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אָמַר

𐤀𐤌𐤓

ʼâmar

H559 verb

SILEX Entry

Root אמר to say, to utter, to speak

Definition

To say, speak, utter, or express verbally; denotes both the act of speaking and the content communicated. Used broadly for any act of verbal expression, including asking, answering, commanding, declaring, narrating, promising, and even inner speech or thought expressed inwardly.

Semantic Range

to say, to speak, to utter, to express in words, to declare, to command, to answer, to ask, to quote, to report, to promise, to decree, to think (internally affirming or reflecting), to recount, to intend (within one's mind)

Root / Etymology

From the root אמר, which carries the fundamental sense of 'to say' or 'to speak.' אָמַר is the qal (basic) stem, directly tracing to this root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אָמַר serves as the primary Hebrew verb for verbal expression and is the most frequent verb for 'say' in the Hebrew Bible, used with a wide range of subjects (humans, the divine, animals in narrative speech). Its meaning is largely context-dependent; it can refer to the act of speaking, quoting someone, making a decree, responding, or recounting past events. Frequently appears in narrative formulae (e.g., 'And YHWH said...'). In contrast to דִּבֶּר (dibbēr, H1696), which emphasizes structured, deliberate speech or communication, אָמַר is more generic and covers everything from formal declarations to offhand remarks and even inner reflection (e.g., 'he said in his heart'). The semantic breadth includes instances of both direct and indirect quotation. Over time, its usage and frequency remain stable, reflecting its semantic core as a fundamental verb of verbal communication, although post-biblical Hebrew (e.g., rabbinic texts) may use related roots and synonyms more frequently for specific types of speech. Later translations, including the Septuagint and English versions, sometimes render אָמַר with a variety of Greek and English verbs (say, speak, declare, answer, etc.), according to context, but occasionally narrow the nuance by limiting it to formal or audible utterances when the original might allow internal speech or thought.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אמר (ʾ-m-r) — to say, to speak, to utter

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H201 אוֹמָר Omar
H3982 מַאֲמַר authoritative declaration of
H3983 מֵאמַר according to decree-of
H534 אָמִיר prominent summit
H560 אֲמַר he said

Word Forms

95 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H559-67 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms and said and he said 1948
H559-36 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר lemor HR/Vqc saying to say 936
H559-01 אָמַ֣ר amar HVqp3ms says he said 700
H559-68 וַ/יֹּאמְר֞וּ vayomeru HC/Vqw3mp and they said and they said 297
H559-62 וַ/תֹּ֥אמֶר vatomer HC/Vqw3fs and she said and she said 199
H559-72 וְ/אָֽמַרְתָּ֙ veamareta HC/Vqq2ms and say and you said 133
H559-66 וַ/יֹּאמַ֑ר vayomar HC/Vqw3ms and said and he said 123
H559-57 וָ/אֹמַ֣ר vaomar HC/Vqw1cs And I said and I said 94
H559-08 אָמַ֗רְתִּי amareti HVqp1cs I said I said 77
H559-93 יֹאמַ֗ר yomar HVqi3ms says he will say 59

Occurrences in Scripture

5318 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H559-67 Genesis 1:3 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms and said and he said
H559-67 Genesis 1:6 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms and said and he said
H559-67 Genesis 1:9 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms And God said and he said
H559-67 Genesis 1:11 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms and said and he said
H559-67 Genesis 1:14 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms And God said and he said
H559-67 Genesis 1:20 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms and said and he said
H559-36 Genesis 1:22 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר lemor HR/Vqc saying to say
H559-67 Genesis 1:24 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms And said and he said
H559-67 Genesis 1:26 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms and said and he said
H559-67 Genesis 1:28 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר vayomer HC/Vqw3ms and he said and he said
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