Word (דָּבָר dāḇār)

The word (דָּבָר dāḇār), in Hebrew, means “what is spoken,” “an utterance,” “an opinion,” but also “a matter,” “an event,” “a deed,” and even a general “something.” This noun is linked in a particular way with the activity of the prophet, whose task is to pass on the word of God. The responsorial psalm of today’s liturgy (Ps 147), which sings of God’s cosmic and historical self-revelation, uses the term דָּבָר (dāḇār) several times: “He sends his command to earth; his word runs swiftly!” (v. 15). The Lord, who “sends his word” (דָּבָר dāḇār), breaks the silence and reveals himself in the garments of spring and winter, in the phenomena of nature and of history. Faith invites us to perceive the “speech of God,” his presence in his Word, which in Jesus became flesh (Jn 1:14).

דָּבָר [dāḇār]

The Hebrew word דָּבָר [dāḇār] means word, utterance, command, event, deed and in the Bible refers to the efficacious word of God, which communicates his will, acts, creates, orders the world, and carries out his saving plan. This word comes from דָּבַר [dāḇar] — to speak, to proclaim, to bring about. The biblical Greek equivalent is λόγος [lógos] — word, God’s revelation.