H6279 H6279
To pray, entreat, or supplicate God (Qal/Hifil); to be entreated and grant prayer (Nifal, of God)
The verb עָתַר belongs to the intimate vocabulary of biblical prayer, describing both the human act of pleading and God's gracious response. Its Arabic cognate ʿatara ('to slaughter for sacrifice') hints at the word's ritual roots — entreaty as something offered up, costly and earnest. In the Nifal stem, the subject is always God: He 'was entreated' for Isaac and Rebekah (Gen 25:21), for the land after the Gibeonite crisis (2 Sam 21:14), and even for the wicked Manasseh who repented in exile (2 Chr 33:13). The Hifil and Qal forms capture the human side — Moses entreating God to remove the plagues of Egypt (Exod 8:28-30, 9:28, 10:18), and Manoah praying for guidance about the promised child (Judg 13:8).
Senses
1. Nifal: be entreated, grant prayer — The Nifal passive-tolerative sense in which God allows Himself to be entreated and grants the prayer, covering 8 occurrences. The verb in this stem always has God as its subject and a human supplicant marked with the preposition ל. Genesis 25:21 is paradigmatic: Isaac prayed and 'the LORD was entreated for him' — the Spanish 'fue suplicado' and English 'He was entreated' both capture the divine responsiveness. In 2 Samuel 24:25 David builds an altar, offers sacrifices, and 'the LORD was entreated for the land.' Ezra 8:23 reports the same after communal fasting. The Nifal framing preserves God's sovereignty — He permits Himself to be moved. 8×
AR["فَ-استُجيبَ", "فَاسْتَجَابَ", "فَيَسْتَجِيبُ", "وَ-اسْتَجَابَ", "وَ-اسْتِجَابَتِهِ-", "وَ-اِسْتَجابَ"]·ben["আর-সাড়া-দিলেন", "এবং-সন্তুষ্ট-হলেন", "এবং-সাড়া-দিলেন", "ও-উত্তর-দেওয়া-হল", "ও-সম্মত-হলেন", "ও-সম্মতি-", "ও-সুপ্রসন্ন-হবেন"]·DE["[והעתר]", "[ויעתר]", "[ונעתור]", "[ונעתר]", "und-He-war-entreated", "und-er-war-entreated", "und-ließ-sich-erbitten"]·EN["and-He-was-entreated", "and-He-was-moved-by-entreaty", "and-being-moved-by-entreaty-", "and-he-was-entreated", "and-he-will-be-entreated", "and-was-entreated"]·FR["[והעתר]", "[ויעתר]", "[ונעתור]", "[ונעתר]", "et-Il-fut-supplia", "et-il-fut-supplia", "et-était-entreated"]·heb["ו-העתר", "ו-יעתר", "ו-נעתור", "ו-נעתר"]·HI["और-उत्तर-दिया-गया", "और-उसने-हमारी-प्रार्थना-सुनी", "और-प्रसन्न-हुआ", "और-माना-जाना-", "और-मानेगा", "और-वह-माना-गया", "और-सुना-गया"]·ID["dan-Dia-akan-mengabulkan-permohonan", "dan-Dia-menjawab-doa-kami", "dan-Ia-mengabulkan", "dan-dikabulkan", "dan-dikabulkan-", "dan-diperkenan"]·IT["[והעתר]", "[ויעתר]", "[ונעתור]", "[ונעתר]", "e-He-era-supplicò", "e-egli-era-supplicò", "e-fu-entreated"]·jav["Lan-dipunwangsuli", "lan-Panjenenganipun-miyarsakaken", "lan-Yéhuwah-nyembadani", "lan-dipun-piyarsakaken", "lan-dipun-puju", "lan-dipun-puju-", "lan-dipun-suwun", "lan-dipunijabahi"]·KO["그-와-응답되었다", "그리고-그가-응답하셨다", "그리고-응답받으셨다", "그리고-응답받음-", "그리고-응답하셨다", "그리고-응답하시리니", "그리고-응하셨다"]·PT["E-foi-atendido", "e-ele-nos-atendeu", "e-foi-aplacado", "e-foi-aplacado-", "e-foi-atendido", "e-foi-ouvido", "e-ser-lhes-á-suplicado"]·RU["и-умилостивился", "и-умилостивился-", "и-умолили", "и-умолились", "и-умолится", "и-услышал"]·ES["y-el-ser-suplicado-", "y-fue-satisfecho", "y-fue-suplicado", "y-les-fue-concedido", "y-respondió", "y-se-dejó-suplicar", "y-será-persuadido"]·SW["na-akaitikiwa", "na-akamjibu", "na-akasikia", "na-akatujibu", "na-akawajibu", "na-atawasikiliza", "wayeּater", "wheater"]·TR["ve-cevap-verdi", "ve-kabul-etti", "ve-yalvarilacak", "ve-yanıt-verdi", "ve-yanıtladı", "ve-yatıştırıldı", "ve-yatıştırılması-"]·urd["اور-جواب-", "اور-سنا-گیا", "اور-قبول-کرے-گا", "اور-قبول-کِیا-اُس-نے", "اور-قبول-کی", "اور-قبول-کیا", "اور-ملتجا-ہوا", "اور-منظور-ہوا"]
2. Hifil: entreat, supplicate — The Hifil causative sense of actively making entreaty or urging supplication upon God, attested in 7 occurrences. In the Exodus plague cycle, Pharaoh repeatedly begs Moses to 'entreat the LORD' (Exod 8:8, 8:28, 9:28, 10:17) to remove each devastating plague. The Spanish 'Orad/oraras' and English 'entreat' mark this as the volitional, sometimes desperate, act of requesting intercession. The Hifil form makes the supplicant the agent who causes the prayer to reach God — a more active, urgent mode than the Qal. 7×
AR["أَبْتَهِلُ", "ابْتَهِلَا", "ابْتَهِلُوا", "تَتَضَرَّعُ", "وَ-تَضَرَّعُوا", "وَأَبْتَهِلُ"]·ben["এবং-প্রার্থনা-কর", "ও-প্রার্থনা-করব", "তুমি-প্রার্থনা-করবে", "প্রার্থনা-কর", "প্রার্থনা-করব"]·DE["[תעתיר]", "entreat", "soll-ich-entreat", "und-entreat", "und-ich-wird-entreat"]·EN["and-I-will-entreat", "and-entreat", "entreat", "shall-I-entreat", "you-will-pray"]·FR["--Je-implorer", "et-Je---implorer", "et-implorer", "implorer", "תעתיר"]·heb["אתפלל", "התפללו", "ו-התפללו", "ו-התפללתי", "תעתיר"]·HI["और-प्रार्थना-करो", "और-मैं-प्रार्थना-करूँगा", "तू-प्रार्थना-करेगा", "प्रार्थना-करो", "मैं-प्रार्थना-करूँ"]·ID["Bermohonlah", "aku-bermohon", "dan-aku-bermohon", "dan-berdoalah", "engkau-berdoa"]·IT["e-entreat", "e-io-will-entreat", "entreat", "shall-io-entreat", "voi-will-pregare"]·jav["Nyuwunaken", "kula-nyuwunaken", "lan-kula-badhé-nyuwunaken", "lan-nyuwunna", "panjenengan-ndedonga"]·KO["간구하라", "간청하라", "그리고-간구하라", "그리고-내가-기도하리라", "기도하라", "기도하리라", "내가-기도하리이까"]·PT["Suplicarás", "e-orai", "e-orarei", "orai", "orarei"]·RU["Помолитесь", "будешь-молиться", "и-помолитесь", "и-помолюсь", "помолитесь", "помолюсь"]·ES["Orad", "Orarás", "oraré", "y-orad", "y-oraré"]·SW["Utamwomba", "mwombeni", "na-akanyweshea", "na-nitamwomba", "niombe", "ombeeni"]·TR["Dua-edin", "dua-edersin", "dua-edeyim", "dua-edin", "ve-dua-edeceğim", "ve-dua-edin"]·urd["اور-دعا-کرو", "اور-دعا-کروں-گا-میں", "دعا کرے گا", "دعا-کرو", "دعا-کروں-میں"]
3. Qal: pray, entreat — The Qal active sense of praying or making supplication to God in the basic stem, covering 5 occurrences. In Genesis 25:21 Isaac 'prayed to the LORD' (Qal) and 'the LORD was entreated' (Nifal) — both stems appearing in the same verse to show human initiative and divine response. Exodus 8:30 records Moses going out from Pharaoh and 'entreating the LORD,' and Job 33:26 promises the penitent that 'he prays to God and He accepts him.' The Spanish 'y oro' and English 'and prayed' render it as straightforward prayer, without the causative urgency of the Hifil. 5×
AR["فَتَضَرَّعَ", "وَ-تَضَرَّعَ", "وَ-صَلّى", "وَابْتَهَلَ", "يَتَضَرَّعُ"]·ben["এবং-প্রার্থনা-করলেন", "ও-প্রার্থনা-করল", "প্রার্থনা-করে"]·DE["[יעתר]", "und-betete", "und-entreated", "und-flehte"]·EN["and-entreated", "and-prayed", "he-prays"]·FR["et-entreated", "et-pria", "יעתר"]·heb["ו-העתיר", "ו-התפלל", "ו-יעתר", "יתפלל"]·HI["और-प्रार्थना-की", "प्रार्थना-करेगा"]·ID["Dan-berdoa", "Ia berdoa", "dan-berdoa", "dan-bermohon"]·IT["e-entreated", "e-pregò", "egli-prays"]·jav["Lan-ndedonga", "Piyambak-ipun-ndedonga", "lan-nyuwun", "lan-nyuwunaken"]·KO["그가-기도한다", "그리고-간구했다", "그리고-기도했다"]·PT["E-orou", "Orará", "e-orou"]·RU["И-молился", "и-помолился", "помолится"]·ES["Suplica", "Y-oró", "y-oró"]·SW["Na-aliomba", "ataomba", "baba-yao", "na-akamwomba", "na-akaomba"]·TR["Dua-eder", "Ve-yalvardı", "ve-dua-etti"]·urd["اور-دعا-کی", "اور-منت-کیا", "وہ دعا کرتا ہے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)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×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [עָתַר] vb. pray, supplicate (always to God) (cf. Arabic عَتَرَ slaughter for sacrifice De Gn (4) 381 WeSkizzen iii. 115, 166; Heid.(2), 118, 142; RSSem i. 210 f.; 2nd ed., 227 f.);— Qal Impf. 3 ms. וַיֶּעְתַּר לי׳ Gn 25:21, אֶל־י׳ Ex 8:26; 10:18 Ju 13:8; יֶעְתַּר אֶל־אֱלוֹהַּ Jb 33:26. Niph. be supplicated, entreated (and grant entreaty; always of God), usually c. ל of worshipper (v. ל 5…