Original Word: דַּבָּרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: dabbarah
Pronunciation: dab-baw-RAW or dab-beh-RETH
Phonetic Spelling: (dab-baw-raw')
KJV: word
NASB: words
Word Origin: [intensive from H1696 (דָּבַר - spoke)]

1. a word

word

Intensive from dabar; a word -- word.

see HEBREW dabar

Word Origin
from dabar
Definition
a word
NASB Translation
words (1).

[דַּבֶּ֫רֶת] noun feminine word — יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶיךָ he receiveth of thy words Deuteronomy 33:3 (poem).

Hebrew Background and Narrative Setting

דַּבָּרָה appears once, in Deuteronomy 33:3, within Moses’ farewell benediction over Israel. The setting is solemn: the aged prophet, soon to ascend Mount Nebo, proclaims Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness to the tribes. In that single verse the term portrays the divine utterances issued to God’s covenant people gathered at His feet.

Scriptural Usage

Deuteronomy 33:3: “Surely You love the people; All the holy ones are in Your hand. And they sit at Your feet; each receives Your words.”

The phrase translated “Your words” encapsulates the covenant instructions delivered at Sinai and throughout the wilderness sojourn. The imagery is intimate—Israel seated, pupil-like, at Yahweh’s feet, attentively receiving every directive that proceeds from His mouth. Though dabbārah occurs only here, the concept it conveys is woven through Torah: God speaks, and Israel is called to hear (Deuteronomy 4:1; 5:1; 6:4).

Theological Significance

1. Covenant Mediation: The singular occurrence underscores the exclusivity and sufficiency of divine revelation. Moses, the mediator, highlights that Israel does not live by human wisdom but by “every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
2. Divine Affection and Authority: “Surely You love the people… each receives Your words.” Love and command flow together; obedient response is the proper reciprocation to divine affection.
3. Sanctification of Hearers: Those “holy ones” (whether angelic attendants or the covenant community) hold a status conferred by proximity to God’s speech. Reception of dabbārah marks out a consecrated people.

Historical and Rabbinic Insights

Jewish commentators frequently link Deuteronomy 33:3 to the Sinai episode (Exodus 19–20), interpreting “they sit at Your feet” as Israel’s encampment beneath the mountain. Rabbinic midrash notes that even angels desired the Torah, yet it was bestowed upon humanity, highlighting the privilege and responsibility of stewarding divine words.

Christological and New Testament Connections

The New Testament amplifies the motif of receptive discipleship:
• Acts 3:22 presents Jesus as the Prophet like Moses, whose every word must be heeded.
• Hebrews 1:1-2 contrasts fragmentary past revelation with the climactic speech of God “in His Son.”
• At the Transfiguration the Father declares, “Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5), echoing Israel’s posture at God’s feet.

Thus dabbārah anticipates the incarnate Logos; the single Old Testament occurrence foreshadows the fullness of speech in Christ.

Ministerial Applications

Preaching and teaching should mirror Moses’ model: gather God’s people to the foot of the Word. Christian ministry that prizes exposition over innovation aligns with the pattern of Deuteronomy 33:3, nurturing a congregation that delights to “sit down at Your feet.” Discipleship programs, small-group studies, and family worship all find precedent in this ancient scene.

Practical Implications for Believers

• Posture of Humility: Sitting at the feet signifies submission. Modern hearers approach Scripture not as critics but as servants eager to obey.
• Assurance of Divine Love: Reception of God’s words is embedded in the declaration of His love; obedience is grounded in relationship, not merit.
• Community Identity: The people are addressed collectively. Faithful listening fosters unity among the saints (“All the holy ones are in Your hand”).

Summary

דַּבָּרָה, though rare, crystallizes the covenant dynamic: a loving God speaks authoritative words to a people gathered in reverent proximity. Its lone appearance in Moses’ final blessing calls every generation to the same stance—confident of divine affection, secure in His hand, and eager to receive and obey His life-giving speech.

מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃ מדברתיך׃ mid·dab·bə·rō·ṯe·ḵā middabberoTeicha middabbərōṯeḵāInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts