דָבַר dâbar — but used figuratively (of words), to speak
Translated in the KJV as answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse.
a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue.
dâbar in each stem
Pi'el
Perfect (qatal) 399Wayyiqtol 251Imperfect (yiqtol) 137Infinitive construct 103Imperative 85Participle (active) 39Sequential perfect (weqatal) 36Cohortative 21Jussive 11Infinitive absolute 10
So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Qal (Pa'al)
Participle (active) 39Infinitive construct 1Participle (passive) 1
And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
That the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I am the Lord: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.
The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.
Niph'al
Perfect (qatal) 3Participle (active) 1
Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord.
Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Hitpa'el
Participle (active) 3
And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.
And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.
And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.
Hiph'il
Wayyiqtol 1Imperfect (yiqtol) 1
He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
Pu'al
Participle (passive) 1Imperfect (yiqtol) 1
Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?
What the stems mean
A Hebrew verb is its root letters set into a pattern. The pattern — the binyan — is the grammar's way of saying three things at once: whether the action is simple, intensive or causative, and whether its subject is active, passive or reflexive. That is why one Hebrew word can need six English ones. All seven binyanim, explained ›