אָמַר
to say
also: speak, utter fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Qal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Stem
- Qal
- The basic, simple active stem — the plain form of the verb (“he wrote”).
- Niphal
- Usually the simple passive or reflexive of the Qal (“he was written”).
- Hiphil
- The causative active stem (“he caused / brought about”). Here: ‘avow’
- Hithpael
- The reflexive or reciprocal stem (the subject acts on itself).
Form
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
- Infinitive Construct
- A bound verbal noun, frequently with prepositions (“to write / in writing”).
- Perfect
- A completed action or state — Hebrew marks aspect (completeness) more than strict tense (“he wrote”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Imperative
- A direct command (“write!”).
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Participle Active
- A verbal adjective expressing ongoing or characteristic action (“writing / one who writes”).
- Jussive
- A third- or second-person volitional form expressing wish or command (“let him write”).
- Infinitive Absolute
- An unbound verbal noun, often intensifying or standing in for a finite verb.
- Cohortative
- A first-person volitional form expressing wish or resolve (“let me / let us write”).
- Participle Passive
- A verbal adjective expressing action received (“written”).
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
Person
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
- 1st Person
- The speaker (“I / we”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
- Common
- Either gender — not distinguished for this form.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Page 1 of 22 — showing verses 1–200 of 4,316 distinct verses where H559 appears in the Qal stem, across 39 books. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Genesis 494 verses
- Genesis 1:3 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
- Genesis 1:6 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters."
- Genesis 1:9 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear," and it was so.
- Genesis 1:11 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth," and it was so.
- Genesis 1:14 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;
- Genesis 1:20 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky."
- Genesis 1:22 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
- Genesis 1:24 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind," and it was so.
- Genesis 1:26 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
- Genesis 1:28 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
- Genesis 1:29 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
- Genesis 2:16 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat:
- Genesis 2:18 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
- Genesis 2:23 וַ/יֹּאמֶר֮ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
- Genesis 3:1 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אָמַ֣ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Qal pf 3ms Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Yes, has God said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'"
- Genesis 3:2 וַ/תֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,
- Genesis 3:3 אָמַ֣ר Qal pf 3ms but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
- Genesis 3:4 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The serpent said to the woman, "You won't surely die,
- Genesis 3:9 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"
- Genesis 3:10 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The man said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."
- Genesis 3:11 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
- Genesis 3:12 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
- Genesis 3:13 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר וַ/תֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3fs Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
- Genesis 3:14 וַ/יֹּאמֶר֩ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above every animal of the field. On your belly shall you go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.
- Genesis 3:16 אָמַ֗ר Qal pf 3ms To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
- Genesis 3:17 אָמַ֗ר לֵ/אמֹ֔ר Qal pf 3ms prep + Qal inf.cs To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
- Genesis 3:22 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever..."
- Genesis 4:1 וַ/תֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, "I have gotten a man with Yahweh's help."
- Genesis 4:6 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?
- Genesis 4:8 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Cain said to Abel, his brother, "Let's go into the field." It happened, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
- Genesis 4:9 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said to Cain, "Where is Abel, your brother?" He said, "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
- Genesis 4:10 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the ground.
- Genesis 4:13 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.
- Genesis 4:15 וַ/יֹּ֧אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said to him, "Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him.
- Genesis 4:23 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice, You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, For I have slain a man for wounding me, A young man for bruising me.
- Genesis 5:29 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs and he named him Noah, saying, "This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed."
- Genesis 6:3 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said, "My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; yet will his days be one hundred twenty years."
- Genesis 6:7 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground; man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."
- Genesis 6:13 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
- Genesis 7:1 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said to Noah, "Come with all of your household into the ark, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.
- Genesis 8:15 לֵ/אמֹֽר prep + Qal inf.cs God spoke to Noah, saying,
- Genesis 8:21 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh smelled the sweet savor. Yahweh said in his heart, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again strike everything living, as I have done.
- Genesis 9:1 וַ/יֹּ֧אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
- Genesis 9:8 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר לֵ/אמֹֽר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms prep + Qal inf.cs God spoke to Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
- Genesis 9:12 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
- Genesis 9:17 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said to Noah, "This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."
- Genesis 9:25 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants will he be to his brothers."
- Genesis 9:26 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem; Let Canaan be his servant.
- Genesis 11:3 וַ/יֹּאמְר֞וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They said one to another, "Come, let's make brick, and burn them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.
- Genesis 11:4 וַ/יֹּאמְר֞וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They said, "Come, let's build us a city, and a tower, whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth."
- Genesis 11:6 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do.
- Genesis 12:1 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Now Yahweh said to Abram, "Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.
