# H1697 - dabar **Strong's:** [H1697](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1697/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** daw-baw' **Part of speech:** masculine noun **OT occurrences:** ~1442 **Greek equivalent (LXX):** *logos* (G3056), predominant; *rhēma* (G4487) when emphasizing the spoken-utterance aspect ## Semantic range 1. **Word, speech, utterance**, verbal communication 2. **Matter, affair, business**, the *content* of speech / the situation being addressed 3. **Thing, event**, Hebraic blending of *word* and *what-is-spoken-of* (a *davar* is both word and matter) 4. **Cause, reason** in some contexts 5. **Command** in some contexts The Hebraic blending of *word* and *thing-spoken-of* is profound: in Hebrew thought, a word *carries reality*, to speak is to act; a divine word is a divine event. ## Theological force ### *Davar YHWH*, "the word of the LORD" The most theologically loaded use is *davar YHWH*, "the word of the LORD." This phrase appears ~242 times, almost always introducing prophetic revelation: - **[Genesis 15:1](/codex/genesis-15-1/)**, "the word of the LORD came to Abram" - **[1 Samuel 3:1](/codex/1-samuel-3-1/), [7](/codex/1-samuel-3-7/), [21](/codex/1-samuel-3-21/)**, *davar YHWH* to Samuel - **[2 Samuel 7:4](/codex/2-samuel-7-4/)**, *davar YHWH* to Nathan (Davidic covenant) - **[1 Kings 17:8](/codex/1-kings-17-8/)**, to Elijah - **[Jeremiah 1:2](/codex/jeremiah-1-2/); 1:4; 1:11; 2:1; 14:1**, formulaic prophetic introduction - **Ezekiel**, pervasive - **[Joel 1:1](/codex/joel-1-1/); [Amos 7:16](/codex/amos-7-16/); [Jonah 1:1](/codex/jonah-1-1/); etc.**, minor prophets The pattern: God *speaks* through prophets; the *davar YHWH* comes; the prophet faithfully proclaims it. The prophet is the *carrier* of the *davar*; the *davar* itself is YHWH's authoritative revelation. ### Creative *davar*, [Genesis 1](/codex/genesis-1/) The *davar* is the **creative agency**: - **[Genesis 1:3-31](/codex/genesis-1-3-31/)**, "And God said (*va-yomer Elohim*)…" repeated 10 times - **[Psalm 33:6](/codex/psalms-33-6/)**, "by the *devar YHWH* the heavens were made; and by the breath of His mouth all their host" - **[Psalm 33:9](/codex/psalms-33-9/)**, "for He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" - **[Psalm 147:15-18](/codex/psalms-147-15-18/)**, God's *davar* governs nature - **[Isaiah 55:10-11](/codex/isaiah-55-10-11/)**, God's *davar* will not return empty The pattern: God's *davar* is *effective*, what God says, *happens*. There is no gap between divine speech and divine action. ### *Davar* and incarnation, bridge to *Logos* The OT *davar* anticipates the NT *Logos* ([G3056 - logos](/codex/g3056-logos/)): - **[Genesis 1](/codex/genesis-1/)**, God creates by *davar* - **[Psalm 33:6](/codex/psalms-33-6/)**, heavens by *davar YHWH* - **[John 1:1](/codex/john-1-1/), [3](/codex/john-1-3/)**, *en archē ēn ho logos… panta di' autou egeneto*, Christ as the eternal-creative Word - **[John 1:14](/codex/john-1-14/)**, *ho logos sarx egeneto*, the Word became flesh The Christological pattern: the OT *davar* by which God creates and reveals → the NT *Logos* who is the eternal divine person → the *Logos sarx egeneto* = the Word incarnate in Christ. See [John 1.1](/codex/john-1-1/). ### *Davar* and prophetic authority The *davar* of YHWH grounds the prophets' authority. The prophet is *not* an autonomous religious thinker but a *carrier of revelation*. The *davar* is: - **External**, given to the prophet, not generated by him - **Authoritative**, claiming response (obedience or rebellion) - **Often unwelcome**, bearing judgment alongside hope - **Verifiable**, true *davar* fulfills ([Deuteronomy 18:21-22](/codex/deuteronomy-18-21-22/), false prophets identified by failed *davar*) The prophetic test: if the *davar* fails to come to pass, the prophet is false. This grounds the [Argument from Prophecy Fulfillment](/codex/argument-from-prophecy-fulfillment/), the OT prophets' fulfilled *davar* about the Messiah is fulfilled in Christ. ### *Davar* as Torah / instruction In wisdom and Torah-piety contexts, *davar* connects to: - *Devarim*, words of the Law ([Deuteronomy 6:6](/codex/deuteronomy-6-6/); the title of the book is *Devarim*) - The *Ten Words / Ten Devarim* (Decalogue, [Exodus 20:1-17](/codex/exodus-20-1-17/); [Deut 5:6-21](/codex/deuteronomy-5-6-21/); Hebrew title is *aseret ha-devarim*, "ten words") - The wisdom-Torah-davar tradition ([Psalm 119](/codex/psalms-119/), extended praise of God's *davar* / *piqqudim* / *mitzvot* / *torah*) ## *Davar* and Christ The Christological convergence: - Christ as the eternal *Logos* / *davar* of God ([John 1.1](/codex/john-1-1/)) - Christ as the Creator-Word ([John 1.3](/codex/john-1-3/); [Colossians 1.16-17](/codex/colossians-1-16-17/)) - Christ as the Word made flesh ([John 1.14](/codex/john-1-14/)) - Christ as the Word who explains the Father ([John 1.18](/codex/john-1-18/)) - Christ as the Word the prophets prophesied ([Acts 10:43](/codex/acts-10-43/)) - Christ as the Word of life ([1 John 1:1](/codex/1-john-1-1/)) The OT-NT-trajectory: the divine *davar* who creates and reveals throughout the OT *is* the eternal Son who becomes incarnate in Christ. ## Notable verses ### Creative *davar* - **[Genesis 1:3-31](/codex/genesis-1-3-31/)**, repeated *va-yomer Elohim* - **[Psalm 33:6](/codex/psalms-33-6/), [9](/codex/psalms-33-9/)**, heavens by *davar* - **[Psalm 147:15-18](/codex/psalms-147-15-18/); 148:5-8**, *davar* governing nature - **[Isaiah 55:10-11](/codex/isaiah-55-10-11/)**, *davar* not returning empty ### Prophetic *davar* - **[Genesis 15:1](/codex/genesis-15-1/)**, first *davar*-formula - **[Deuteronomy 18:18-22](/codex/deuteronomy-18-18-22/)**, true / false prophet test - **[Jeremiah 1:1-12](/codex/jeremiah-1-1-12/)**, call narrative; *davar* "see what I am doing" - **[Amos 3:7-8](/codex/amos-3-7-8/)**, "the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets" ### Torah-wisdom *davar* - **[Psalm 119](/codex/psalms-119/)**, pervasive - **[Proverbs 30:5](/codex/proverbs-30-5/)**, "every *davar* of God is tested" - **[Deuteronomy 8:3](/codex/deuteronomy-8-3/)**, "man does not live by bread alone, but… by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD" ## Patristic / scholarly note The OT *davar* tradition is one of the major bridges between Hebrew Bible and patristic Christology. The *Memra* tradition in the Targums (Aramaic paraphrases) personified the *Word* of YHWH in ways that anticipate Johannine *Logos*-Christology. Modern conservative engagement: - M. F. Sciglitano; G. Vanhoozer (*The Drama of Doctrine*, 2005) - Daniel Boyarin (Jewish scholar; argues for divine-Word personification in Targums) - Walter Eichrodt; Edmond Jacob, OT theology ## See also - H1696 - dabar (verb), to speak - [G3056 - logos](/codex/g3056-logos/), Greek Word equivalent - G4487 - rhema, utterance - [John 1.1](/codex/john-1-1/), Christ as Logos - [John 1.3](/codex/john-1-3/), Christ as Creator-Word - [John 1.14](/codex/john-1-14/), Word made flesh - [Genesis 1.1](/codex/genesis-1-1/), creation by divine speech - [Argument from Prophecy Fulfillment](/codex/argument-from-prophecy-fulfillment/), OT *davar* fulfilled - [Christology](/codex/christianity/), synthesis hub ## Notes _Lexical workspace for davar._