Lexical Summary dibrah: Word, matter, cause, reason Original Word: דִּבְרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cause, end, estate, order, regard Feminine of dabar; a reason, suit or style -- cause, end, estate, order, regard. see HEBREW dabar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom dabar Definition a cause, reason, manner NASB Translation cause (1), concerning* (1), order (1), so* (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [דִּבְרָה] noun feminine cause, reason, manner — construct עַל דִּבִרַת because of, for the sake of Ecclesiastes 3:18; Ecclesiastes 7:14; Ecclesiastes 8:2; עַלדִּֿבְרָתִי מַלְכִּיצֶֿדֶק after the order, or manner, of Melchizedek Psalm 110:4 (י ancient Genitive ending, to soften transition in poetry, Ges§ 90 (3) a); suffix דִּבְרָתִי my cause, suit Job 5:8. [דִּבְרָה] noun feminine cause, reason (Biblical Hebrew id., √ דבר, compare על דבר Egyptian Aramaic S-CPap. B 5.6.8.16); — construct in adverb phrase עַלדִּֿבְרַת דִּי Daniel 2:30 for the cause (to the intent) that, Daniel 4:14 (read עַל for עַד K§ ll, 2 Bev). Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope and Nuances The word denotes an underlying “cause,” “matter,” “order,” or “purpose.” Its flexible nuance allows it to function as a bridge between an outward action and the inward reason that gives that action meaning. In every occurrence it signals something deeper than the surface event—a motive, arrangement, or circumstance ordained by God. Distribution in Scripture The noun appears five times, once in Job, once in Psalms, and three times in Ecclesiastes, all within poetic or wisdom contexts. Each setting highlights a different shade of the term while reinforcing the overarching biblical conviction that behind every human circumstance lies a divinely governed rationale. Job 5:8 – A Cause Placed Before God Job’s friend counsels, “However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him” (Job 5:8). Here the term expresses the total bundle of concerns weighing on a sufferer’s heart. The verse assumes that God is not merely aware of the believer’s circumstances; He is the proper forum in which those circumstances are adjudicated. The passage encourages believers to entrust the entire rationale of their lives—known and unknown—to the Lord’s perfect wisdom. Psalm 110:4 – The Order of Melchizedek “The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek’” (Psalm 110:4). In this royal psalm the noun is rendered “order,” describing a divinely sanctioned arrangement of priesthood. The verse points forward to Jesus Christ, whose eternal priesthood fulfills and transcends the Levitical system. The term underscores that the Messiah’s priestly ministry is not an improvisation but part of an unalterable heavenly purpose. Ecclesiastes – Human Condition and Providence 1. Ecclesiastes 3:18: “I said to myself, ‘As for the matter concerning the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts’”. The word here frames the existential “matter” at the heart of human experience—a divinely designed test revealing mortality. Theological and Christological Insights Across its occurrences the word invites the reader to look past immediate events to the divine rationale that orders them. In Job it moves the sufferer toward prayer; in Psalm 110 it anchors the everlasting priesthood of Christ; in Ecclesiastes it confronts human beings with their limits and responsibilities under God’s sovereign rule. Together the passages affirm that every “cause” finds its coherence in the Lord’s eternal counsel (Romans 11:36). Ministry and Pastoral Applications • Counseling: Encourage believers to “lay their cause” before God, confident that no circumstance is too complex for His wisdom. Homiletical Suggestions A sermon or lesson series might trace the word’s five appearances under the title “Living for God’s Cause.” Each text supplies a movement: presenting one’s cause to God (Job), resting in Christ’s priestly order (Psalms), recognizing God’s testing purpose (Ecclesiastes 3), accepting both prosperity and adversity (Ecclesiastes 7), and practicing faithful obedience (Ecclesiastes 8). The sequence offers a comprehensive biblical worldview that anchors every circumstance in the unchanging counsel of the Lord. Forms and Transliterations דִּ֝בְרָתִ֗י דִּבְרַ֖ת דִּבְרַ֗ת דִּבְרַת֙ דִּבְרָתִֽי׃ דברת דברתי דברתי׃ diḇ·rā·ṯî diḇ·raṯ diḇraṯ diḇrāṯî divRat divraTiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 5:8 HEB: אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים אָשִׂ֥ים דִּבְרָתִֽי׃ NAS: And I would place my cause before KJV: and unto God would I commit my cause: INT: God place my cause Psalm 110:4 Ecclesiastes 3:18 Ecclesiastes 7:14 Ecclesiastes 8:2 5 Occurrences |
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