- Genesis 12:7 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said, "I will give this land to your seed." He built an altar there to Yahweh, who appeared to him.
- Genesis 12:11 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms It happened, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look on.
- Genesis 12:12 וְ/אָמְר֖וּ conj + Qal pf 3cp It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me, but they will save you alive.
- Genesis 12:13 אִמְרִי Qal impv 2fs Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you."
- Genesis 12:18 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Pharaoh called Abram, and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?
- Genesis 12:19 אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ Qal pf 2ms Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way."
- Genesis 13:8 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abram said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives.
- Genesis 13:14 אָמַ֣ר Qal pf 3ms Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,
- Genesis 14:19 וַ/יֹּאמַ֑ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He blessed him, and said, "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth:
- Genesis 14:21 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, and take the goods to yourself."
- Genesis 14:22 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
- Genesis 14:23 תֹאמַ֔ר Qal impf 2ms that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'
- Genesis 15:1 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."
- Genesis 15:2 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abram said, "Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"
- Genesis 15:3 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abram said, "Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir."
- Genesis 15:4 לֵ/אמֹ֔ר prep + Qal inf.cs Behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir."
- Genesis 15:5 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Abram, "So shall your seed be."
- Genesis 15:7 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said to him, "I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it."
- Genesis 15:8 וַ/יֹּאמַ֑ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?"
- Genesis 15:9 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said to him, "Take me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon."
- Genesis 15:13 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.
- Genesis 15:18 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
- Genesis 16:2 וַ/תֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs Sarai said to Abram," See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
- Genesis 16:5 וַ/תֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs Sarai said to Abram, "This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Yahweh judge between me and you."
- Genesis 16:6 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes." Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.
- Genesis 16:8 וַ/יֹּאמַ֗ר וַ/תֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3fs He said, "Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, where did you come from? Where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai."
- Genesis 16:9 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands."
- Genesis 16:10 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The angel of Yahweh said to her, "I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude."
- Genesis 16:11 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction.
- Genesis 16:13 אָֽמְרָ֗ה Qal pf 3fs She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees," for she said, "Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?"
- Genesis 17:1 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless.
- Genesis 17:3 לֵ/אמֹֽר prep + Qal inf.cs Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,
- Genesis 17:9 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said to Abraham, "As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.
- Genesis 17:15 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah.
- Genesis 17:17 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?"
- Genesis 17:18 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"
- Genesis 17:19 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said, "No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.
- Genesis 18:3 וַ/יֹּאמַ֑ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don't go away from your servant.
- Genesis 18:5 וַ/יֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
- Genesis 18:6 וַ/יֹּ֗אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly make ready three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."
- Genesis 18:9 וַ/יֹּאמְר֣וּ וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3mp conj + Qal wimpf 3ms They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See, in the tent."
- Genesis 18:10 וַ/יֹּ֗אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
- Genesis 18:12 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
- Genesis 18:13 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר לֵ/אמֹ֗ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms prep + Qal inf.cs Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?'
- Genesis 18:15 לֵ/אמֹ֛ר וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר prep + Qal inf.cs conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Then Sarah denied, saying, "I didn't laugh," for she was afraid." He said, "No, but you did laugh."
- Genesis 18:17 אָמָ֑ר Qal pf 3ms Yahweh said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
- Genesis 18:20 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
- Genesis 18:23 וַ/יֹּאמַ֑ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
- Genesis 18:26 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
- Genesis 18:27 וַ/יֹּאמַ֑ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
- Genesis 18:28 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."
- Genesis 18:29 וַ/יֹּאמַ֔ר וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He 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 sake."
- Genesis 18:30 וַ֠/יֹּאמֶר וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He 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 do it, if I find thirty there."
- Genesis 18:31 וַ/יֹּ֗אמֶר וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake."
- Genesis 18:32 וַ֠/יֹּאמֶר וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once. What if ten are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."
- Genesis 19:2 וַ/יֹּ֜אמֶר וַ/יֹּאמְר֣וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3mp and he said, "See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant's house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you will rise up early, and go on your way." They said, "No, but we will stay in the street all night."
- Genesis 19:5 וַ/יֹּ֣אמְרוּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They called to Lot, and said to him, "Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them."
- Genesis 19:7 וַ/יֹּאמַ֑ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Please, my brothers, don't act so wickedly.
- Genesis 19:9 וַ/יֹּאמְר֣וּ וַ/יֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They said, "Stand back!" They said, "This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you, than with them!" They pressed hard on the man, even Lot, and drew near to break the door.
- Genesis 19:12 וַ/יֹּאמְר֨וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp The men said to Lot, "Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of the place:
- Genesis 19:14 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, "Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.
