Reporting speech לֵאמֹר lemor
Biblical Hebrew has no quotation marks, so וַיֹּאמֶר (and he said) and לֵאמֹר (saying) announce “here the words begin.” Speech is almost always quoted as spoken, and inside it imperatives, jussives, cohortatives, and “I, you” are used. The speech ends where a narrative wayyiqtol appears again.
“saying” — לְ + אֱמֹר (saying)
Colour key blue = added at the front · orange = added at the end · purple = a mark inside (dot · doubled letter · changed vowel) · underline = the word this page is about
1What reported speech is
Biblical narrative is full of the words of God and of people. Yet Biblical Hebrew has no quotation marks, so a word signals “here the speech begins.” Two words do this job: the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyomer, “and he said”) and the infinitive לֵאמֹר (lemor, “saying”).
Both come from the verb אָמַר (’amar, “say”). In Genesis alone the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר occurs 347 times, the feminine וַתֹּאמֶר 50 times, and לֵאמֹר 80 times (OSHB); לֵאמֹר occurs 934 times in the whole Old Testament.
Speech is almost always reported directly: not “he said that there should be light” but “he said, ‘Let there be light.’” Because the speaker’s words are written as spoken, the “I, you, we” inside them stay in the speaker’s place.
2The names — וַיֹּאמֶר vayyomer · לֵאמֹר lemor
וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyomer) is וַ (and, with a dot in the next letter) + יֹּ (he) + אמֶר (said): the Qal wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular. The first root letter א has lost its sound, and the prefix י has the vowel “o.” When a woman speaks it is וַתֹּאמֶר (vatto’mer, “and she said”); when several speak, וַיֹּאמְרוּ (vayyomeru).
לֵאמֹר (lemor) is לְ (to) + the infinitive construct אֱמֹר (saying). When they meet, א loses its sound and the vowel of לְ lengthens to “e” (tsere) → לֵאמֹר. In shape it is like the purpose לְ + infinitive, but it is almost always fixed in the sense “saying,” not “in order to say.”
Grammars write vayyomer (wayyōmer) and lemor (lēʾmōr) and speak of the speech formula or quotative frame; English Bibles usually render לֵאמֹר “saying.”
3At a glance — five signs that speech begins
- וַיֹּאמֶר + subject (+ hearer)“And X said (to Y)” — what follows is the speech. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר (1:3). The hearer takes לְ or אֶל (to).
- Another verb + לֵאמֹרלֵאמֹר after verbs like “bless, command, speak” — “saying,” and the speech follows (1:22, 2:16).
- “Answered” + וַיֹּאמֶרוַיַּעַן … וַיֹּאמַר (18:27) — the kind of speech first, then “said” to open it.
- Speech in the heartוַיֹּאמֶר בְּלִבּוֹ (17:17) · אֶל־לִבּוֹ (8:21) — thoughts are reported like speech.
- Messenger · declarationכֹּה אָמַר (thus says, 32:5) · נְאֻם־יְהוָה (declares YHWH, 22:16).
4אָמַר “say” — the forms used for reporting speech
All are forms actually used in Genesis (OSHB). The prefix or ending tells “who.”
| Form | Word | Reading | Meaning | Genesis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיֹּאמֶר | vayyomer | and he said | 1:3 etc., 347× |
| wayyiqtol 3fs | וַתֹּאמֶר | vatto’mer | and she said | 3:2 · 3:13 etc., 50× |
| the same, pausal | וַיֹּאמַר | vayyomar | and he said (at a major pause) | 18:27 |
| לְ + infinitive construct | לֵאמֹר | lemor | saying | 1:22 · 2:16 etc., 80× |
| perfect 3ms | אָמַר | ’amar | he said / says | 3:3 · 32:5 |
| imperative 2fs | אִמְרִי | ’imri | say (to a woman) | 12:13 |
5וַיֹּאמֶר — “and he said” + the words
Within the narrative chain, speaking happens as an event. After וַיֹּאמֶר, once the subject and hearer are named, the words follow.
vayyomer ’elohim yehi ’or — and God said, “Let there be light”
The wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר (and he said) + the subject אֱלֹהִים — so far narrative. From יְהִי אוֹר on comes what God said. There are no quotation marks; what follows “said” is the speech. Inside the speech יְהִי is a jussive, “let there be” (pattern 6).
