Lexical Definition

‎אָמַר‎ ʼâmar (aw-mar') to say ^H:V
a primitive root

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.

• to say (used with great latitude)

1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

See Greek: ἀθετέω · αἱρέομαι · αἰτέω · ἀναγγέλλω · ἀντέπω · ἀπαγγέλλω · ἀπειπόμην · ἀποκρίνομαι · βλασφημέω · βοάω · γινώσκω · διαγγέλλω · διατάσσω · διηγέομαι · δοκέω · ἐγκαλέω · ἐμφανίζω · ἐντέλλομαι · ἐπαγγέλλω · ἐπακούω · ἐπιθυμέω · ἐπιτάσσω · ἐπιτρέπω · ἔριον · ἐρωτάω · εὑρίσκω · θέλω · καλέω · καταδυναστεύω · καυχάομαι · λαλέω · λέγω · ὀμνύω · παραγγέλλω · παρακαλέω · πιστόω · προστάσσω · προφητεύω · συντάσσω · φάσκω · φημί

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (‎א‎ֲ‎מ‎ַ‎ר‎ "to say" אֲמַר)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎אָמַר‎₅₂₈₇ verb utter, say (MI, Phoenician ‎אמר‎, Aramaic ‎אֲמַר‎, Ethiopic I. 2 shew, declare, Arabic command; perhaps √ ‎אמר‎ originally = be or make prominent, hence Hithpa`el below, ‎אָמִיר‎; Sabean ‎אמר‎ lofty, epithet of king JHMordtm^{ZMG 1876, 37}; compare Dl^{Pr 28} who thinks original meaning hell, sichtbar sein, whence Assyrian amâru, see, & shew, declare, say) — Qal Perfect ‎׳‎‎א‎ Gen 3:1 +, etc.; Imperfect ‎יאֹמַר‎ Gen 31:8 +; ‎וַיּאֹ֫מֶר‎ Gen 1:3 +; ‎וַיּאֹמַ֑ר‎ Gen 14:19 +; in Job always ‎וַיּאֹ֑מַר‎ Job 3:2 +; 3 feminine singular ‎תּאֹמַר‎ Gen 21:12 +; ‎תּאֹמֵר֑‎ Prov 1:21 1 singular ‎אֹמַר‎ Gen 22:2 +; ‎אוֺמְרָה‎ Ps 42:10* ‎וָאֹמַר‎ Gen 20:13 +; ‎וָאוֺמַר‎ Neh 2:7; Neh 2:17; Neh 2:20 3 masculine plural ‎יאֹמְדוּ‎ Exod 4:1 + etc.; suffix ‎יֹמְרוּךָ‎ Ps 139:20 2 masculine plural ‎תֹּמְדוּ‎ 2Sam 19:14* ( compare Kö^{i. p. 385}); Imperative ‎(אֱמָרֿ) אֱמֹר‎ Gen 45:17 +, etc.; Infinitive absolute ‎אָמוֺר‎ Exod 21:5 +; construct ‎אֱמֹר‎ Ezek 25:8 +; ‎(הַ)אֲמֹר‎ Job 34:18 but read ‎הָאֹמֵר‎ ᵐ5 ᵑ9 Di, or better ‎הֶאָמֹר‎ Infinitive absolute with ‎ה‎ interrogative compare Ew :§ 328 d; suffix ‎אָמְרִי‎ Josh 6:10 +; ‎אֲמָרְכֶם‎ Jer 23:38 ‎אֱמָרְכֶם‎ Mal 1:7 +; ‎לֵאמֹר‎ Gen 1:22 +, etc.; Participle active ‎אֹמֵר‎ Gen 32:10* +, etc.; passive ‎הֶאָמוּר‎ Mic 2:7, but this grammatically indefensible, read ‎הֶאָמוֺר‎, Infinitive absolute with ‎ה‎ interrogative, see Dr^{Expositor, April, 1887, 263}.1. Say (subject God Gen 3:1 + or man Gen 32:5*, serpent Gen 3:1, ass Num 22:28, horse ‎יאֹמַר הֶאָח‎ Job 39:25 etc.; inanimate things, personified Job 28:14 compare vJob 28:22 etc.; so in allegory or fable Judg 9:8; 2Kgs 14:9 etc.; especially in narration, ‎וַיּאֹמֶר‎ etc., Gen 4:6 + very often): mostly followed by thing said, either substantive Jer 14:17 (c. clause app.) Deut 27:16f.; Judg 12:6 pronoun Gen 44:16; 2Kgs 20:14 +; or (usually) clause Gen 1:3; Gen 3:1; Gen 37:20 + often (oratio recta [direct speech]); with adverb thus, so Gen 32:5*; Num 20:14; 1Kgs 20:3; 1Kgs 20:5 + often; especially ‎׳‎‎כֹּה אָמַר י‎ Exod 5:1; Exod 7:17; Exod 8:1*; Exod 8:20*; 1Chr 17:4 + often; the person addressed usually introduced by ‎אֶל‎ Gen 3:1; Gen 15:7; Gen 22:7; Lev 21:1; 2Sam 3:7; 1Kgs 12:5; 1Kgs 12:23, or ‎לְ‎ Gen 3:13; Gen 4:15; 1Sam 20:2; 2Sam 2:21; 1Kgs 14:2 + often; rarer combinations are, ‎בְּאָזְנֵי‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Isa 49:20 (compare Isa 5:9 & see ‎דבר‎); ‎לִפְנֵי‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Ezek 28:9 ‎לְעֵינֵי‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Deut 31:7; Josh 10:12; Jer 28:11 ‎בְּ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Joel 2:17; Ps 126:2, where ‎בְּ‎ local; in all cases usually followed by direct object of words said, Exod 19:25 being very singular; Gen 4:8 the object-clause has probably fallen out, compare Vrss Di; = mention, name, designate Gen 22:2; Gen 22:3; Gen 43:27; Gen 43:29; Exod 32:13; Num 14:40; 1Sam 10:16; 1Sam 16:3; 2Sam 6:22; Neh 6:19 compare Ps 139:20 ‎יֹמְרוּךָ לִמְזִמָּה‎ speak of thee for falsehood (but many, as Hup Pe Dy Che, read ‎יַמְרוּךָ‎); = tell, declare, proclaim, (followed by direct object only) Ps 40:11*; Ezek 13:7 in reply to question = answer Exod 12:27; Josh 4:7; 1Kgs 9:9; Jer 5:19; Jer 22:9. The object spoken of may be referred to by ‎אֶל‎ 2Kgs 19:32; Jer 22:18; Jer 27:19, or ‎לְ‎ Gen 20:13 ‎אִמְרִי לִֹי‎ say of me, etc. Deut 33:9; Judg 9:54; Isa 5:20; Ps 3:3*; Ps 71:10, very rarely by a simple accusative Isa 3:10 (where read probably for ‎אִמְרוּ‎, ‎אַשְׁרֵי‎), except after ‎אֲשֶׁר‎ where the words used follow (compare ‎אֲשֶׁר‎ 4 d) Gen 3:17; Num 10:29; Num 14:31; Deut 28:68; Judg 7:4; 1Sam 9:17; 1Sam 9:23b 1Kgs 8:29; Lam 4:20 compare Num 21:16; 2Kgs 17:12; 2Kgs 21:4, & (two extreme cases) Isa 8:12; Lam 2:15 (see Dr^{Sm i. 24, 5}); ‎ֶ˜האָמוּר‎ Mic 2:7 read infinitive absolute with ‎ה‎ interrogative ‎הֶאָמוֺר‎ (see above) shall one say ? shall it be said ? After another verb of saying, introducing thing said: Deut 21:7; Deut 25:9; Deut 27:15; Song 2:10 +, even after ‎אמר‎ Gen 22:7; Lev 21:1; Jer 34:2; Esth 7:5 +; especially infinitive ‎לֵאמֹר‎, after ‎דבר‎ Gen 8:15, ‎צוה‎ Gen 2:16, ‎ענה‎ Gen 44:16, ‎ברך‎ Gen 1:22, ‎נשׁבע‎ Gen 24:7, ‎נדר‎ Gen 28:20, etc.; after ‎אמר‎ 2Sam 3:18; 1Kgs 12:23; Ruth 4:4; 1Chr 21:18 +; after ‎שׁלח‎ 2Chr 35:21, ‎שׁוּב‎ Gen 32:7* compare also Gen 28:6; Gen 9:5; Gen 13:8; Gen 17:4; Deut 13:7*; Judg 8:15; 1Sam 23:2; 1Kgs 13:3; Jer 32:3; Jer 37:9 +; also when subject of ‎לֵאמֹר‎ differs from that of pre-ceding clause Gen 31:1; Gen 38:13; Gen 38:24 etc.; after ‎שׁמע‎ Isa 37:9 = 2Kgs 19:9.

