶּר\־14×
- וַ/יְדַבֵּ֤ר13×
- דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי13×
- דִּבֶּ֤ר13×
- וַ/יְדַבֵּ֨ר12×
- דִּבֶּ֧ר12×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 18:27
Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
Abraham uses dabar to initiate a bold plea, showing that human speech can engage directly with divine authority.
-
Genesis 18:33
Yahweh went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
The verse notes Yahweh finished communing, highlighting that dabar involves a complete exchange rather than a monologue.
-
Genesis 21:1
Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken.
God’s action toward Sarah fulfills what He had spoken, linking the word dabar to reliable divine promise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does dabar mean in the Old Testament?
How is dabar different from other words for speaking?
Where does this word appear most frequently?
Every Occurrence (920 verses across 34 books)
Genesis 69 verses
God spoke to Noah, saying,
Genesis 12:4So Abram went, as Yahweh had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
Genesis 16:13She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after…
Genesis 17:3Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,
Genesis 17:22When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
Genesis 17:23Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money: every male among…
Genesis 18:5I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to…
Genesis 18:19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the…
Genesis 18:27Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
Genesis 18:29He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s…
Genesis 18:30He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not…
Genesis 18:31He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I…
Genesis 18:32He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I…
Genesis 18:33Yahweh went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Genesis 19:14Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this…
Genesis 19:21He said to him, “Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of…
Genesis 20:8Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were…
Genesis 21:1Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken.
Genesis 21:2Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
Genesis 23:3Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
Genesis 23:8He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to…
Genesis 23:13He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the…
Genesis 23:16Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of…
Genesis 24:7Yahweh, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who…
Genesis 24:15Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of…
Genesis 24:30When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister,…
Genesis 24:33Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.” Laban said, “Speak on.”
Genesis 24:45Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to…
Genesis 24:50Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing proceeds from Yahweh. We can’t speak to you bad or good.
Genesis 24:51Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as Yahweh has spoken.”
Genesis 27:5Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
Genesis 27:6Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
Genesis 27:19Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of…
Genesis 28:15Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not…
Genesis 29:9While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.
Genesis 31:24God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either…
Genesis 31:29It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that…
Genesis 34:3His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady.
Genesis 34:6Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to talk with him.
Genesis 34:8Hamor talked with them, saying, “The soul of my son, Shechem, longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.
Genesis 34:13The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with deceit when they spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their…
Genesis 34:20Hamor and Shechem, his son, came to the gate of their city, and talked with the men of their city, saying,
Genesis 35:13God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him.
Genesis 35:14Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it,…
Genesis 35:15Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him “Bethel”.
Genesis 37:4His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak…
Genesis 39:10As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
Genesis 39:17She spoke to him according to these words, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to…
Genesis 39:19When his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” his…
Genesis 41:9Then the chief cup bearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my faults today.
Genesis 41:17Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I stood on the brink of the river;
Genesis 41:28That is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Genesis 42:7Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He…
Genesis 42:14Joseph said to them, “It is like I told you, saying, ‘You are spies!’
Genesis 42:24He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among…
Genesis 42:30“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.
Genesis 43:19They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
Genesis 44:2Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word…
Genesis 44:6He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.
Genesis 44:7They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a…
Genesis 44:16Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity…
Genesis 44:18Then Judah came near to him, and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t…
Genesis 45:12Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.
Genesis 45:15He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.
Genesis 45:27They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry…
Genesis 49:28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them, and blessed them. He blessed…
Genesis 50:4When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s staff, saying, “If now I have found favor in your…
Genesis 50:17‘You shall tell Joseph, “Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to…
Genesis 50:21Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to…