Lexical Definition

‎שָׁמַע‎ shâmaʻ (shaw-mah') to hear: hear ^H:V
a primitive root

[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

• to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.
• causatively, to tell, etc.)

v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound

See Greek: ἀθετέω · ἀκοή · ἀκούω · ἀλαλάζω · ἀναγγέλλω · ἀναφωνέω · ἀπαγγέλλω · γίνομαι · γινώσκω · δηλόω · διακούομαι · εἰσακούω · ἐλεέω · ἐνωτίζομαι · ἐπακούω · ἐπιστρέφω · παραγγέλλω · παρακούω · πιστεύω · ποιέω · τηρέω · ὑπακούω · ὑπήκοος · φυλάσσω

Extended Information

meaning of: שָׁמַע

• : proclaim/loud
• v
• n m

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: שְׁמַע
‎שָׁמַע‎₁₁₅₉ verb hear (Late Hebrew id.; Phoenician ‎שמע‎ Lzb³⁷⁸; Assyrian šemû; Arabic ; Sabean ‎סמע‎ mostly in derivatives, especially epithet of divinity ‎סמע‎ he who hears Hom^{Chr 124} Fell^{ZMG liv (1900), 250, 252} DHM^{Hofmus. No. 10, 1. 1}; Ethiopic Aramaic ‎שְׁמַע‎, , Old Aramaic ‎שמע‎ Lzb³⁷⁸; compare also ‎משמעת‎ MI²⁸ obedience); —

Qal₁₀₅₂ Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Gen 24:52 +, ‎שָׁמֵ֑עַ‎ Jer 36:13 + 3 t.; 2 feminine singular ‎שָׁמַ֫עַתְּ‎ 1Kgs 1:11 + 2 t.; 3 plural ‎שָׁמֵ֑עוּ‎ Judg 2:17 +, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יִשְׁמַע‎ Exod 6:30 +, 1 singular cohortative ‎אֶשְׁמְעָה‎ Num 9:8, ‎וָאֶשְׁמְָעָה‎ (on ‎ְָ֯‎ compare Ges^{«GKC:10h»§ 10h}; Ol^{§ 65 c question} reading) Dan 8:13 2 masculine plural ‎תִּשְׁמְע֔וּן‎ Deut 8:20 +, ‎תִּשְׁמָע֔וּן‎ Deut 1:17, etc.; Imperative masculine singular ‎שְׁמַע‎ Amos 7:16 +, ‎שִׁמְעָךְ‎ Job 32:10 + (especially Psalms), ‎שְׁמָ֨עָךְ֨‎ Dan 9:19 feminine plural ‎שְׁמַעְנָה‎ Isa 32:9; Jer 9:19*, ‎שְׁמַ֫עַן‎ Gen 4:23 (Ges^{«GKC:46f»§ 46f}), etc.; Infinitive absolute ‎שָׁמוֺעַ‎ Isa 6:9 +; construct ‎שְׁמֹעַ‎ 1Sam 15:22 +; suffix ‎שָׁמְעו‎ Deut 29:18* +, ‎שָׁמְעָתוֺ‎ Isa 30:19 (Gen 18:10 + etc.; —