- Genesis 19:15 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs When the morning arose, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, "Arise, take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city."
- Genesis 19:17 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, "Escape for your life! Don't look behind you, neither stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed!"
- Genesis 19:18 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Lot said to them, "Oh, not so, my lord.
- Genesis 19:21 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said to him, "Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.
- Genesis 19:31 וַ/תֹּ֧אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs The firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth.
- Genesis 19:34 וַ/תֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, "Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine again, tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father's seed."
- Genesis 20:2 וַ/יֹּ֧אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
- Genesis 20:3 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."
- Genesis 20:4 וַ/יֹּאמַ֕ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
- Genesis 20:5 אָֽמַר אָֽמְרָ֖ה Qal pf 3ms Qal pf 3fs Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister?' She, even she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this."
- Genesis 20:6 וַ/יֹּאמֶר֩ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn't allow you to touch her.
- Genesis 20:9 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!"
- Genesis 20:10 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you have done this thing?"
- Genesis 20:11 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אָמַ֗רְתִּי conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Qal pf 1cs Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'
- Genesis 20:13 וָ/אֹמַ֣ר אִמְרִי conj + Qal wimpf 1cs Qal impv 2fs It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, "He is my brother."'"
- Genesis 20:15 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you."
- Genesis 20:16 אָמַ֗ר Qal pf 3ms To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated."
- Genesis 21:1 אָמָ֑ר Qal pf 3ms Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken.
- Genesis 21:6 וַ/תֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me."
- Genesis 21:7 וַ/תֹּ֗אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs She said, "Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age."
- Genesis 21:10 וַ/תֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3fs Therefore she said to Abraham, "Cast out this handmaid and her son! For the son of this handmaid will not be heir with my son, even with Isaac."
- Genesis 21:12 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר תֹּאמַ֥ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Qal impf 3fs God said to Abraham, "Don't let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For from Isaac will your seed be called.
- Genesis 21:16 אָֽמְרָ֔ה Qal pf 3fs She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, "Don't let me see the death of the child." She sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
- Genesis 21:17 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Don't be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
- Genesis 21:22 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר לֵ/אמֹ֑ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms prep + Qal inf.cs It happened at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do.
- Genesis 21:24 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham said, "I will swear."
- Genesis 21:26 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abimelech said, "I don't know who has done this thing. Neither did you tell me, neither did I hear of it, until today."
- Genesis 21:29 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abimelech said to Abraham, "What do these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves mean?"
- Genesis 21:30 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well."
- Genesis 22:1 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms It happened after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."
- Genesis 22:2 וַ/יֹּ֡אמֶר אֹמַ֥ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Qal impf 1cs He said, "Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of."
- Genesis 22:3 אָֽמַר Qal pf 3ms Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.
- Genesis 22:5 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you.
- Genesis 22:7 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר וַ/יֹּ֗אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
- Genesis 22:8 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they both went together.
- Genesis 22:9 אָֽמַר Qal pf 3ms They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.
- Genesis 22:11 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The angel of Yahweh called to him out of the sky, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."
- Genesis 22:12 וַ/יֹּ֗אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Don't lay your hand on the boy, neither do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
- Genesis 22:16 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms and said, "I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
- Genesis 22:20 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs It happened after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, "Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
- Genesis 23:3 לֵ/אמֹֽר prep + Qal inf.cs Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
- Genesis 23:5 לֵ/אמֹ֥ר prep + Qal inf.cs The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
- Genesis 23:8 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
- Genesis 23:10 לֵ/אמֹֽר prep + Qal inf.cs Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
- Genesis 23:13 לֵ/אמֹ֔ר prep + Qal inf.cs He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there."
- Genesis 23:14 לֵ/אמֹ֥ר prep + Qal inf.cs Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
- Genesis 24:2 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh.
- Genesis 24:5 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?"
- Genesis 24:6 וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Abraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my son there again.
- Genesis 24:7 לֵ/אמֹ֔ר prep + Qal inf.cs Yahweh, 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 swore to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed.' He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
- Genesis 24:12 וַ/יֹּאמַ֓ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
- Genesis 24:14 אֹמַ֤ר וְ/אָמְרָ֣ה Qal impf 1cs conj + Qal pf 3fs Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, 'Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink.' She will say, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' Let the same be she who you have appointed for your servant Isaac. Thereby will I know that you have shown kindness to my master."
- Genesis 24:17 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher."
- Genesis 24:18 וַ/תֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.
- Genesis 24:19 וַ/תֹּ֗אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking."
- Genesis 24:23 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?"
- Genesis 24:24 וַ/תֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."
- Genesis 24:25 וַ/תֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in."
- Genesis 24:27 וַ/יֹּ֗אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me in the way to the house of my master's relatives."
- Genesis 24:30 לֵ/אמֹ֔ר prep + Qal inf.cs It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
- Genesis 24:31 וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."
- Genesis 24:33 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙ וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Food was set before him to eat. But he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." He said, "Speak on."
- Genesis 24:34 וַ/יֹּאמַ֑ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said, "I am Abraham's servant.
- Genesis 24:37 לֵ/אמֹ֑ר prep + Qal inf.cs My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
- Genesis 24:39 וָ/אֹמַ֖ר conj + Qal wimpf 1cs I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'
- Genesis 24:40 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of my father's house.
- Genesis 24:42 וָ/אֹמַ֗ר conj + Qal wimpf 1cs I came this day to the spring, and said, 'Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go.
- Genesis 24:43 וְ/אָמַרְתִּ֣י conj + Qal pf 1cs Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say, Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher to drink.
- Genesis 24:44 וְ/אָמְרָ֤ה conj + Qal pf 3fs She will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels." Let the same be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master's son.'
- Genesis 24:45 וָ/אֹמַ֥ר conj + Qal wimpf 1cs Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'
- Genesis 24:46 וַ/תֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
- Genesis 24:47 וָ/אֹמַר֮ וַ/תֹּ֗אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 1cs conj + Qal wimpf 3fs I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare to him.' I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
- Genesis 24:50 וַ/יֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing proceeds from Yahweh. We can't speak to you bad or good.
- Genesis 24:54 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."
- Genesis 24:55 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."
- Genesis 24:56 וַ/יֹּ֤אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said to them, "Don't hinder me, seeing Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."
- Genesis 24:57 וַ/יֹּאמְר֖וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her."
- Genesis 24:58 וַ/יֹּאמְר֣וּ וַ/תֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3mp conj + Qal wimpf 3fs They called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."
- Genesis 24:60 וַ/יֹּ֣אמְרוּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them."
- Genesis 24:65 וַ/תֹּ֣אמֶר וַ/יֹּ֥אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs conj + Qal wimpf 3ms She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." She took her veil, and covered herself.
- Genesis 25:22 וַ/תֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3fs The children struggled together within her. She said, "If it be so, why do I live?" She went to inquire of Yahweh.
- Genesis 25:23 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Yahweh said to her, Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.
- Genesis 25:30 וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom.
- Genesis 25:31 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright."
- Genesis 25:32 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?"
- Genesis 25:33 וַ/יֹּ֣אמֶר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.
- Genesis 26:2 וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר אֹמַ֥ר conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Qal impf 1cs Yahweh appeared to him, and said, "Don't go down into Egypt. Dwell in the land which I will tell you of.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
The Hebrew verb אמר centers on the idea of “to say.” One archaism survives in the King James Version — “saith” — where modern Bibles read “said”; see the renderings breakdown. Spanning 4,336 verses in 39 books, it ranks among the most common words of the Hebrew Bible. Its earliest occurrence is Genesis 1:3. Different stems carry different senses — BDB groups them under 4 stems, among them Qal and Niphal. Dig into 4,336-verse concordance and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H559 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 4,336
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 4,336 distinct verses.
- 39 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 39 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #7
- by frequency
- Top 10 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 7 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 4,336 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 4,336 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 2,521 verses · 58%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 1,175 verses · 27%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 640 verses · 15%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Said 1,837×, Saying 793×, Saith 467×
- American Standard Version: Said 1,687×, Saying 689×, He said 416×
- Berean Standard Bible: Said 1,107×, Says 559×, Saying 313×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Said 1,617×, And 929×, Saying 867×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H559 across 5,308 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 365 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H559 across 5,297 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 419 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H559 across 4,549 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 401 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 754 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H559 across 6,405 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 130 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
8 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
Hebrew verbs can shift meaning by stem (binyan): Qal is the basic action, Niphal is often passive or reflexive, Piel often intensifies or makes it factitive, and Hiphil is typically causative. The senses below are grouped under the stem BDB assigns to each. This entry also uses Hithpael (reflexive or reciprocal).