YLVAnd God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
vayyomer ’elohim na‘aseh ’adam — and God said, “Let us make man”
The narrative וַיֹּאמֶר is 3rd person “he,” but in the speech נַעֲשֶׂה has the prefix נ = “we.” Inside speech, “who” shifts to the speaker’s place (I, we) and the hearer’s (you). Forms not used in narrative, like the cohortative “let us,” are used in speech.
YLVAnd God said, "Let us make man (adam) in our image, after our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the beast, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."
vayyomer lahem ’elohim — and God said to them
וַיֹּאמֶר + the hearer לָהֶם (לְ “to” + הֶם “them”) + subject. The hearer is marked with לְ or אֶל (to). The short לָהֶם comes before the subject. Then come the imperatives פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ (be fruitful and multiply) — spoken directly to the hearers, so 2nd-person imperatives.
YLVAnd God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing (chai) that creeps upon the earth."
vayyomer lo ’ayyekkah — and said to him, “Where are you?”
Before it: וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶל־הָאָדָם (and YHWH God called to the man); then וַיֹּאמֶר + לוֹ (to him) + the speech אַיֶּכָּה (where are you? — אַיֵּה “where” + “you”). After “called,” “said” is used again to open the words, even when the speech is a single word.
YLVAnd YHWH God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
vayyomer ha’adam zot happa‘am — and the man said, “This now …”
The first words a human speaks in Genesis. וַיֹּאמֶר + the subject הָאָדָם + the speech זֹאת הַפַּעַם (this, this time). The speech begins with verbless clauses (עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי “bone of my bones”) and has no narrative wayyiqtol to the end — inside speech, the rules of speech apply.
YLVAnd Adam said, "This now is bone of my bones and flesh (basar) of my flesh (basar); for this one it shall be called Woman (ishah), because from Man (ish) this one was taken."
6לֵאמֹר — “saying,” quotation marks after another verb
When the verb before is not “say” (bless, command, speak, the word came), לֵאמֹר stands between that verb and the speech and opens it. It is also used inside speech to quote earlier words.
vayevarekh ’otam ’elohim lemor — and God blessed them, saying
The verb before is not “say” but וַיְבָרֶךְ (he blessed). לֵאמֹר (לְ + אֱמֹר “saying”) then stands as quotation marks: “here begin the words of the blessing” (pattern 16). לֵאמֹר has no “who,” so the speaker is the subject of the verb before (God).
YLVAnd God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply in the earth."
vayetsav YHWH ’elohim ‘al-ha’adam lemor — and YHWH God commanded the man, saying
The Piel wayyiqtol וַיְצַו (he commanded) + subject + the one commanded עַל־הָאָדָם + לֵאמֹר. “Command” needs the words of the command to follow, and לֵאמֹר opens them. The verse’s main pause (atnach) is on לֵאמֹר, dividing it exactly into “the commanding | the words of the command.”
YLVAnd YHWH God commanded (tzivvah) Adam, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you shall surely eat,
vaydabber ’elohim ’el-noaḥ lemor — and God spoke to Noah, saying
The Piel wayyiqtol וַיְדַבֵּר (he spoke) + אֶל־נֹחַ (to Noah) + לֵאמֹר. דִּבֶּר (speak) names the act of speaking; the content comes after לֵאמֹר. This verse ends with לֵאמֹר, and the speech begins in the next verse (8:16, “go out of the ark”).
YLVAnd God spoke to Noah, saying,
hayah devar-YHWH ’el-’avram bammaḥazeh lemor — the word of YHWH came to Abram in a vision, saying
Here the subject is not a person but “the word of YHWH” (דְבַר־יְהוָה), and the verb is the perfect הָיָה (was, came). Still לֵאמֹר opens the content, אַל־תִּירָא אַבְרָם (do not fear, Abram). “The word came + לֵאמֹר” is a frequent way of announcing that God’s word came to someone.
YLVAfter these things the word of YHWH came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Fear not, Abram; I am a shield to you, your reward is exceedingly great."
tsivvitikha lemor lo to’khal mimmennu — I commanded you, saying, “You shall not eat of it”
Speech within speech. Within God’s words to the man, an earlier command is quoted again — the Piel perfect צִוִּיתִיךָ (I commanded you; ךָ = you) + לֵאמֹר + the quoted command לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ (you shall not eat of it), the same words as in 2:17.
YLVAnd to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your woman (ishah) and have eaten of the tree which I commanded (tzivvah) you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it'; cursed is the ground (adamah) for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life (chai).
7Dialogue — answers and telling who speaks
vayyomer ’avi vayyomer hinnenni veni — and he said, “My father”; and he said, “Here I am, my son”
וַיֹּאמֶר occurs twice in a row with no subject. The first is Isaac (named just before: וַיֹּאמֶר יִצְחָק), the second Abraham. The words themselves show who speaks: the one who says “my father” is the son; the one who answers “my son” is the father. In dialogue, names are often left out like this.
YLVAnd Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, "My father." And he said, "Here am I, my son." And he said, "Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
vayya‘an ’avraham vayyomar — and Abraham answered and said
Two wayyiqtols — וַיַּעַן (and he answered) + subject + וַיֹּאמַר (and he said). “Answered” tells the kind of speech; “said” opens it. This וַיֹּאמַר has ַ (a) as its second vowel — a pausal form, changed at a major pause in the verse, with the same meaning as וַיֹּאמֶר.
YLVAnd Abraham answered and said, "Behold now, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord (Adonai), and I am dust (aphar) and ashes.
vatto’mer ha’ishah hannaḥash hishshi’ani va’okhel — and the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate”
וַתֹּאמֶר is a wayyiqtol with the prefix ת (she) — the speaker is the woman. Her speech puts הַנָּחָשׁ (the serpent) first with the perfect הִשִּׁיאַנִי (deceived me), then the wayyiqtol וָאֹכֵל (and I ate; prefix א = I). Within speech, past events told in sequence also use the wayyiqtol — here in the 1st person.
YLVAnd YHWH God said to the woman (ishah), "What is this you have done?" And the woman (ishah) said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
8Inner speech · a messenger’s words · “declares YHWH” · “say …”
vayyomer belibbo — and he said in his heart
וַיֹּאמֶר + בְּלִבּוֹ (in his heart; וֹ = his). Unspoken thought is also reported with “said.” The thought, the question הַלְּבֶן מֵאָה־שָׁנָה יִוָּלֵד (shall a child be born to one a hundred years old?), is written out directly, exactly like speech. In 8:21, אֶל־לִבּוֹ (to his heart) does the same.
YLVAnd Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to one who is a son of a hundred years? And shall Sarah, who is a daughter of ninety years, bear?"
koh to’merun la’doni le‘esav koh ’amar ‘avdekha ya‘aqov — thus you shall say to my lord Esau: “Thus says your servant Jacob”
A messenger’s words. Before it is וַיְצַו אֹתָם לֵאמֹר (he commanded them, saying); inside that command is כֹּה תֹאמְרוּן (thus you shall say), and inside that again כֹּה אָמַר עַבְדְּךָ יַעֲקֹב (thus says your servant Jacob). כֹּה (thus) marks “the following words exactly.” “X says thus” uses the perfect אָמַר: the message is already settled as it is delivered.
YLVAnd he commanded (tzivvah) them, saying, "Thus shall you say to my lord, to Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and have stayed until now.
bi nishba‘ti ne’um-YHWH — by myself I have sworn, declares YHWH
Within the words brought by the messenger of YHWH stands נְאֻם־יְהוָה (utterance of YHWH, declares YHWH). נְאֻם is not a verb but a noun in construct (“utterance of”); it stands inside or at the end of a speech and names the speaker: “this is YHWH speaking.” In Genesis it occurs only here (OSHB).