1. subject human person (or thing personified):
a. hear (perceive by ear), accusative of thing, especially ‎קוֺל‎ Gen 3:10 (J) + 46 t., ‎דבר(יםׅ‎ Amos 8:11 + 50 t., etc.; accusative ‎חָכְמָה‎ i.e. wise sayings 1Kgs 5:14* + 4 t.; so any utterance or sound (approximately 150 t. in all) + (object omitted) Deut 4:33 + 32 t. + (temporal clause) 1Sam 14:27 + 6 t.; very rarely with ‎ב‎, ‎׳‎‎בְּסוֺד י‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Job 15:8 with object clause, ‎׳‎‎כִּ‎ Exod 4:31 + 52 t. + Isa 39:1b (read ‎׳‎‎כִּי שׁ‎ ᵐ5 ᵑ7 || 2Kgs 20:12), ‎אֶתאֲֿשֶׁר‎ Josh 2:10; Josh 5:1 (both R^D), ‎מַהֹֿ֯‎ Judg 7:11 +3 t.; without connect. ‎אֹתָהּ‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ ‎עָשִׂיתִי‎ 2Kgs 19:25 = Isa 37:26 singular oratio recta [direct speech] Isa 40:28; Zech 8:23.
b. accusative of person + ‎מְדַבֵּר‎ hear one speaking Gen 27:6 (J), Jer 26:7; Dan 8:13, so ‎בֹּכֶה‎ Num 11:10 (J), ‎נִבָּא‎ Jer 20:1 ‎מְקַלְלֶ֑ךָ‎ Eccl 7:21 occas. pears. omitted, ‎דֹּבְרִים‎ Gen 37:17 (JE), ‎אֶתמִֿדַּבֵּר‎ Ezek 2:2; Ezek 43:6 (see ‎דבר‎ Hithpa`el); accusative of person only Dan 12:7.
c. with ‎לֵאמֹר‎ only, hear say = hear it said, 1Sam 13:4; 2Sam 19:3*; Deut 13:13*; Josh 22:11 (P), 1Kgs 16:16 + ‎עַל‎ person concerning Gen 41:15 (E), Isa 37:9 ‎אֶל‎ person id. 2Kgs 19:9.
d. hear of, concerning: (1) accusative of thing, ‎אֵת(כָּלֿ)אֲשֶׁר‎ Exod 18:1; 2Kgs 19:11 + 5 t., ‎דבר(יםׅ‎ 1Sam 3:11 + 4 t., ‎רָעָה‎ Jer 19:3 + 5 t., etc.; ‎כַּאֲשֶׁר‎ 1Sam 23:11; Ps 48:9*, ‎כָּואֹת‎ Isa 66:8 hear of anything like this, ‎כָּאֵלֶּךְ‎ Jer 18:13 accusative, etc., omitted Judg 9:46 + 43 t.; (2) less often accusative of person Job 42:5, ‎אֶל‎ person Ezek 19:4, person omitted Deut 9:2 with ‎ב‎ person hear exultantly of their fate Ps 92:12* (probably imitated from || ‎הִכִּיט בְּ‎ v^a; see especially ‎ראךְ‎ 8 a (6)).
e. hear, absolute, = have power to hear, 2Sam 19:36* (with ‎בְּקוֺל‎ ), Isa 21:3; Isa 32:3; Prov 20:12; Zech 7:11 in simile Ps 38:15* with negative of idols Deut 4:28; Ps 115:6 figurative (spiritual power) Jer 5:21; Deut 29:8*; Ezek 12:2; Isa 42:20. — Prov 21:28 is probably corrupt, see Toy. feminine hear with attention, interest, listen to (sometimes || ‎חֶאֱןין‎), ‎חִקְשִׁיב‎ accusative ‎דבר(יםׅ‎ (54 t.) Amos 4:1 +, especially ‎׳‎‎דבר(י) י‎ Num 12:6 (JE) + 45 t.; ‎אִמְרָה‎ Isa 28:23, ‎קוֺל‎ vIsa 28:23, ‎זאֹת‎ Mic 3:9, etc.; often absolute Judg 5:3 + 57 t., + (negative) Ps 38:14* pay no attention; absolute ‎לֵב שֹׁמֵעַ‎ 1Kgs 3:9, ‎אִישׁ שֹׁטֵעַ‎ Prov 21:28.
g. understand (language), ‎שָׂפָחךְ‎ Gen 11:7 (J), Isa 33:19, ‎לָשׁוֺן‎ Deut 28:49, ‎דְּבָרִין‎ Ezek 3:6, ‎מַהיְּֿדַבֵּר‎ Jer 5:15, no accusative Gen 42:23 (E), 2Kgs 18:26 = Isa 36:11.
h. specif of hearing a (judicial) casre, ‎דָּבָר‎ Deut 1:17, compare vDeut 1:17 accusative omitted ‎בֵּין‎ person vDeut 1:16, of ‎׳‎‎י‎ Judg 11:10 with ‎מִשְׁפָּט‎ 1Kgs 3:11 ‎הִטּוֺב וְהָרֵע‎ ‎׳‎‎לשׁ‎ 2Sam 14:17, ‎וְשֹׁמֵע אֵין לְךָ‎ 2Sam 15:3, compare Job 31:35.
i. with accusative of person in polite address, hear us (me)! Gen 23:6; Gen 23:8; Gen 23:11; Gen 23:13; Gen 23:15 (all P), 1Chr 28:2; 2Chr 13:4; 2Chr 15:2; 2Chr 20:20
j. listen, give heed (sometimes || ‎הִקְשִׁיב‎), absolute, Gen 42:21 (E) + 18: t., + (usually || ‎הִטָּה אֹ׃ון‎), Jer 7:13 + 14 t. Jeremiah, + (opposed to ‎חָדַל‎) Ezek 2:5 + 3 t. Ezekiel; + ‎שִׂים עַללֵֿב‎ Mal 2:2 hear + do Deut 5:24; 2Kgs 18:12, etc.; = consent, agree, Gen 37:27 (J), grant request Judg 11:17 with ‎ל‎ person (mostly late) Judg 19:25; 1Sam 30:24; Job 15:17 + 16 t., ‎׳‎‎לי‎ Hos 9:17; Lev 26:14; Lev 26:18; Lev 26:21; Lev 26:27 ‎׳‎‎לְדִבְרֵי י‎ 1Sam 15:1, ‎לְעֵצָה‎ Prov 12:15.
k. with ‎אֶל‎ person + listen to, yield to Gen 49:2; Judg 2:17 + 69 t. (‎׳‎‎אֶליֿ‎ 15 t., especially Jer 7:26 + 10 t. Jeremiah), ‎עַל‎ person 2Kgs 20:13 ‎אֶלדִּֿבְרֵי‎ etc., Deut 18:19; Jer 29:10 + 14 t., ‎עַלדִּֿבְרֵי‎ etc., 2Kgs 22:13 + 3 t.; very rarely accusative of thing 1Sam 24:10* (Gi v.1Sam 24:9*).

