Language Studies

Hebrew Thoughts

shâma'' - שָׁמַע (Strong's #8085)
Hear, heed

שָׁמַעshâma' (Strong's #8085, x1160) is best translated by a combination of four English words, "hear, heed, understand and obey". In all it occurs over a thousand times in Scripture, often in key verses and is translated variously in the KJV, for example, by hear x785, hearken x196, obey x81, understand x9, obedient x8. We find it in biblical names such as Ishmael (Strong's #3458) "God hears" (Genesis 16:11); Simeon (Strong's #8095) "he who hears" (Genesis 29:33); and Samuel (Strong's #8050) "he who hears God" (1 Samuel 1:20).

The first use of שָׁמַעshâma' is in the context of hearing God's voice, and walking with God, unfortunately the first use is negative in that Adam only shâma'-s God after he has already shâma'-d Eve, who in turn has shâma'-d the serpent, as a result Adam's response is fear and flight rather than hear and delight! In Genesis 16:2 Abraham not only listens but "obeys" Sarai's voice, he didn't just hear her, he did what he was told! However negative the consequences!

שָׁמַעshâma' can range in meaning from merely hearing a sound, thouggh usually the sound of a voice, through to the kind of hearing that indicates assent and action such as in the hearing of Manoah's prayer (Judges 13:9) or the non-hearing of the prayers of sinners (Jeremiah 11:11; Ezekiel 8:18). Clearly, hearing means response and non-response in these cases. Micah expresses the beautiful words yish'mâ'ênîy 'elôhây "My God will hear me".

At the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:7) the lip or languages of mankind were confused and henceforward men could no longer "hear" one another. Clearly, they could hear noise and strange accents, even foreign words, but they meant nothing to them, so the word implies "understanding" in this key situation.

שָׁמַעshâma' is used in the sense of discernment in Genesis 41:15 when Joseph is described as one able to shâma' a dream for Pharoah. A chapter later (42:23) Joseph uses a language interpreter to speak to his brothers whilst they do not realise he can actually "understand" them all along.

Probably the most famous use of שָׁמַעshâma' is in Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one". The opening words of the Jewish Shema or creed.

After the dispersion of Babel God calls and reforms a people for himself who will "hear and obey". At Sinai he gives them the book of the covenant through Moses, to which the people respond "we will do and obey" (Exodus 24:7). Interestingly "doing" precedes "obeying" and the latter is the word שָׁמַעshâma' again, literally then "we will do and hear".

God promises to set Israel "high above all the nations of the earth" if they will "really hear and obey" (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 28:1), a phrase made up from a double use of שָׁמַעshâma'.

In the Greek Old Testament Septuagint שָׁמַעshâma' is often translated by hupakouô, "to hearken", this in turn is used in the New Testament with the sense of "to obey".

Deuteronomy 18:15 commands the future generations to שָׁמַעshâma' the Messianic Prophet like Moses. This represents and is Jesus, confirmed in the Gospels by the Bath Qol ("Daughter of the Voice") which speaks out of heaven like an echo of God's own voice saying, "This is My Son, the Beloved [a Messianic title], hear [Grk.: akouete = "to hear, hearken, understand, learn", in the Septuagint most commonly used for שָׁמַעshâma'] him!", (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35).

The New Testament's description of faith (Romans 10:17) as necessary for salvation and in order to please God (Hebrews 11:6) is said to come by hearing/shâma'-ing, i.e., by hearing, heeding, understanding and obeying. In the Gospels, too, hearing, understanding and obeying, are linked e.g., Matthew 7:24, the house upon the rock; Luke 8:21 and 11:28, Jesus' family are hearers and doers of the word. To hear is not enough, one must understand and act upon it, to these more shall be given (Mark 4:24).

"Ears to hear" (Matthew 11:5; 13:9,43; Mark 4:9,23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35; in Revelation 2-3 to each of the 7 churches; 13:9) is an Hebraism (see Deuteronomy 29:4; Ezekiel 12:2) meaning "he who has understanding and a desire to obey". Many times Jesus introduced his parables with "hear this parable...", i.e., understand it.

As if to make your own Amplified Bible try replacing each occurence of שָׁמַעshâma' with all four words "hear, heed, understand and obey", it may bring depth to the passage you hadn't seen before.

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