Speak
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
"to say, speak:" see Say , No. 1.
for which see Say , No. 2, is used several times in 1—Corinthians 14; the command prohibiting women from speaking in a church gathering, 1—Corinthians 14:34,35 , is regarded by some as an injunction against chattering, a meaning which is absent from the use of the verb everywhere else in the NT; it is to be understood in the same sense as in 1—Corinthians 14:2,3-6,9,11,13,18,19,21,23,27-29,39 .
"to speak to or with" (pros, "to," and No. 2), is used in Acts 13:43; 28:20 .
"to utter a sound or voice," is translated "to speak" in Acts 4:18 : 2—Peter 2:16; in 2—Peter 2:18 , AV, "speak" (RV, "utter").
"to speak forth" (apo, "forth," and No. 4), is so rendered in Acts 2:14 , RV (AV, "said"), and Acts 26:25; in Acts 2:2 it denotes to give utterance.
"to speak against," is so rendered in Luke 2:34; John 19:12; Acts 13:45 , AV (RV, "contradicted"); 28:19,22. See Contradict , Gainsay.
synonymous with No. 6 (kata, "against," and No. 2), is always translated "to speak against" in the RV. See Backbiter , Note.
"to speak evil:" see Curse , B, No. 4.
"to speak together" (sun, "with," and No. 2), is rendered "spake together" in Luke 4:36 , RV. See Commune , No. 3, Confer No. 2, TALK.
"to speak or say before" (a 2nd aorist tense from an absolete present), is rendered "to speak before" in Acts 1:16; 2—Peter 3:2; Jude 1:17 . See Foretell.
"to anticipate" (an extension, by pro, "before," of phthano, which has the same meaning), is rendered "spake first" in Matthew 17:25 , RV (AV, "prevented").
"to address, call to," is rendered "spake unto" (or "to") in Luke 23:20; Acts 21:40; 22:2; "to call unto" (or "to") in Matthew 11:16; Luke 6:13; 7:32; 13:12 .
for which see Say , No. 4, has a 1st aorist, Passive participle rhethen, "spoken" or "spoken of," used in Matthew 1:22; 2:15,17,23; 3:3; 4:14; 8:17; 13:35; 21:4; 22:31; 24:15; 27:9 (in some texts in Matthew 27:35; Mark 13:14 ).
Hebrews 12:5 Hebrews 12:25Admonish. Ephesians 4:31Railing. Hebrews 12:19 Acts 26:24Answer Romans 15:21 Romans 1:8Proclaim Luke 1:42Voice Galatians 4:15 Acts 19:36Gainsay 1—Timothy 5:14Revile Acts 21:3
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words [2]
A. Verb.
Dâbar ( דָּבַר , Strong'S #1696), “to speak, say.” This verb occurs in all periods of Hebrew, in Phoenician (starting from around 900 B.C.), and in imperial Aramaic (starting from about 500 B.C.). In Old Testament Hebrew it occurs about 1,125 times.
This verb focuses not only on the content of spoken verbal communication but also and especially on the time and circumstances of what is said. Unlike ‘amar , “to say,” dâbar often appears without any specification of what was communicated. Those who “speak” are primarily persons (God or men) or organs of speech. In Gen. 8:15 (the first occurrence of this verb) God “spoke” to Noah, while in Gen. 18:5 one of the three men “spoke” to Abraham. Exceptions to this generalization occur, for example in Job 32:7, where Elihu personifies “days” (a person’s age) as that which has the right “to speak” first. In 2 Sam. 23:2 David says that the Spirit of the Lord “spoke” to him; contrary to many (especially liberal) scholars, this is probably a reference to the Holy Spirit (cf. NASB).
Among the special meanings of this verb are “to say” (Dan. 9:21), “to command” (2 Kings 1:9), “to promise” (Deut. 6:3), “to commission” (Exod. 1:17), “to announce” (Jer. 36:31), “to order or command” (Deut. 1:14), and “to utter a song” (Judg. 5:12). Such secondary meanings are, however, quite infrequent.
B. Nouns.
Dâbâr ( דָּבָר , Strong'S #1697), “word, matter; something.” This noun occurs 1,440 times. The noun dâbâr refers, first, to what is said, to the actual “word” itself; whereas ‘emer is essentially oral communication (the act of speaking). Before the dispersion from the tower of Babel all men spoke the same “words” or language (Gen. 11:1). This noun can also be used of the content of speaking. When God “did according to the word of Moses” (Exod. 8:13), He granted his request. The noun can connote “matter” or “affair,” as in Gen. 12:17, where it is reported that God struck Pharaoh’s household with plagues because of the “matter of Sarah” (KJV, “because of Sarai”). A rather specialized occurrence of this sense appears in references to records of the “events of a period” (cf. 1 Kings 14:19) or the activities of a particular person (1 Kings 11:41; cf. Gen. 15:1). Dâbâr can be used as a more general term in the sense of “something”—so in Gen. 24:66 the “everything” (KJV, “all things”) is literally “all of something(s)”; it is an indefinite generalized concept rather than a reference to everything in particular. This noun also appears to have had almost a technical status in Israel’s law procedures. Anyone who had a “matter” before Moses had a law case (Exod. 18:16).
As a biblical phrase “the word of the Lord” is quite important; it occurs about 242 times. Against the background just presented it is important to note that “word” here may focus on the content (meaning) of what was said, but it also carries overtones of the actual “words” themselves. It was the “word of the Lord” that came to Abram in a vision after his victory over the kings who had captured Lot (Gen. 15:1). In most cases this is a technical phrase referring expressly to prophetic revelation (about 225 times). It has been suggested that this phrase has judicial overtones although there are only 7 passages where this is certain (cf. Num. 15:31). This noun is used twice of God’s “affairs” in the sense of the care of the temple (1 Chron. 26:32).
The “word” of God indicates God’s thoughts and will. This should be contrasted with His name, which indicates His person and presence. Therefore, God’s “word” is called “holy” only once (cf. Ps. 105:42), while His name is frequently called “holy.”
There is much discussion regarding the “word” as a hypostatization of divine reality and attributes as seen, for example, in John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word.” This theme is rooted in such Old Testament passages as Isa. 9:8: “The Lord sent a word into Jacob …” (cf. 55:10-11; Ps. 107:20; 147:15). Some scholars argue that this is no more than the poetical device of personification and does not foreshadow John’s usage. Their evidence is that human attributes are frequently separated from a man and objectivized as if they had a separate existence (cf. Ps. 85:11-12).
The Septuagint translates the noun dâbâr with two words respectively carrying overtones of the (1) content and (2) form of speaking: (1) logos and (2) rema.
Several other nouns related to the verb dabar occur infrequently. Dibrah , which occurs 5 times, means “cause, manner” (Job 5:8). Dabberet means “word” once (Deut. 33:3). Deborah appears 5 times and refers to “honey bee” (Deut. 1:44; Ps. 118:12). Midbar refers to “speaking” once (Song of Sol. 4:3).
Webster's Dictionary [3]
(1): ( v. i.) To convey sentiments, ideas, or intelligence as if by utterance; as, features that speak of self-will.
(2): ( v. t.) To address; to accost; to speak to.
(3): ( v. t.) To utter with the mouth; to pronounce; to utter articulately, as human beings.
(4): ( v. t.) To utter in a word or words; to say; to tell; to declare orally; as, to speak the truth; to speak sense.
(5): ( v. t.) To declare; to proclaim; to publish; to make known; to exhibit; to express in any way.
(6): ( v. t.) To talk or converse in; to utter or pronounce, as in conversation; as, to speak Latin.
(7): ( v. i.) To express opinions; to say; to talk; to converse.
(8): ( v. i.) To utter words or articulate sounds, as human beings; to express thoughts by words; as, the organs may be so obstructed that a man may not be able to speak.
(9): ( v. i.) To give sound; to sound.
(10): ( v. i.) To utter a speech, discourse, or harangue; to adress a public assembly formally.
(11): ( v. i.) To discourse; to make mention; to tell.
King James Dictionary [4]
Speak pret. spoke, spake, nearly, obs. pp. spoke, spoken. It is easy to see that the root of this word is allied to that of beak peak, pick.
1. To utter words or articulate sounds, as human beings to express thoughts bywords. Children learn to speak at an early age. The organs may be so obstructed that a man may not be able to speak. Speak, Lord , for thy servant hearth. 1 Samuel 3 . 2. To utter a speech, discourse or harangue to utter thoughts in a public assembly. A man may be well informed on a subject, and yet to diffident to speak in public. Many of the nobility make them selves popular by speaking in parliament against those things which were most grateful to his majesty. 3. To talk to express opinions to dispute. An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when the knave is not. 4. To discourse to make mention of. Lucan speaks of a part of Cesar's army that came to him from the Leman lake. The Scripture speaks only of those to whom it speaks. 5. To give sound. Make all your trumpets speak.