1. ‎לְקוֺל‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ = id., obey, Gen 3:17 (J) + 11 t. + (‎׳‎‎לְקוֺל י‎) Judg 2:20; Exod 15:26 (JE). masculine very often, ‎בְּקוֺל‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ = obey 1Sam 8:7 + 25 t., + ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎בְּקוֺל י‎ (‎׳‎‎י‎'s word, etc.) Deut 4:30; Jer 3:13 + 65 t. (Deut 18 t., Jer 18 t.). noun obey, with accusative ‎דבר(יםׅ‎ Josh 1:18 + 2 t. + (‎׳‎‎י‎ ‎׳‎‎ד‎) Jer 11:3 + 5 t. Jeremiah; 1Kgs 12:24 = 2Chr 11:4, etc.; accusative of person Exod 6:12 (P), 2Chr 28:11.
o. absolutebe obedient (especially to ‎׳‎‎י‎) Isa 1:19; Mic 5:14*; Jer 12:17 + 4 t. Jeremiah + 7 t.

2. ‎׳‎‎י‎ (God) subject:
a. accusative ‎קוֺל‎, ‎דברים‎, etc., Gen 21:17 (E), 2Kgs 19:4 (twice in verse); 2Kgs 19:16, usually with favour implied Num 20:16; Deut 33:7 +, so especially accusative ‎תְּפִלָּה‎, ‎תְּחנָּה‎, etc., 1Kgs 8:45; Ps 6:10* +.
b. object clause ‎כִּי‎ Gen 29:33 (J).
c. no object (32 t.) Isa 59:2; Jer 22:21, usually hear and foregive, help, etc 1Kgs 8:30; 1Kgs 8:32; Isa 30:19 +; hear be angry Ps 78:59, compare Ps 55:20*.
d. = be able to hear Isa 59:1; Ps 94:9.
e. ‎בְּקוֺל‎ ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ = hear (and grant) Gen 30:6 (J) + 6 t. femininehear and answer, with ‎אֶל‎ of city, etc., Gen 21:7; Gen 16:11; 1Kgs 8:28 + 8 t.; with ‎אֶל‎ person Deut 3:36 + 12 t.
g. with ‎לְ‎ of utterance Jer 18:19; Ps 61:6* ‎ל‎ person Josh 24:10 (E).
h. hear, accusative of person + ‎מִתְנוֺדֵד‎ Jer 31:18 favourably, with accusative of person Mic 7:7 + 3 t., so, + ‎ל‎ concerning, Gen 17:20 (P); object omitted 2Kgs 22:19; Ps 22:23* + 3 t. + Ps 34:7*; Ps 34:18* (hear and deliver); with temporal clause Jer 11:14 Niph`al₄₂ Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎נִשְׁמַע‎ Gen 45:16 +, etc; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יִשָּׁמַע‎ Exod 23:13 +, ‎יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ‎ 1Sam 1:13, etc.; Infinitive construct ‎הִשָּׁמַל‎ Esth 2:8 Participle feminine ‎נִשְׁמַ֫עַת‎ Jer 51:46, etc.; —

1. be heard, of voice, sound, etc., 1Sam 1:13; 1Kgs 6:7; Job 26:14 (or 1 plural Qal Imperfect?); of a resort, ‎֗֗֗ לֵאמֹר‎ ‎׳‎‎נִשׁ‎ Gen 45:16 (E); subject clause, ‎׳‎‎כִּ‎, Neh 6:1 (‎ל‎ person), compare clause‎וְהַיְהוּדִים חשְׁבִים‎ Neh 6:6 vNeh 6:7 be reported, ‎כַּדְּבָרִיס הָאֵלֶּה (לַמֶּלֶחׅ‎); be heard, ‎לִפְנֵי‎ ‎אֱםהֶיךָ‎ Dan 10:12.

