Biblical Words Related to Prayer

To me, prayer is any type of communication between the soul and God. To whom the soul prays matters, it differentiates worship from idolatry, among the greatest offenses to God. God is Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

It is valuable to have an understanding of the types of communication found in the Bible. This shows us the ways God has communicated to His people in the past.

Here is a list I put together of some of the words used to identify communication between God and His people through the Bible.

Hebrew

• אָמַר,aw-mar’; a prim. root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, command, commune, consider, declare, demand, *desire, determine, *express, *indeed, *intend, name, plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak, *still, *suppose, talk, tell, term. (examples)

• דָּבַר, daw-bar’; a prim. root; perhaps prop. to arrange; but used fig. (of words) to speak, rarely (in a destructive sense), to submit – answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehurse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use [ en, utter, *well, *work. (examples)

• דָּרַשׁ, daw-rash’; a prim. root; prop. to trust or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by impl. to seek or ask; spec. to worship -ask, *at all, care for, *diligently, inquire, make inquisition, [necro – mancer, question, require, search, seek [for, , *surely. (examples)

• פָּלַל, paw-lal’; a prim. root; to judge (officially or mentally): by extens. to intercede, pray – entreat judge (-ment, (make) pray (-er, ing), make supplication. (examples)

• קָרָא, kaw-raw’; a prim. root [rather ident. w to call out to (i.e. prop. address by name, but used in a wide variety of application): – bewray [self, that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest invite, mention, )give) name, preach, (make) proclaim (ation), pronounce, publish, read, renouned, say. (examples)

• שָׁאַל, shaw-al’; or _ shaw-ale’; a prim. root; to inquire, by impl. to request; by externs. to demand; – ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, to charge, consult, demand, desire, *earnestly, enquire, greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, salute, *staitly, *surely, wish. (example)

Greek

• αἰτέω, ahee-teh’-o; of uncert. der.; to ask (in gen): – ask, beg, call, for, crave, desire, require. (examples)

• ἐκζητέω, ek-zay-teh’-o; to search out, i.e. (fig) investigate, crave, demand, (by Hebr.) worship: -en (re-) quire, seek after (carefully, diligently). (example)

• ἐπικαλέω, ep-ee-kal-eh’-om-ahee; to entitle; by impl. to invoke (for aid, worship, testimony, decision, etc.): – appeal (unto), call (on, upon), surname. (examples)

• ἐρωτάω, er-o-tah’-o; appar. from _ρέω to interrogate, by impl. to request: – ask, beseech, desire, intreat, pray. (example)

• ζητω, dzay-teh’-o; of uncert. affirm.; to seek (lit. or fig.) spec. (by Heb.) to worship (God), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life): – be (go) about, desire, endeavor, enquire (for), require, (*will) seek (after, for, means). (examples)

• λέγω, leg’-o; a prim. verb; prop. to lay forth, i.e. (fig.) relate (in words [usually of systematically or set <discourse>. (examples)

• πρoσεύχoμαι, pros-yoo’-khom-ahee; to pray to God, i.e. supplicate, worship: – pray (*earnestly, for), make prayer. (examples)