Shama
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Shama hearing
Shama שָׁמַע[1]) moves beyond the mere physiological act of detecting sound.
Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures it unites hearing, attentive consideration, and responsive obedience. The word embraces:
- Physical hearing of words, music, or noise.
- Intellectual grasp—“giving ear” with understanding.
- Moral response—submission or obedience to what is heard.
- Divine action—God “hears” prayer, lament, or rebellion and acts accordingly.
Blessing and Curse
Blessing comes to the obedient listener:
- “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates” (Proverbs 8:34).
- “If you listen diligently…all these blessings will come upon you” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).
Curse attends deaf disobedience:
- “If you do not listen to the LORD your God…all these curses will come upon you” (Deuteronomy 28:15).
- “Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable” (Proverbs 28:9).
Footnotes
- ↑ 08085 ^עמשׁ^ shama‘ \@shaw-mah’\@ a primitive root ShinMemAyin understand 9, obedient 8, diligently 8, shew 6, sound 3, declare 3, discern 2, noise 2, perceive 2, tell 2, reported 2, misc 33; 1159 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
- 1a) (Qal)
- n m 2) sound
- 1) to hear, listen to, obey