To scold/ rebuke
Spoke harsh words. Said words of criticism or rebuke.
("And he will become alien to them - he is made to them like a foreigner in words, to speak harsh words" - Rashi on Genesis 42:7, and likewise: "To make known the strength of Samuel's mighty heart and his valor until he was not afraid to speak harsh words like these to Saul when he was king and killed Agag in a cruel manner as mentioned here, to pay him measure for measure and to fulfill commandments" - Radak on Samuel II 1:27, and likewise: "The head of the office... spoke harsh words with one of them and showed him a face of anger" - Agnon / 'Ad Henah,' 111)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
דִּבֵּר קָשׁוֹת
Definition (Hebrew)
דִּבֵּר דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים. אָמַר דִּבְרֵי בִּקֹּרֶת אוֹ נְזִיפָה.
("וְיִתְנַכֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם- נַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם כְּנָכְרִי בִּדְבָרִים, לְדַבֵּר קָשׁוֹת"-רָשִׁ"י בְּרֵאשִׁית מב ז, וְכֵן:"לְהוֹדִיעַ עֹצֶם אַבִּירוּת לֵב שְׁמוּאֵל וּגְבוּרָתוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יָרֵא מִלְּדַבֵּר קָשׁוֹת כָּאֵלֶּה לְשָׁאוּל עִם הֱיוֹתוֹ מֶלֶךְ וְהָרַג אֲגַג בְּדֶרֶךְ אַכְזָרִיּוּת בָּאֹפֶן הַנִּזְכָּר פֹּה לְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה וְלִמְלֵאַת מִצְוֹת"- רַלְבָּ"ג שְׁמוּאֵל ב א כז, וְכֵן:"רֹאשׁ הַלִּשְׁכָּה...דִּבֵּר קָשׁוֹת עִם אֶחָד מֵהֶם וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ פָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם"- עַגְנוֹן/ עַד הֵנָּה, 111)