Bible Dictionaries
Ear

Holman Bible Dictionary

The physical organ of hearing. In the Old Testament the ears are involved in several rites. The right ear of priests were consecrated with blood (Exodus 29:20; Leviticus 8:24 ). The right ears of lepers were also sprinkled with blood and oil as part of their cleansing (Leviticus 14:14 ,Leviticus 14:14,14:17 ). If a slave volunteered to serve a master for life, the slave's ear was pierced with an awl into the master's doorpost (Exodus 21:6; Deuteronomy 15:17 ).

The ears appear in a variety of expressions in both Testaments. To speak to someone's ears was to speak to them or speak in their hearing (Genesis 44:18; Genesis 50:4 ). To incline the ear was to listen (2 Kings 19:16 ) or even to obey (Jeremiah 11:8 ). To give ear was to pay careful attention (Job 32:11 ). To turn the ears toward wisdom (Proverbs 2:2 ) was to desire understanding. Dull, heavy, closed, or uncircumcised ears expressed inattentiveness and disobedience (Isaiah 6:10; Jeremiah 6:10; Acts 7:51 ). To stop the ears was to refuse to listen (Acts 7:57 ). Open ears were obedient, hearing ears. Open ears are a gift of God (Psalm 40:6 ) who sometimes uses adversity to open deaf ears (Job 36:15 ). To awake the ears was to make someone teachable (Isaiah 50:4 ). To uncover or open the ear was to reveal something (Isaiah 50:5 ). To let words sink into ones ears was to thoroughly understand (Luke 9:44 ). Sometimes the functions of the mind were attributed to the ear. Thus the ear exercised judgment (Job 12:11 ) and understanding (Job 13:1 ).