Word study
Speak
15 Hebrew and 14 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: speak, spoken, spoke, speaking, speaks, spokes. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “speak” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- דָבַר dâbarspeaktranslated this way 555 times of its 1,113 uses · Strong’s H1696Verb · Translated: speak 209, said 157, spoken 142, spoke 110Full study and all 1,025 verses →
Genesis 16:13 So Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen the One who sees me!”
Exodus 4:10 “Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
- אָמַר âmarutter, saytranslated this way 44 times of its 4,555 uses · Strong’s H559Verb · Translated: said 1,531, says 576, say 352, replied 341Full study and all 3,827 verses →
Genesis 46:2 And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said. “Here I am,” replied Jacob.
- פֶּה pehmouthtranslated this way 8 times of its 423 uses · Strong’s H6310Noun · Translated: mouth 207, mouths 43, command 38, lips 10Full study and all 396 verses →
Exodus 4:12 Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.”
2 Chronicles 36:12 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke for the LORD.
- דָּבָר dâbârspeech, wordtranslated this way 5 times of its 1,244 uses · Strong’s H1697Noun · Translated: word 342, words 299, acts 51, Chronicles 42Full study and all 1,120 verses →
2 Samuel 19:43 “We have ten shares in the king,” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the men of Judah spoke more fiercely than the men of Israel.
Job 32:4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were older than he.
- מְלַל melalspeak, saytranslated this way 4 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s H4449Verb · Translated: spoke 2, replied 1, speaking 1, speak 1Full study and all 5 verses →
Daniel 7:8 While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
Daniel 7:11 Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
- יָצָא yâtsâgo or come outtranslated this way 3 times of its 1,035 uses · Strong’s H3318Verb · Translated: brought 108, went 103, go 82, came 78Full study and all 975 verses →
- מָשַׁל mâshalrepresent, be liketranslated this way 3 times of its 17 uses · Strong’s H4911Verb · Translated: like 3, speak a parable 2Full study and all 16 verses →
Ezekiel 16:44 Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’
Ezekiel 17:2 “Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
- עָנָה ânâhanswer, respondtranslated this way 3 times of its 317 uses · Strong’s H6030Verb · Translated: answered 79, answer 75, replied 47, respond 14Full study and all 308 verses →
Numbers 11:28 Joshua son of Nun, the attendant to Moses since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”
2 Samuel 13:32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.
- מִלָּה millâhword, speech, utterancetranslated this way 2 times of its 37 uses · Strong’s H4405Noun · Translated: words 22, word 2, speaking 2, speeches 2Full study and all 37 verses →
Job 4:2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking?
Job 29:9 The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
- מָלַל mâlalspeak, utter, saytranslated this way 2 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s H4448Verb · Translated: told 1, go on saying 1, speak 1, describe 1Full study and all 5 verses →
Job 33:3 My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know.
Proverbs 6:13 winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
- חָשָׁה châshâhbe silent, inactive, stilltranslated this way 2 times of its 15 uses · Strong’s H2814Verb · Translated: silent 4, keep silent 3, speak 2Full study and all 15 verses →
2 Kings 2:3 Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”
2 Kings 2:5 Then the sons of the prophets at Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”
- שִׂיחַ sîachmuse, complaintranslated this way 2 times of its 20 uses · Strong’s H7878Verb · Translated: meditate 6, ponder 2, tell 2, speak 2Full study and all 20 verses →
Job 12:8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
Proverbs 6:22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
- סָפַר sâpharcounttranslated this way 2 times of its 154 uses · Strong’s H5608Verb · Translated: scribe 41, count 19, told 15, declare 13Full study and all 150 verses →
Psalm 64:5 They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say.
Psalm 73:15 If I had said, “I will speak this way,” then I would have betrayed Your children.
- נָגַד nâgadbe conspicuoustranslated this way 2 times of its 360 uses · Strong’s H5046Verb · Translated: tell 83, told 67, reported 31, declare 18Full study and all 339 verses →
Job 42:3 You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
Isaiah 45:21 Speak up and present your case— yes, let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and Savior; there is none but Me.
