Hebrew · H559, G3004 · unreviewed

אָמַר

To say (used with great latitude) · to say

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

אָמַר H559 to say (used with great latitude)

Pronunciation ʾāmar

Speech-act verb encompassing utterance, declaration, and performative command; foundational for covenant-making and divine will expression.

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λέγω G3004 to say

Pronunciation légō

Emphasizes meaning and thought content of speech, not mere utterance; what is said corresponds to thought

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What does אָמַר (amar) mean in the Bible?

אָמַר · λέγω is a Hebrew word meaning "to say, declare, resolve internally".

Full entry for אָמַר (H559, G3004) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to say, declare, resolve internally

Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 1262×

Perfect 1Chr 15:2 · 1Chr 17:4 · 1Chr 17:7 · 1Chr 21:10 · 1Chr 21:11 · 1Chr 21:18 · 1Chr 23:25 · 1Chr 27:23 · 1Chr 28:3 · 1Kgs 1:48 · 1Kgs 2:26 · 1Kgs 2:30 · 1Kgs 8:12 · 1Kgs 11:2 · 1Kgs 11:18 · 1Kgs 11:31 890×

Imperfect 1Kgs 1:36 · 1Kgs 22:14 · 1Sam 20:7 · 1Sam 24:14 · 2Chr 18:13 · 2Sam 15:26 · 2Sam 16:10 · Deut 5:27 · Deut 15:16 · Eccl 8:4 · Eccl 8:17 · Esth 2:15 · Exod 8:23 · Exod 21:5 · Exod 22:8 · Gen 31:8 197×

Sequential imperfect 1Kgs 12:23 · 1Kgs 18:8 · 1Kgs 18:11 · 1Kgs 18:14 · 1Kgs 18:44 · 1Sam 9:27 · 2Chr 11:3 · 2Kgs 4:13 · 2Kgs 8:10 · Deut 1:42 · Deut 5:30 · Esth 5:14 · Exod 6:6 · Exod 7:19 · Exod 8:1 · Exod 8:12 80×

Participle active 1Kgs 3:22 · 1Kgs 3:23 · 1Kgs 3:26 · 1Kgs 5:19 · 1Kgs 18:11 · 1Kgs 18:14 · 1Kgs 22:20 · 2Chr 13:8 · 2Chr 18:19 · 2Chr 28:10 · 2Chr 28:13 · 2Sam 21:4 · Amos 7:16 · Exod 2:14 · Exod 5:16 · Exod 5:17 65×

Jussive 1Kgs 22:8 · 1Sam 16:16 · 2Chr 18:7 · 2Sam 13:32 · Isa 56:3 · Joel 4:10 · Ps 118:2 · Ps 124:1 · Ps 129:1 · Deut 9:4 · Eccl 5:5 · Eccl 7:10 · Jer 1:7 · Prov 3:28 · Prov 20:22 · Prov 24:29 21×

Infinitive absolute 1Sam 2:30 · 1Sam 20:21 · Exod 21:5 · Jer 23:17 · Judg 15:2 · Num 6:23 6×

Infinitive construct Ezek 25:8 · Prov 25:7 2×

Cohortative Ps 42:10 1×

Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 20×

Imperfect Ezek 13:12 · Gen 10:9 · Gen 22:14 · Gen 32:29 · Hos 2:1 · Isa 4:3 · Isa 19:18 · Isa 32:5 · Isa 61:6 · Isa 62:4 · Jer 4:11 · Jer 7:32 · Jer 16:14 · Num 21:14 · Num 23:23 · Ps 87:5 19×

Perfect Dan 8:26 1×

Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 1×

Perfect Deut 26:17 1×

Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 1×

Imperfect Ps 94:4 1×

Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 1284 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form

Perfect 892 Imperfect 238 Imperative 80 Participle 65 Infinitive absolute 6 Infinitive construct 2 Cohortative 1

Stem

Qal 1262 Niphal 20 Hiphil 1 Hithpael 1

Mood

Indicative 892 Indicative/jussive 196 Imperative 80 Jussive 21 Indicative/cohortative 21

OT Occurrences

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

John 21 — The Risen Lord Restores, Commissions, Shepherds, and Testifies through His Witness Mark 16 — He Has Risen: The Empty Tomb, the Angelic Announcement, Galilee Promise, and Trembling Witness Matthew 16 — The Confession of the Christ, the Church Christ Builds, and the Cross-Shaped Way of Discipleship Matthew 28 — The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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