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 8 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
Qal
- Pf. א׳ Gn 3:1 +, etc.; Impf. יֹאמַר Gn 31:8 +; וַיֹּא֫מֶר Gn 1:3 +; וַיֹּאמַ֑ר Gn 14:19 +; in Jb always וַיֹּא֑מַר Jb 3:2 +; 3 fs. תֹּאמַר Gn 21:12 +; תֹּאמֵ֑ר Pr 1:21; 1 s. אֹמַר Gn 22:2 +; אוֹמְרָה ψ 42:10; וָאֹמַר Gn 20:13 +; וָאוֹמַר Ne 2:7, 17, 20; 3 m. pl. יֹאמְרוּ Ex 4:1 + etc.; sf. יֹמְרוּךָ ψ 139:20; 2 mpl. תֹּמְרוּ 2 S 19:14 (cf. Köi. p. 385); Imv. אֱמֹר (אֱמָר־) Gn 45:17 +, etc.; Inf. abs. אָמוֹר Ex 21:5 +; cstr. אֱמֹר Ez 25:8 +; (הַ)אֲמֹר Jb 34:18 but read הָאֹמֵר 𝔊 𝔙 Di, or better הֶאָמֹר Inf. abs. c. ה interrog. cf. Ew§ 328 d; sf. אָמְרִי Jos 6:10 +; אֲמָרְכֶם Je 23:38; אֱמָרְכֶם Mal 1:7 +; לֵאמֹר Gn 1:22 +, etc.; Pt; act. אֹמֵר Gn 32:10 +, etc.; pass. הֶאָמוּר Mi 2:7, but this grammatically indefensible, read הֶאָמוֹר, Inf. abs. c. ה interrog., v. DrExpositor, April, 1887, 263. e.g. Genesis 3:1
- 1. Say (subj. God Gn 3:1 + or man 32:5, serpent 3:1, ass Nu 22:28, horse יֹאמַר הֶאָח Jb 39:25 etc.; inanimate things, personif. Jb 28:14 cf. v 22 etc.; so in allegory or fable Ju 9:8 2 K 14:9 etc.; especially in narrat., וַיֹּאמֶר etc., Gn 4:6 + very often): mostly sq. thing said, either subst. Je 14:17 (c. cl. app.) Dt 27:16 f. Ju 12:6; pronoun Gn 44:16 2 K 20:14 +; or (usually) clause Gn 1:3; 3:1; 37:20 + often (orat. recta); with adv. thus, so Gn 32:5 Nu 20:14 1 K 20:3, 5 +; especially כֹּה אָמַר י׳ Ex 5:1; 7:17, 26; 8:16; 1 Ch 17:4 + often; the person addressed usually introduced by אֶל Gn 3:1; 15:7; 22:7; Lv 21:1; 2 S 3:7; 1 K 12:5, 23, or לְ Gn 3:13; 4:15; 1 S 20:2; 2 S 2:21; 1 K 14:2 + often; rarer combinations are, א׳ בְּאָזְנֵי Is 49:20 (cf. 5:9 & vid. דבר); א׳ לִפְנֵי Ez 28:9; א׳ לְעֵינֵי Dt 31:7; Jos 10:12; Je 28:11; א׳ בְּ Jo 2:17 ψ 126:2, where בְּ local; in all cases usually sq. dir. obj. of words said, Ex 19:25; Ju 17:2 being singular; Gn 4:8 the object-clause has probably fallen out, cf. Vrss Di; = mention, name, designate Gn 22:2, 3; 43:27, 29 Ex 32:13; Nu 14:40; 1 S 10:16; 16:3; 2 S 6:22 Ne 6:19; cf. ψ 139:20 יֹמְרוּךָ לִמְזִמָּה speak of thee for falsehood (but many, as Hup Pe Dy Che, read יַמְרוּךָ); = tell, declare, proclaim (sq. dir. obj. only) ψ 40:11; Ez 13:7; in reply to question = answer Ex 12:27; Jos 4:7; 1 K 9:9; Je 5:19; 22:9. The obj. spoken of may be referred to by אֶל 2 K 19:32; Je 22:18; 27:19, or לְ Gn 20:13 אִמְרִי לִי say of me, etc. Dt 33:9; Ju 9:54; Is 5:20 ψ 3:3; 71:10, very rarely by a simple accus. Is 3:10 (where read prob. for אִמְרוּ, אַשְׁרֵי), except after אֲשֶׁר where the words used follow (cf. אֲשֶׁר 4 d) Gn 3:17; Nu 10:29; 14:31 Dt 28:68; Ju 7:4; 1 S 9:17, 23b; 1 K 8:29; La 4:20; cf. Nu 21:16; 2 K 17:12; 21:4, & (two extreme cases) Is 8:12; La 2:15 (v. DrSm i. 25, 5); הֶֽאָמוּר Mi 2:7 read inf. abs. c. ה interrog. הֶאָמוֹר (v. supr.) shall one say? shall it be said? After another vb. of saying, introducing thing