- כָּזָב kâzâblie, falsehood, deceptive thingtranslated this way 2 times of its 27 uses · Strong’s H3577Noun · Translated: lies 14, lying 4, speak lying 2Full study and all 27 verses →
Ezekiel 13:6 They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message.
Ezekiel 13:9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and speak lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of My people or be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.
Greek words (New Testament)
- λαλέω laléōI speak, saytranslated this way 197 times of its 291 uses · Strong’s G2980Verb · Translated: speak 69, spoke 36, speaking 31, spoken 27Full study and all 268 verses →
Matthew 9:33 And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
Mark 1:34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
- ἔπω épōto speak or say (by word or writing)translated this way 28 times of its 962 uses · Strong’s G2036Verb · Translated: said 426, asked 95, told 88, replied 69Full study and all 891 verses →
Matthew 10:27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
Mark 3:23 So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?
- λέγω légōI say, speaktranslated this way 27 times of its 993 uses · Strong’s G3004Verb · Translated: said 216, tell 164, say 105, saying 86Full study and all 936 verses →
Matthew 11:7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?
Mark 14:71 But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak!”
- ἐρέω eréōI say, speaktranslated this way 21 times of its 96 uses · Strong’s G2046Verb · Translated: say 24, spoken 17, said 15, tell 9Full study and all 96 verses →
Matthew 2:15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
Luke 12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
- εὐλογέω eulogéōI blesstranslated this way 7 times of its 41 uses · Strong’s G2127Verb · Translated: blessed 22, bless 8, spoke a blessing 6, praising 2Full study and all 39 verses →
Matthew 14:19 And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Mark 6:41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.
- παῤῥησιάζομαι parrhēsiázomaiI speak freely, boldlytranslated this way 5 times of its 9 uses · Strong’s G3955Verb · Translated: speaking boldly 2Full study and all 9 verses →
Acts 9:27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.
Acts 9:28 So Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
- λόγος lógosa word, speech, divine utterance, analogytranslated this way 3 times of its 311 uses · Strong’s G3056Noun · Translated: word 142, words 52, message 32, account 10Full study and all 298 verses →
Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight.
Romans 3:4 Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
- ἀνοίγω anoígōI opentranslated this way 3 times of its 75 uses · Strong’s G455Verb · Translated: opened 38, open 20, opens 3, standing open 2Full study and all 74 verses →
Acts 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
2 Corinthians 6:11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are open wide.
- ἀντιλέγω antilégōI speak or say in opposition, contradicttranslated this way 2 times of its 11 uses · Strong’s G483Verb · Translated: contradict 2Full study and all 11 verses →
Luke 2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
Acts 28:22 But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”
- φθέγγομαι phthéngomaiI speak aloud, uttertranslated this way 2 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s G5350Verb · Translated: speak 1, spoke 1, words 1, appeal 1Full study and all 3 verses →
Acts 4:18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
2 Peter 2:16 But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
- προσλαλέω proslaléōI speak totranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s G4354Verb · Translated: spoke 1, speak 1Full study and all 2 verses →
Acts 13:43 After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 28:20 So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
- ἀποκρίνομαι apokrínomaiI answer, replytranslated this way 2 times of its 206 uses · Strong’s G611Verb · Translated: replied 84, answered 64, said 14, answer 13Full study and all 206 verses →
Matthew 22:1 Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables:
Acts 11:9 But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
- μαρτυρέω martyréōI witness, testifytranslated this way 2 times of its 75 uses · Strong’s G3140Verb · Translated: testify 26, testified 15, testifies 9, commended 4Full study and all 72 verses →
Luke 4:22 All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
Acts 16:2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
- καταλαλέω katalaléōI speak evil oftranslated this way 2 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s G2635Verb · Translated: slander 3, speaks 2Full study and all 3 verses →
James 4:11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it.
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.