Original Word: אִמְרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: imrah
Pronunciation: im-raw'
Phonetic Spelling: (im-raw')
KJV: commandment, speech, word
Word Origin: [feminine of H561 (אֵמֶר - words)]

1. meaning the same as H0561

commandment, speech, word

Or memrah {em-raw'}; feminine of 'emer, and meaning the same -- commandment, speech, word.

see HEBREW 'emer

[אֶמְרָה] noun feminine id., only אֶמְרָתוֺ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה Lamentations 2:17.

Canonical Distribution

אִמְרָה appears thirty-seven times across eleven Old Testament books. Half of the occurrences (nineteen) are concentrated in Psalm 119, the psalm devoted to the praise of God’s revelation. The rest are scattered from Genesis (its earliest appearance) through the historical books, Psalms, Proverbs, and the Prophets, underlining that “word” as expressed by אִמְרָה is a persistent biblical theme rather than a concept confined to any one era or genre.

Divine Speech and Moral Purity

Where אִמְרָה refers to God’s utterance, it is invariably characterized by purity and perfection. Psalm 12:6 declares, “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified sevenfold”. David repeats the thought in both 2 Samuel 22:31 and Psalm 18:30: “The word of the LORD is flawless; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him”. Likewise, Proverbs 30:5 affirms, “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him”. These texts link the moral perfection of God’s speech to the believer’s safety; because the word is without alloy, it can be fully trusted as a place of refuge.

Covenant Promise and Reliability

Several verses employ אִמְרָה to emphasize that the Lord’s promises are not empty rhetoric but covenantal commitments. Psalm 119:38 petitions, “Establish Your word to Your servant, to produce reverence for You”. Psalm 147:15 broadens the scope from Israel to creation itself: “He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs swiftly”. The reliability of the divine אִמְרָה stands behind Israel’s history and governs the natural world.

Imrah as Refuge and Fortress

Because divine words are flawless, they become a shield. This theological motif surfaces repeatedly: 2 Samuel 22:31; Psalm 18:30; Proverbs 30:5. The image is pastoral and practical—believers do not merely admire Scripture but hide behind it in spiritual warfare. The same psalms that celebrate refuge also describe assault from the wicked, so the “word” functions as both offense and defense.

Human Response: Listening, Obeying, Treasuring

Psalm 119 traces a progression from intake to obedience.
• Reception: “Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things from Your law” (119:18).
• Internalization: “I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (119:11).
• Delight: “How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (119:103).
• Action: “Your servant will obey Your word” (119:17).

The psalmist’s vocabulary indicates that genuine hearing of אִמְרָה always moves toward holiness.

Earliest Occurrence: Lamech’s Dark Boast

Genesis 4:23 records the first use: “Lamech said to his wives, ‘Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech…’”. Here the term refers to human words saturated with violence and vengeance—the antithesis of God’s flawless speech. The contrast between Lamech’s murderous “word” and the Lord’s pure “word” frames the biblical storyline: fallen humanity’s utterances destroy, whereas God’s utterances restore.

Royal and Prophetic Usage

In Psalms outside Psalm 119 (e.g., Psalm 17:4; 12:6; 18:30) David measures his own conduct against “the words of Your lips.” The prophets adopt similar language: Isaiah 5:24 warns that rejection of “the word of the Holy One of Israel” invites judgment. This demonstrates that אִמְרָה was integral to court and prophetic proclamation—kings and seers alike stood under the authority of the divine word they announced.

Intertextual Echoes in the New Testament

While אִמְרָה itself is Hebrew, its theological load is carried forward by Greek ῥῆμα and λόγος. Jesus counters Satan with “every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4), reflecting the purity and sufficiency themes of Psalm 12 and Proverbs 30. The apostle Paul identifies Scripture as “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), echoing the protective dimension witnessed in 2 Samuel 22:31.

Ministry and Discipleship Applications

1. Preaching: Because אִמְרָה highlights the moral perfection of God’s utterances, expositors may confidently proclaim Scripture as without defect, urging hearers to stake their lives on its promises.
2. Counseling: Passages such as Proverbs 30:5 and Psalm 18:30 equip believers to combat fear and temptation by retreating into the flawless word.
3. Worship: Psalm 119 models liturgical language—believers can adopt its petitions (“Teach me Your word,” 119:64) in corporate prayer.
4. Formation: Memorization of imrah-texts (e.g., 119:11) fosters internal sanctification, aligning heart and conduct with divine speech.

Thus, אִמְרָה serves Scripture’s overarching witness to the God who speaks with purity, power, and purpose, and who invites His people to shelter, delight, and live under that authoritative word.

אֲמָר֪וֹת אִ֝מְרָתְךָ֗ אִֽמֲר֣וֹת אִמְרַ֖ת אִמְרַ֣ת אִמְרַ֤ת אִמְרַ֥ת אִמְרַֽת־ אִמְרָת֣וֹ אִמְרָתְךָ֣ אִמְרָתְךָ֥ אִמְרָתִ֑י אִמְרָתִֽי׃ אִמְרָתֵ֑ךְ אִמְרָתֵ֥ךְ אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ אִמְרָתֶ֗ךָ אִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃ אֶמְרָתוֹ֙ אמרות אמרת אמרת־ אמרתו אמרתי אמרתי׃ אמרתך אמרתך׃ בְּאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ בְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃ באמרתך באמרתך׃ וּלְאִמְרַ֥ת ולאמרת כְּ֝אִמְרָתְךָ֗ כְּאִמְרָתְךָ֥ כְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃ כְאִמְרָתְךָ֣ כאמרתך כאמרתך׃ לְאִמְרָתְךָ֥ לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ לאמרתך ’ă·mā·rō·wṯ ’ămārōwṯ ’em·rā·ṯōw ’emrāṯōw ’i·mă·rō·wṯ ’im·rā·ṯe·ḵā ’im·rā·ṯə·ḵā ’im·rā·ṯêḵ ’im·rā·ṯî ’im·rā·ṯōw ’im·raṯ ’im·raṯ- ’imărōwṯ ’imraṯ ’imraṯ- ’imrāṯêḵ ’imrāṯeḵā ’imrāṯəḵā ’imrāṯî ’imrāṯōw amaRot bə’imrāṯeḵā bə·’im·rā·ṯe·ḵā beimraTecha cheimrateCha emraTo imaRot imRat imraTech imraTecha imraTi imraTo kə’imrāṯeḵā kə’imrāṯəḵā ḵə’imrāṯəḵā kə·’im·rā·ṯe·ḵā kə·’im·rā·ṯə·ḵā ḵə·’im·rā·ṯə·ḵā keimraTecha lə’imrāṯeḵā lə’imrāṯəḵā lə·’im·rā·ṯe·ḵā lə·’im·rā·ṯə·ḵā leimraTecha ū·lə·’im·raṯ ūlə’imraṯ uleimRatInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts