Hear
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words [1]
A. Verb.
Shâma‛ ( שָׁמַע , Strong'S #8085), “to hear, hearken, listen, obey, publish.” This word occurs throughout the Semitic languages including biblical Hebrew and Aramaic. Shâma‛ occurs in all historical layers of Hebrew, and about 1,160 times in the Bible. The word is attested 9 times in biblical Aramaic.
Basically, this verb means to “hear” something with one’s ears, but there are several other nuances. In Gen. 37:17, a man told Joseph that he “heard” Joseph’s brothers say, “Let us go to Dothan”; in other words, he unintentionally “overheard” them say it. Shâma‛ can also be used of “eavesdropping, or intentionally listening in on a conversation; so Sarah “overheard” what the three men said to Abram (Gen. 18:10).
Joseph asked his brothers to “listen” as he recounted what he had dreamed (Gen. 37:6). In 1 Chron. 28:2, David told his audience to “listen” as he spoke; they were to give him their undivided attention.
To “hear” something may imply to “have knowledge,” as when Abimelech told Abraham that he did not know about the controversy over the wills because no one had told him and neither had he “heard” it (Gen. 21:26). Shâma‛ may also imply to “gain knowledge” or to “get knowledge”: “… The Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard [the report] …” (Jer. 37:5).
Again, the word may mean to “come into knowledge about.” Moses told the unclean men to wait while he “listened” to what the Lord would command regarding them (Num. 9:8). His intent clearly was more than just to “hear” something; he intended to “gain some knowledge” from the Lord—.
The verb can represent the mere “hearing” of something, as when Adam and Eve “heard” the sound of God walking in the garden (Gen. 3:8—first biblical occurrence). To “make someone hear” something (without any specification of what was heard) suggests “summoning” the person (1 Kings 15:22).
“Hearing” can be both intellectual and spiritual. Spiritually, one may “hear” God’s Word (Num. 24:4), or “learn” it from God. Conversely, God told Abraham that He had “heard” his prayer and would act accordingly (Gen. 17:20). In this context, to “hear” means not only to hear what is said, but to agree with its intention or petition (cf. Gen. 16:11). In the case of hearing and hearkening to a higher authority, shâma‛ can mean to “obey.” In Abraham’s seed, all nations would be blessed because he “heard” (obeyed) God’s voice (Gen. 22:18).
Another nuance of intellectual “hearing” appears in Gen. 11:7, in which we are told that God planned to confuse human language, “that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
To have a “hearing heart” is to have “discernment” or “understanding” (1 Kings 3:9). Certainly when Moses told Israel’s judges to “hear” cases, he meant more than listening with one’s ear. He meant for them to examine the merits of a case, so as to render a just decision (Deut. 1:16).
B. Nouns.
Shôma‛ ( שֹׁמַע , Strong'S #8089), means “things heard by accident; hearsay.” This word appears infrequently in the Old Testament, as in Josh. 6:27: “So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.” Shêma‛ ( שֵׁמַע , Strong'S #8088), “something heard by design; report.” The Old Testament attests this word 17 times. Gen. 29:13 contains one occurrence: “And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings [ shêma‛ ] of Jacob his sister’s son.… Shemû‛âh ( שְׁמוּעָה , Strong'S #8052), “revelation; something heard.” This word appears 27 times. One appearance is in Isa. 28:9: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine [ shemû‛âh ]?”
King James Dictionary [2]
HEAR, pret. and pp. heard, but more correctly heared.
L. audio auris.
1. To perceive by the ear to feel an impression of sound by the proper organs as, to hear sound to hear a voice to hear words. 2. To give audience or allowance to speak.
He sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Acts 24
3. To attend to listen to obey.
Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart. Psalms 95
4. To attend favorably to regard.
They think they shall be heard for their much speaking. Matthew 6
5. To grant an answer to prayer.
I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice. Psalms 116
6. To attend to the facts, evidence, and arguments in a cause between parties to try in a court of law or equity. The cause was heard and determined at the last term or, it was heard at the last term, and will be determined at the next. Song of Song of Solomon 2 .Sam 2.15 7. To acknowledge a title a Latin phrase.
Hear'st thou submissive, but a lowly birth.
8. To be a hearer of to sit under the preaching of as, what minister do you hear? A colloquial use of the word. 9. To learn.
I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. John 8 .
10. To approve and embrace.
They speak of the world, and the world heareth them. 50 John 4 .
To hear a bird sing, to receive private communication.
HEAR, To enjoy the sense or faculty of perceiving sound. He is deaf, he cannot hear.
1. To listen to hearken to attend.
He hears with solicitude.
2. To be told to receive by report.
I hear there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it. 1 Corinthians 11
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary [3]
HEARING. This word is used in several senses in Scripture. In its obvious and literal acceptation, it denotes the exercise of that bodily sense of which the ear is the organ; and as hearing is a sense by which instruction is conveyed to the mind, and the mind is excited to attention and to obedience, so the ideas of attention and obedience are also grafted on the expression or sense of hearing. God is said, speaking after the manner of men, to hear prayer, that is, to attend to it, and comply with the requests it contains: "I love the Lord, because he hath heard," hath attended to, hath complied with, "the voice of my supplication," Psalms 116:1 . On the contrary, God is said not to hear, that is, not to comply with, the requests of sinners, John 9:31 . Men are said to hear, when they attend to, or comply with, the request of each other, or when they obey the commands of God: "He who is of God heareth," obeyeth, practiseth, "God's words,"
John 8:47 . "My sheep hear my voice," and show their attention to it, by following me, John 10:27 . "This is my beloved Son: hear ye him,"
Matthew 17:5 . This seems to be an allusion to Deuteronomy 18:15; Deuteronomy 18:18-19 : "The Lord shall raise up unto you a prophet; him shall ye hear;"
which is also expressly applied in Acts 3:22 . The other senses which may be attached to the word "hear," seem to rise from the preceding, and may be referred to the same ideas.
Webster's Dictionary [4]
(1): ( v. t.) To accede to the demand or wishes of; to listen to and answer favorably; to favor.
(2): ( v. i.) To be informed by oral communication; to be told; to receive information by report or by letter.
(3): ( v. t.) To give attention to as a teacher or judge.
(4): ( v. t.) To perceive by the ear; to apprehend or take cognizance of by the ear; as, to hear sounds; to hear a voice; to hear one call.
(5): ( v. i.) To have the sense or faculty of perceiving sound.
(6): ( v. t.) To give audience or attention to; to listen to; to heed; to accept the doctrines or advice of; to obey; to examine; to try in a judicial court; as, to hear a recitation; to hear a class; the case will be heard to-morrow.
(7): ( v. i.) To use the power of perceiving sound; to perceive or apprehend by the ear; to attend; to listen.
(8): ( v. t.) To attend, or be present at, as hearer or worshiper; as, to hear a concert; to hear Mass.
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types [5]
Isaiah 55:3 (a) This is a call from GOD for His people to listen intently and carefully. We are to pay close attention to His words. We are to listen with a desire to understand GOD's will, and with an intention of obeying that will. (See also John 5:24-25, John 5:28; John 8:43, John 8:47; John 9:27; John 10:8; Acts 3:23).