2. Say in the heart (= think) ‎בלבב‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Deut 8:17 compare 1Kgs 12:26; Ps 10:6; Ps 10:11; Ps 10:13; Ps 14:1; Ps 35:25; Isa 14:13; Isa 47:8; Isa 47:10; Isa 49:21; Eccl 2:1; Eccl 2:15; Eccl 3:17; Eccl 3:18 ‎לִלְבָבָם‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Hos 7:2 ‎אֶללִֿבּוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Gen 8:21 said unto his heart (to himself), subject ‎׳‎‎י‎, compare 1Sam 27:1 ‎אָֽמְרָה נַפֲשִׁי‎ Lam 3:24 thence ‎׳‎‎א‎ alone Gen 20:11; Gen 26:9; Num 24:11; Ruth 4:4; 1Sam 20:26; 2Sam 5:6; 2Sam 12:22; 2Kgs 5:11 followed by clause with ‎כִּי‎ Judg 15:2 in particular = desire ‎מַהתּֿאֹמַר נַפְשְׁךָ‎ 1Sam 20:4 compare Esth 2:13 followed by infinitive = purpose, Exod 2:14 thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian ? Josh 22:33; 1Sam 30:6; 1Kgs 5:19*; 2Chr 28:10; 2Chr 28:13 expect 2Sam 21:16 he expected to slay David 2Chr 13:8; 2Chr 32:1.

