The Hebrew word dibrah (H1700) means cause, reason, manner, or sake. It appears in the phrase al-dibrat meaning 'for the sake of' or 'because of,' and it is closely related to the word dabar (word/matter). Dibrah appears in Ecclesiastes 3:18 and 7:14 and in Psalm 110:4, where it appears in the formula 'according to the order of Melchizedek' — al-dibrati Malki-tsedek.
The most theologically significant use of dibrah is in Psalm 110:4, where God swears an oath: 'You are a priest forever, in the order (al-dibrati) of Melchizedek.' The writer of Hebrews quotes this verse seven times to establish Jesus as the eternal high priest who supersedes the Levitical priesthood. The word dibrah here carries the sense of 'after the manner/order of' — Jesus' priesthood is patterned on Melchizedek's: royal, eternal, not based on physical descent, and predating the Law. God's word (dabar) stands behind the divine appointment.