YLVand said, "By myself I have sworn, declares YHWH, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only one,
’imri-na ’aḥoti ’att — say, please, “You are my sister”
The imperative אִמְרִי (say, feminine) + נָא (please) + the words to be said, אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ (my sister — you). Hebrew does not add “that”; it attaches the words as they are, so they are written from Abram’s side: “you are my sister.” English may render it “say that you are my sister” (YLV).
YLVSay, I pray, that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and my soul (nephesh) may live because of you."
’amar ’elohim lo to’khelu mimmennu — God has said, “You shall not eat of it”
Inside the woman’s words to the serpent, God’s words are quoted. Since “of the fruit of the tree …” (וּמִפְּרִי הָעֵץ) is placed first, the verb is not a wayyiqtol but the perfect אָמַר. The quoted words use the 2nd plural תֹאכְלוּ (you shall not eat) — a different form from the singular “you” of 2:16–17. A quotation is in the words of the one quoting.
YLVbut of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
9Why it works this way — marking speech without quotation marks
- 1. “Said” marks the startWith no quotation marks, וַיֹּאמֶר or לֵאמֹר says “speech begins here.” Once the subject and hearer (לְ / אֶל) are named, the words begin.
- 2. Inside speech, the rules of speechOnce speech begins, the rules of speech apply, not those of narrative: imperatives, jussives, cohortatives (1:3 יְהִי · 1:26 נַעֲשֶׂה · 1:28 פְּרוּ), the perfect of the present moment (1:29 נָתַתִּי), verbless clauses. “Who” becomes 1st and 2nd person.
- 3. The narrative marks the endThere is no closing mark either. When a narrative wayyiqtol (וַיְהִי “and there was”) or the next speaker’s וַיֹּאמֶר appears, the speech has ended (1:3 יְהִי אוֹר → וַיְהִי־אוֹר).
- 4. The words reveal the speakerWhen וַיֹּאמֶר follows וַיֹּאמֶר without a subject, forms of address (“my father,” “my son”) and the order tell who speaks (22:7).
- 5. לֵאמֹר has no “who”לֵאמֹר is an infinitive and has no person. The speaker is always the subject of the verb before (1:22, God · 15:1, “the word of YHWH”).
10In Genesis 1–2 — twelve וַיֹּאמֶר, two לֵאמֹר
וַיֹּאמֶר: ten times in chapter 1 — 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28, 29, all “and God said.” Twice in chapter 2 — 2:18, “and YHWH God said” (לֹא־טוֹב, “not good”), and 2:23, “and the man said” (the first human words).
לֵאמֹר: only 1:22 (after וַיְבָרֶךְ “he blessed”) and 2:16 (after וַיְצַו “he commanded”). In both, the verb before is not “say,” and both have the main pause (atnach) on לֵאמֹר. In 1:28 the same blessing is opened not with לֵאמֹר but with a second verb, וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם (and he said to them).
Genesis 1 repeats “he said → it was so,” so comparing the words after וַיֹּאמֶר with the fulfilment after them (וַיְהִי־כֵן) shows clearly where each speech ends.
11Easy to confuse
לֵאמֹר is not “in order to say.” In shape it is the purpose לְ + infinitive, but it means “saying” — a marker opening the words that follow. Translations often fold it into the verb (YLV 1:22, “blessed them, saying”).
וַיֹּאמֶר and וַיֹּאמַר are the same word. The second vowel, e or a, differs because of the pause in the verse (pausal form).
A quotation is in the words of the one quoting. In 3:3 the woman quotes God’s words of 2:16–17 with the plural “you” and adds “nor touch it.” Speech within speech should be read word by word against the earlier words.
אָמַר is not always spoken aloud. With בְּלִבּוֹ (in his heart) it is thought (17:17). Check for such words nearby.