Devarim
/dəˈvɑːrɪm/noun
The Hebrew name for the biblical Book of Deuteronomy, literally referring to “words” or “matters.”
Did you know?Devarim is both the Hebrew title of Deuteronomy and its opening word, reflecting the ancient idea that speech could transmit law, identity, and sacred authority.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
דְּבָרִים (dəvārīm)
“Words, matters, affairs; the masculine plural of דָּבָר (dāvār).”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
דָּבָר (dāvār)
“A word, speech, matter, event, or affair; a term whose meanings connect spoken language with things that happen or are dealt with.”
Ancient Jewish tradition
Hebrew
דְּבָרִים
“The traditional Hebrew title of the fifth book of the Torah, taken from its opening phrase, “These are the words.””
Medieval Hebrew
Hebrew
דְּבַר תורה (d’var Torah)
“A word or teaching of Torah; a spoken or written interpretation of scripture.”
Modern English
English
Devarim
“An English transliteration used for the Hebrew title of Deuteronomy and, in Jewish contexts, for the biblical book itself.”
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