said: Dt 21:7; 25:9; 27:15; Ct 2:10 +, even after אמר Gn 22:7; Lv 21:1; Je 34:2; Est 7:5 +; especially inf. לֵאמֹר, after דבר Gn 8:15, צוה 2:16; 3:17, ענה 41:16, ברך 1:22, נשׁבע 24:7, נדר 28:20, etc.; after אמר 2 S 3:18; 1 K 12:23; 1 Ch 21:18 +; after שׁלח 2 Ch 35:21 שׁוּב Gn 32:7; cf. also Gn 28:6 Ex 5:13; 9:5; 13:8; 17:4; Nu 11:20; Dt 1:28; 13:7; Ju 8:15; 1 S 23:2; 1 K 13:3; Je 32:3; 37:9; Ru 4:4 +; when subj. of לֵאמֹר differs from that of preceding clause Gn 31:1; 38:13, 24 etc.; after שׁמע Is 37:9 = 2 K 19:9. e.g. Genesis 3:1
- 2. Say in the heart (= think) א׳ בלבב Dt 8:17 cf. 1 K 12:26 ψ 10:6, 11, 13; 14:1; 35:25; Is 14:13; 47:8, 10; 49:21; Ec 2:1, 15; 3:17, 18; א׳ לִלְבָבָם Ho 7:2; א׳ אֶל־לִבּוֹ Gn 8:21 said unto his heart (to himself), subj. י׳, cf. 1 S 27:1; אָֽמְרָה נַפְשִׁי La 3:24; thence א׳ alone Gn 20:11; 26:9 Nu 24:11; Ru 4:4; 1 S 20:26; 2 S 5:6; 12:22; 2 K 5:11; Mal 1:7; with כִּי Ju 15:2; in particular = desire מַה־תֹּאמַר נַפְשְׁךָ 1 S 20:4 cf. Est 2:13; sq. inf. = purpose, Ex 2:14 thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? Jos 22:33; 1 S 30:6; 1 K 5:19; 2 Ch 28:10, 13; expect 2 S 21:16 he expected to slay David 2 Ch 13:8; 32:1. e.g. Deuteronomy 8:17
- 3. Promise (sq. inf.) 1 Ch 27:23; 2 Ch 21:7; Est 4:7; (id. + ל of pers.) 2 K 8:19; Ne 9:15; (sq. acc. of dir. obj. + ל of pers. + inf. of purpose) Ne 9:23. e.g. 1 Chronicles 27:23
- 4. Command (especially late) sq. אֶל־ of person addressed, Nu 15:28; 1 Ch 21:18; sq. ל Jos 11:9; 2 S 16:11 2 K 4:24; Jb 9:7 ψ 106:24 (v. sub אֲשֶׁר 8 e); sq. inf. 1 S 24:11 1 Ch 21:17; 2 Ch 1:18; 29:27, 36; 31:11; 35:21 Est 1:17; 4:13, 15; 6:1; 9:14; inf. + ל of pers. 2 Ch 14:3; 29:21; 31:4; Ne 9:15; Est 1:10; sq. acc. dir. obj. 2 Ch 29:24 the king commanded the burnt-offering and the sin-offering, cf. 1 K 5:20; Est 2:15; sq. cl. with אשׁר = that Ne 13:19; id. + ל of pers. v 22; sq. cl. with כִּי Jb 36:10; abs. 1 S 16:16 (read however prob. יאמרו for יאמר, cf. Dr); also ψ 105:31, 34; 107:25; 1 Ch 14:12; 2 Ch 24:8; Ne 13:9, 19 (all sq. vb. consec.); command by leter א׳ עִם־הַסֵּפֶר Est 9:25 (sq. impf.); appoint, assign לֶחֶם א׳ לוֹ 1 K 11:18 = threaten sq. inf. Dt 9:25 ψ 106:23. e.g. Numbers 15:28
Niphal
- Pf. נֶאֱמַר Dn 8:26; Impf. יֵאָמֵר Gn 22:14 +; יֵאָ֫מֶר לוֹ Is 4:3; יֵאָמַ֑ר Gn 10:9 +; וַיֵּאָמַ֑ר Jos 2:2; be said, told Gn 10:9; 22:14 ψ 87:5; Je 4:11; 16:14 (all abs., indef. subj., of current saying); so said in a book Nu 21:14; be related, told, of vision Dn 8:26; said, told to (sq. ל ind. obj.) Jos 2:2; Ho 2:1(×2) Zp 3:16; either so, or told concerning Nu 23:23; Ez 13:12 (אֶל־); יֵאָמֵר לָכֶם = ye shall be called (it shall be said to you) Is 61:6 (‖ תִּקָּרֵ֔אוּ), cf. 4:3; 19:18; 32:5 (‖ יִקָּרֵא ל) 62:4(×2); hence be called, of Tophet לֹא־יֵאָמֵר עוֹד הַתֹּפֶת Je 7:32; subj. שֵׁם Gn 32:29; Jb 34:31 כִּי אֶל־אֵל חֶאָמַר, Rabb. (cf. AV) treat הֵאָמַר as Niph. Inf. for לְהֵאָמֵר, but against grammar; the form as it stands is Qal Pf., אֶל־אֵל being prefixed to the interrog. for emphasis (cf. Je 22:15; 23:26 Ne 13:27), v. Dr§ 9 Di al.; Hoffm., however, reads הֵאָמֵר inf. abs. = imv. ‘so must one speak (it be spoken) to God.’ e.g. Daniel 8:26
Hiphil
- Pf. avow, avouch Dt 26:17 אֶת־י׳ הֶאֱמַרְתָּ הַיּוֹם לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים; v 18 וי׳ הֶאֱמִירְךָ היום להיות לוֹ לְעַם (lit. cause to declare, i.e. through agency of Moses; on this & other interpr. vid. Di). e.g. Deuteronomy 26:17
Hithpael
- Impf. יִתְאַמְּרוּ ψ 94:4 subj. כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן act proudly, boast (‖ יַבִּיעוּ יְדַבְּרוּ עָתָק); prob. also 2 mpl. תִּתְיַמָּ֑רוּ Is 61:6 (in good sense, sq. בְּ of thing gloried in) 𝔖 𝔙 𝔗 & cf. 𝔊; GesComm. so De Che Köi. 457 f. (from [ימר] exchange Thes Hi Kn Ew Di; but vid. ימר). e.g. Psalms 94:4
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
vb. utter, say (MI Ph. אמר, Aramaic אֲמַר, Ethiopic አመረ I. 2 shew, declare, Arabic أَمَرَ command; perhaps √ אמר orig. = be or make prominent, hence Hithp. infr., אָמִיר; Sab. אמר lofty, epith. of king JHMordtmZMG 1876, 37; cf. DlPr 28 who thinks orig. meaning hell, sichtbar sein, whence Assyrian amâru, see & shew, declare, say)—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Origin: a primitive root
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
אָמַר I
- (a) to join, knot; to be knotted, thick; b) to heap up; c) transf. to join words, compose, cmp. דבר; d) to contract, bargain, exchange. [As to Assyr. to see, cmp. חמא.])
- 1. to speak, think, say, relate &c. … א׳ ר׳ … א׳ ר׳ Rabbi … related in the name of R. … Ber. 3ᵇ; a. v. fr.—Part. pass. אָמוּר expression. Yoma 70ᵇ, a. fr. הוא הא׳ וכ׳ it is the same expression (‘one ram’) used here and in the Book of Numbers. Sifré Deut. s. 334, a. fr. אֱמוֹר מעתה say from now, i.e. from this draw the conclusion. Gen. R. s. 39 תאמר שהבירה וכ׳ (usu. שמא תאמר) will you say (is it possible), this castle has no commander?—אֲמוּרִים דברים במה (abbr. בד׳'א) in what case are these words said? i.e. this applies only. Ḥull. 3ᵃ; a. fr.—זאת אוֹמֶרֶת this tells, i.e. this proves. Ber. 11ᵇ; a. fr.—אָמְרוּ it is said, told &c.; v. next w.—Inf. לוֹמַר = לֵאמֹר. Ḥag. 14ᵇ; a. fr.
- 2. to vow, devote. אָמוּר (לגבוה) devoted to the Lord. Succ. 55ᵇ; v. אֲמִירָה I, 3, a. אֵימוּרִים.
- (b. h.) to be said, to read … נא׳ כאן … ונ׳ להלן we read here … and we read there … (the same expression is used here and there in the Scriptural text). Ber. 9ᵃ; a. v. fr.—שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (abbr. שנ׳, שנא׳) for it is said in the Scriptures (as evidence in favor of an opinion). Snh. X, 1; a. v. fr.; also כמה שנ׳ (כמו) as it is said.—מִשּׁוּם שנ׳ because it is said in the Scriptures, i.e. you may possibly be misled by a certain expression to think …, therefore another term is used in its stead in an analogous case, or added to the ambiguous word; v. שׁוּם.