2. be heard of, ‎כָּמֹהוּ‎ Deut 4:32.

3. be regarded, obeyed, Eccl 9:17 in 2Sam 22:45 = Ps 18:45* it is be obedient ‎(לִיׅ‎, si vera lectio (read perhaps Qal. compare Now).

4. ‎בְּקוֺלָם‎ ‎׳‎‎וַיִישּׁ‎ 2Chr 30:27 = (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice Pi`el Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎וַיְשַׁמַּע‎ 1Sam 15:4 he caused the people (accusative) to hear and respond, i.e. he assembled them), so 1Sam 23:8 (see Hiph`il 1 c). Hiph`il₆₃ Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎הִשְׁמִיעַ‎ 1Kgs 15:22 +, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular suffix ‎יַשְׁמִעֵנִי‎ Deut 30:12; Deut 30:13 2 masculine singular jussive ‎תַּשְׁמַע‎ Judg 18:23, etc.; Imperative masculine singular suffix ‎הִשְׁמִיעֵנִי‎ Ps 143:8 feminine singular suffix ‎הַשְׁמִיעִנִי‎ Song 2:14; Song 8:13, etc.; Infinitive construct ‎לַשְׁמִעַ‎ Ps 26:7 (Ges^{«GKC:53q»§ 53q}); Participle ‎מַשְׁמִיעַ‎ Jer 4:15 +, etc.; —

1. of man:
a. cause to hear accusative of person + of thing Deut 30:12; Deut 30:13; Song 2:14; Song 8:13 + 4 t.; object of thing omitted (= make proclamation to) 1Kgs 15:22 object person omitted Jer 5:20 +; accusative ‎שָׁלוֺם‎ Isa 52:7; Nah 2:1* i.e. proclaimpeace; ‎אָוֶֺן‎ Jer 4:15 (‎מִן‎ local); ‎קוֺל‎ ‎׳‎‎הַשׁ‎ utter a sound Josh 6:10 (J; || ‎הֵרִיעַ‎), compare Judg 18:25 (‎קוֺלְךָ‎, + ‎עִמָּנוּ‎), Isa 42:2; Isa 58:4 ‎קוֺל תְּהִלָּתוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎הִשׁ‎ Ps 66:8 ‎בְּקוֺל תּוֺדָה‎ Ps 26:7.
b. absolute as musical term, sound aloud, ‎בִּמְצִלְתַּיִם לְהִשְׁמִיעַ‎ 1Chr 15:19 (perhaps to mark the time, Gr^{Ps 67} De compare 1Chr 16:5 also Ps 150:5 ‎בְּצִלְצְלֵי שָׁ֑מַע‎), ‎מַשְׁמִיעִים‎ 1Chr 15:16; 1Chr 15:28; 1Chr 16:42, ‎קוֺל אֶחָד‎ ‎׳‎‎לְהַשׁ‎ 2Chr 5:13 i.e. probably in unison (Prince^{EB iii, 3241}), Neh 12:42.
c. absolute make proclamation (often || ‎הִגִּיד‎), Amos 3:9; Amos 4:5; Isa 41:26; Jer 4:5 + 6 t. Jeremiah
d. ‎הַשְׁמִיעוּ‎, accusative of person + ‎אֶל‎ location = summon Jer 50:29, ‎עַל‎ location Jer 51:27 (compare Pi`el).

2. ‎׳‎‎י‎ subject:
a. cause to hear, accusative of person and thing Deut 4:10; Deut 4:36 (‎מִן‎ local), 2Kgs 7:6 + 4 t.; accusative of person omitted Isa 30:30 + 3 t.; accusative of thing omitted Isa 44:8; Isa 48:5.
b. = tell, accusative of person + ‎כָּזאֹת‎ Judg 13:23 accusative of person only, Isa 42:9 accusative of thing only, Isa 48:3; Ezek 36:15 (‎אֵלַיִךְ‎).
c. absolute, make proclamation Isa 43:12; Isa 62:11 (‎אֶל‎ location).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References