3. Promise (followed by infinitive) 1Chr 27:23; 2Chr 21:7; Esth 4:7 (id. + ‎ל‎ of person) 2Kgs 8:19; Neh 9:15 (followed by accusative of direct object + ‎ל‎ of person + infinitive of purpose) Neh 9:23.

4. Command (especially late) followed by ‎אֶלֿ‎ of per-son addressed, Num 15:38; 1Chr 21:18 followed by ‎ל‎ Josh 11:9; 2Sam 16:11; 2Kgs 4:24; Job 9:7; Ps 106:34 (see below ‎אֲשֶׁר‎ 8 e); followed by infinitive 1Sam 24:11*; 1Chr 21:17; 2Chr 1:18*; 2Chr 29:27; 2Chr 29:30; 2Chr 31:11; 2Chr 35:21; Esth 1:17; Esth 4:13; Esth 4:15; Esth 6:1; Esth 9:14 followed by infinitive + ‎ל‎ of pers, 2Chr 14:3*; 2Chr 29:21; 2Chr 31:4; followed by accusative direct object 2Chr 29:24 the king commanded the burnt-offering and the sin-offering, compare 1Kgs 5:20*; Esth 2:15 followed by clause with ‎אשׁר‎ = that Neh 13:19 id. + ‎ל‎ of person vNeh 13:22 followed by clause with ‎כִּי‎ Job 36:10 absolute 1Sam 16:16 (read however probably ‎יאמרו‎ for ‎יאמר‎, compare Dr); also Ps 105:31; Ps 105:34; Ps 107:25; 1Chr 14:12; 2Chr 24:8; Neh 13:9; Neh 13:19 (all followed by verb consecutive); command by letter ‎עִםהַֿסֵּפֶר‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Esth 9:25 (followed by imperfect); appoint, assign ‎לוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎לֶחֶם א‎ 1Kgs 11:18 = threaten followed by infinitive Deut 9:25; Ps 106:23. Niph`al Perfect ‎נֶאֱמַר‎ Dan 8:26 Imperfect ‎יֵאָמֵר‎ Gen 22:14 +; ‎יֵאָ֫מֶר לוֺ‎ Isa 4:3 ‎יֵאָמַ֑ר‎ Gen 10:9 +; ‎וַיֵּאָמַ֑ר‎ Josh 2:2 be said, told Gen 10:9; Gen 22:14; Ps 87:5; Jer 4:11; Jer 16:14 (all absolute, indefinite subject, of current saying); so said in a book Num 21:14 be related, told, of vision Dan 8:26 said, told to (followed by ‎ל‎ indirect object) Josh 2:2; Hos 2:1* (twice in verse); Zeph 3:16 either so, or told concerning Num 23:23; Ezek 13:12 (‎אֶלֿ‎); ‎יֵאָמֵר לָכֶם‎ = ye shall be called (it shall be said to you) Isa 61:6 (|| ‎תִּקָּרְאוּ‎), compare Isa 4:3; Isa 19:18; Isa 32:5 (|| ‎יִקָּרֵא ל‎) Isa 62:4 (twice in verse); hence be called, of Tophet ‎לֹאיֵֿאָמֵר‎ ‎עוֺד הַתֹּפֶת‎ Jer 7:32 subject ‎שֵׁם‎ Gen 32:29*; Job 34:31 ‎כִּי‎ ‎אֶלאֵֿל הֶאָמַר‎, Rabb (compare AV) treat ‎הֵאָמַר‎ as Niph`al Infinitive for ‎לְהֵאָמֵר‎, but against grammar; the form as it stands is Qal Perfect, ‎אֶלאֵֿל‎ being prefixed to the interrogative for emphasis (compare Jer 22:15; Jer 23:26; Neh 13:27), see Dr^{§ 9} Di and others; Hoffm., however, reads ‎הֵאָמֵר‎ infinitive absolute = imperative 'so must one speak (it be spoken) to God.' Hiph`il Perfect avow, avouch Deut 26:17 ‎הֶאֱמַרְתָּ הַיּוֺם לִהְיוֺת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים‎ ‎׳‎‎אֶתיֿ‎; vDeut 26:18 ‎׳‎‎וי‎ ‎הֶאֱמִירְךָ היום להיות לוֺ לְעַם‎ (literally cause to declare, i.e. through agency of Moses; on this & other interpretations see Di). Hithpa`el Imperfect ‎יִתְאַמְּרוּ‎ Ps 94:4 subject ‎כָּלפֹּֿעֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן‎ act proudly, boast (|| ‎יַבִּיעוּ‎ ‎יְדַבְּרוּ עָתָק‎ probably also 2 masculine plural ‎תִּתְיַמָּ֑רוּ‎ Isa 61:6 (in good sense, followed by ‎בְּ‎ of thing gloried in) ᵑ6 ᵑ9 ᵑ7 & compare ᵐ5; Ges^Comm. so De Che Kö^{i. 457 f.} (from [‎ימר‎] exchange Thes Hi Kn Ew Di; but see ‎ימר‎, ‎מור‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References