אֲמַר71 H0560
To say, speak, tell; to command or order; passively, to be said or called (Aramaic).
Amar is the Aramaic equivalent of Hebrew 'amar — the basic verb of speech that pervades the court narratives of Daniel and Ezra. It introduces royal decrees, prophetic interpretations, and the dramatic dialogues between kings and wise men. In its most common use it simply means 'to say' or 'to tell,' often in the formulaic pair 'answered and said' (Dan 2:5, 7). When kings issue orders — Nebuchadnezzar commanding his astrologers (Dan 2:12) or summoning Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan 3:13) — the same verb takes on the force of a command. Occasionally it appears in impersonal or passive constructions meaning 'it is said' or 'it was proclaimed' (Dan 3:4; 4:31).
Senses
1. to say, speak, tell — The basic, overwhelmingly dominant sense of verbal communication — to say, speak, tell, or declare. This covers ordinary speech, responses in dialogue ('answered and said,' Dan 2:7), reporting information (Ezra 5:3-4, 9), and prophetic interpretation (Dan 2:25-26). Spanish 'dijo/decía,' French 'dit,' and German 'sprach' all render this straightforward communicative act. The verb appears in every conjugation and person across the Aramaic portions of Daniel and Ezra. 60×
AR["وَ-أَمَرَ","وَ-قَائِلاً","وَ-قَالَ","وَ-قَالَتْ"]·ben["এবং-বললেন"]·DE["und-sprach","und-sprechen"]·EN["and-he-said","and-said","and-saying"]·FR["et-il-dit","et-tu-as-dit"]·heb["ו-אמר","ו-אמרה"]·HI["और-कहा"]·ID["dan-berkata","dan-memerintahkan"]·IT["e-dire","e-disse"]·jav["lan-dhawuh","lan-matur","lan-ngandika"]·KO["그리고-말하였다","그리고-말했으되","말했다"]·PT["e-disse","e-dizendo"]·RU["и-говорящего","и-сказал","и-сказала"]·ES["y-decía","y-dijo","y-les-dijo"]·SW["na-akaamuru","na-akasema"]·TR["ve-dedi","ve-diyen","ve-emretti"]·urd["اور-کہا"]
2. to command, order — The authoritative sense of commanding, ordering, or issuing a royal directive. When Nebuchadnezzar 'amar' that the astrologers be destroyed (Dan 2:12), or that the furnace be heated seven times hotter (Dan 3:19), or when Belshazzar 'amar' to bring the golden vessels (Dan 5:2), the context elevates simple speech into sovereign command. Spanish 'ordenó' and the translation pattern 'he commanded' mark this escalation from saying to decreeing. 9×
AR["أَمَرَ","أَمَرُوا","وَ-أَمَرَ"]·ben["এবং-বললেন","বললেন","বলেছিলেন"]·DE["sprach","sprechen","und-sprach"]·EN["and-commanded","he-commanded","he-said","said","they-commanded"]·FR["a-dit","et-il-dit","ils-ont-dit"]·heb["אמר","אמרו","ו-אמר"]·HI["आज्ञा-दी","और-आज्ञा-दी","कहा","कहा-गया"]·ID["Dan-memerintahkan","berkata","memerintahkan","mereka-memerintahkan"]·IT["dire","disse","e-disse"]·jav["Lan-dhawuh","dhawuh","dipun-ngandikakaken"]·KO["그리고-명하니","말하였다","말했으니","명하니","명하되"]·PT["E-ordenou","disse","disseram","ordenou"]·RU["и-приказал","приказал","сказал","сказали"]·ES["dijeron","dijo","ordenó","y-ordenó"]·SW["Na-akaamuru","akaamuru","aliamuru","walisema"]·TR["dediler","emretti","ve-emretti"]·urd["اور-حکم-دیا","حکم-دیا","کہا","کہا-گیا"]
3. to be said, be called — The passive or impersonal usage where the verb means 'to be said,' 'to be proclaimed,' or 'to be called.' In Dan 3:4 a herald proclaims 'to you it is said' (or 'it is commanded'), and Dan 4:31 uses a similar impersonal construction for a voice from heaven. This sense removes the personal subject and presents speech as an authoritative announcement — something declared to all rather than spoken by a named individual. 2×
AR["يُقَالُ"]·ben["বলা-হচ্ছে"]·DE["sprechen"]·EN["it-is-said"]·FR["dire"]·heb["אומרים"]·HI["कहते-हैं","कहा-जाता-है"]·ID["diberitahukan","diperintahkan"]·IT["dire"]·jav["dipun-dhawuhaken","dipun-ngandikakaken"]·KO["말하노라","말한다"]·PT["dizem","é-ordenado"]·RU["говорят","говорящий"]·ES["se-dice","se-os-dice"]·SW["inasemwa"]·TR["söylenir","söyleniyor"]·urd["کہا-جاتا-ہے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
אֲמַר71 vb. say, tell, command (BH אָמַר);— Pe. Pf. 3 ms. א׳ Dn 2:12 +, אֲמַ֑ר 7:1; 3 fs. אֲמֶ֫רֶת 5:10 (K§ 38, 1 a)); i s. אַמְרֵת 4:5; 1 pl. אֲמַ֫רְנָא Ezr 5:4, 9; Impf. 3 ms. יֵאמַר (K§ 41) Dn 2:7 +; 2 mpl. תֵּאמִרוּן Je 10:11, etc.; Imv. ms. אֱמַר Dn 2:4 +; mpl. אֱמַ֫רוּ 2:9; Inf. לְמֵאמַר v 9, לְמֵמַ֑ר Ezr 5:11 (K§ 41 a); Pt. אָמַר Dn 2:5 + often, pl. אָֽמְרִין 3:4; Ezr 5:3 +;— 1. say (often…