אֲמַר
- 1) as preced. 1). Targ. Gen. I, 3; a. v. fr.—א׳ מר above you quoted an authority, or, it has been stated. Ber. 2ᵃ; a. fr.—א׳ קרא the Scripture says. Ib. 13ᵃ; a. fr.—Y. Orl. III, end, 63ᵇ, a. fr. אמרונה בשם … (in Bab. heb. אֲמָרוּהָ) they said it in behalf of … i.e. as a tradition.—Y. Ber. I, 2ᵈ מילתיה אמרה his word (statement, opinion &c.) proves.—הדא אמרה = זאת אומרת; v. preced.—אַמְרֵי (h. אָמְרוּ) they say, it is said. Sabb. 19ᵃ אמרו עליו על … ואמרי לה וכ׳ it is told about R. …, and another relation refers this to R.—; a. fr.—קאמר, קאמרי &c. = קא אמר &c. Ḥull. 85ᵃ; a. fr.—מנא תימרא whence dost thou prove? Sabb. 23ᵃ; a. fr.—Inf. מֵימַר, מֵימְרָא. סבר מ׳, סבר למ׳ originally he was of the opinion. Y. Sabb. VI, 8ᶜ top; Keth. 87ᵇ; a. v. fr.—לְמֵימְרָא does this mean to say? Sabb. 15ᵇ; a. fr. לא אמרן אלא … אבל … this has been said, i.e. this applies only to a case … but if … Ber. 43ᵇ; a. fr.—כְּלוֹמַר as if saying, meaning to say, viz; v. כִּילּוּ.—Y. Kil. IV, 32ᶜ bot. אימורין לבני וכ׳ say ye to &c.—מאי איכא למימר, v. אִיכָּא; Answ. אֵימוּר say … Sabb. 6ᵃ; a. fr.—Hor. 13ᵃ א׳ כולה who orders every thing (as an etymol. of אֲמַרְכָּל).—2) to praise, proclaim. Targ. Is. VIII, 13; a. fr.—Part. pass. אָמִיר q. v.
- , contr. אִתְּמַר, אִיתְּ׳ it is said, taught. Targ. Job XXXIV, 31.—Y. Yoma V, end, 43ᵃ אתאמרת, contr. אִתַּמְרַת it has been said with refer. to the opinion of …—אִתְּ׳, אִיתְּ׳ it has been said (above);we have been taught. Succ. 15ᵃ; a. fr.
- same. Targ. Gen. XXII, 14; a. e.
אָמַר II
- , v. אָמַר I, a) to be thick, strong.
- 1. to thrive; to boast, vaunt, be oppressive (cmp. Ps. XCIV, 4). Sot. IX, 15 (49ᵇ) יוקר יַאֲמִיר the nobility shall be oppressive (Snh. 97ᵃ יְעַוֵּת; Der. Er. Zut. X יעוות; Cant. R. to II, 13 הווה).—*[ e.g. Psalms 94:4
- 2. (denom. of מריא to fatten. Sabb. XXIV, 3 (155ᵇ) Bab. מַאֲמִירִין, Ms. Oxf., Mish. a. Y. מַמְרִים, מַמְרִין, v. מרי.]
אֵמֶר
- , v. אֵימַר a. אִמְרָה.
אִמַּר
- lamb, v. אִימַּר.
מְרַר
- same, to be bitter; to grieve, mourn. Perf. מַר, imperf. יֵימַר, יֵמַר. Targ. Is. XXIV, 9. Targ. I Sam. XXX, 6; a. fr.—Targ. Zech. XII, 10 ויֵימְרוּן, v. infra.
- to embitter, aggrieve. Targ. Ruth I, 13 תְמָרְרוּן (ed. Amst. תִמְרְ׳). Targ. Y. I Deut. XXXII, 32 מְמַרְרִין (some ed. מְמַרְרַן; Y. II מַרְרַן).
- 1. same. Targ. Ruth I, 20 (not same. Targ. Ruth I, 20 (not אֲמַרִ׳). Targ. Ex. I, 14; a. e.
- 2. to arrange mourning. Targ. Zech. XII, 10 ויימרון … כמא דמַמְרִין וכ׳ they shall arrange mourning for him, as is arranged for &c. (v. infra).—[אָמְרָרוּ, v. Ithpa.]
- to aggrieve. Targ. Prov. XVII, 25. Targ. Y. I Gen. XLIX, 23 ממרירו, read: מַרְמִירוּ; (Y. II אֲמָרוּ, read: אַמָּ׳ Af.).
- 1. to be enraged, fight. Targ. O. Gen. l. c. (Var. אָמְרָרוּ, v. Berl. Targ. O. II, p. 18; oth. ed. אַמְרָרוּ Af.).
- 2. to mourn. Targ. Zech. l. c. Var. (v. Lag. Proph. I, p. XLII).
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 578 distinct written forms H559 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that stem’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 518 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H559, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derived from this word
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 9 — not the complete family. 4 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
Most of the 4,336 Hebrew verses this word occurs in also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), so the same passages can be read in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 1:3
- Exodus 1:9
- Leviticus 1:1
- Numbers 1:1
- Deuteronomy 1:5
- Joshua 1:1
- Judges 1:1
- Ruth 1:8
- 1 Samuel 1:8
- 2 Samuel 1:3
- 1 Kings 1:2
- 2 Kings 1:2
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.