שָׁמַע
to hear
also: listen to, obey fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Qal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Stem
- Qal
- The basic, simple active stem — the plain form of the verb (“he wrote”). Here: ‘subj. pers. hum.’
- Niphal
- Usually the simple passive or reflexive of the Qal (“he was written”). Here: ‘be heard’
- Hiphil
- The causative active stem (“he caused / brought about”). Here: ‘of man’
- Piel
- An intensive or resultative active stem.
Form
- Imperative
- A direct command (“write!”).
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
- Infinitive Construct
- A bound verbal noun, frequently with prepositions (“to write / in writing”).
- Perfect
- A completed action or state — Hebrew marks aspect (completeness) more than strict tense (“he wrote”).
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Participle Active
- A verbal adjective expressing ongoing or characteristic action (“writing / one who writes”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Infinitive Absolute
- An unbound verbal noun, often intensifying or standing in for a finite verb.
- Jussive
- A third- or second-person volitional form expressing wish or command (“let him write”).
- Cohortative
- A first-person volitional form expressing wish or resolve (“let me / let us write”).
- Participle Passive
- A verbal adjective expressing action received (“written”).
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Person
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 1st Person
- The speaker (“I / we”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Common
- Either gender — not distinguished for this form.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
- Singular
- One.
144 verses where H8085 appears in the Qal stem in the Book of Jeremiah. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Jeremiah
- Jeremiah 2:4 שִׁמְע֥וּ Qal impv 2mp Hear you the word of Yahweh, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
- Jeremiah 3:13 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם Qal pf 2mp Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against Yahweh your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 3:25 שָׁמַ֔עְנוּ Qal pf 1cp Let us lie down in our shame, and let our confusion cover us; for we have sinned against Yahweh our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day; and we have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh our God.
- Jeremiah 4:19 שמעתי שָׁמַ֣עַתְּ Qal pf 1cs Qal pf 2fs My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart; my heart is disquieted in me; I can't hold my peace; because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
- Jeremiah 4:21 אֶשְׁמְעָ֖ה Qal coh 1cs How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
- Jeremiah 4:31 שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי Qal pf 1cs For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, [saying], Woe is me now! for my soul faints before the murderers.
- Jeremiah 5:15 תִשְׁמַ֖ע Qal impf 2ms Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far, house of Israel, says Yahweh: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don't know, neither understand what they say.
- Jeremiah 5:21 שִׁמְעוּ יִשְׁמָֽעוּ Qal impv 2mp Qal impf 3mp Hear now this, foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and don't see; who have ears, and don't hear:
- Jeremiah 6:10 וְ/יִשְׁמָ֔עוּ conj + Qal impf 3mp To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen: behold, the word of Yahweh is become to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
- Jeremiah 6:18 שִׁמְע֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.
- Jeremiah 6:19 שִׁמְעִ֣י Qal impv 2fs Hear, earth: behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.
- Jeremiah 6:24 שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ Qal pf 1cp We have heard the report of it; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
- Jeremiah 7:2 שִׁמְע֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Stand in the gate of Yahweh's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of Yahweh, all you of Judah, who enter in at these gates to worship Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 7:13 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֔ם Qal pf 2mp Now, because you have done all these works, says Yahweh, and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you didn't hear; and I called you, but you didn't answer:
- Jeremiah 7:16 שֹׁמֵ֖עַ Qal ptcp.act ms Therefore don't you pray for this people, neither lift up a cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear you.
- Jeremiah 7:23 שִׁמְע֣וּ Qal impv 2mp but this thing I commanded them, saying, Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk you in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.
- Jeremiah 7:24 שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ Qal pf 3cp But they didn't listen nor turn their ear, but walked in [their own] counsels [and] in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
- Jeremiah 7:26 שָׁמְעוּ֙ Qal pf 3cp yet they didn't listen to me, nor inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff: they did worse than their fathers.
- Jeremiah 7:27 יִשְׁמְע֖וּ Qal impf 3mp You shall speak all these words to them; but they will not listen to you: you shall also call to them; but they will not answer you.
- Jeremiah 7:28 שָׁמְע֗וּ Qal pf 3cp You shall tell them, This is the nation that has not listened to the voice of Yahweh their God, nor received instruction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
- Jeremiah 8:6 וָֽ/אֶשְׁמָע֙ conj + Qal wimpf 1cs I listened and heard, but they didn't speak aright: no man repents him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.
- Jeremiah 9:10 שָׁמְע֖וּ Qal pf 3cp For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none passes through; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the birds of the sky and the animals are fled, they are gone.
- Jeremiah 9:13 שָׁמְע֥וּ Qal pf 3cp Yahweh says, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein,
- Jeremiah 9:20 שְׁמַ֤עְנָה Qal impv 2fp Yet hear the word of Yahweh, you women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth; and teach your daughters wailing, and everyone her neighbor lamentation.
- Jeremiah 10:1 שִׁמְע֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Hear the word which Yahweh speaks to you, house of Israel!
- Jeremiah 11:2 שִׁמְע֕וּ Qal impv 2mp Hear you the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
- Jeremiah 11:3 יִשְׁמַ֔ע Qal impf 3ms and say you to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who doesn't hear the words of this covenant,
- Jeremiah 11:4 שִׁמְע֤וּ Qal impv 2mp which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall you be my people, and I will be your God;
- Jeremiah 11:6 שִׁמְע֗וּ Qal impv 2mp Yahweh said to me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear you the words of this covenant, and do them.
- Jeremiah 11:7 שִׁמְע֖וּ Qal impv 2mp For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
- Jeremiah 11:8 שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ Qal pf 3cp Yet they didn't obey, nor turn their ear, but walked everyone in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they didn't do them.
- Jeremiah 11:10 לִ/שְׁמ֣וֹעַ prep + Qal inf.cs They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they are gone after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
- Jeremiah 11:11 אֶשְׁמַ֖ע Qal impf 1cs Therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry to me, but I will not listen to them.
- Jeremiah 11:14 שֹׁמֵ֗עַ Qal ptcp.act ms Therefore don't you pray for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble.
- Jeremiah 12:17 יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ Qal impf 3mp But if they will not hear, then will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 13:10 לִ/שְׁמ֣וֹעַ prep + Qal inf.cs This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and are gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing.
- Jeremiah 13:11 שָׁמֵֽעוּ Qal pf 3cp For as the belt cleaves to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, says Yahweh; that they may be to me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
- Jeremiah 13:15 שִׁמְע֥וּ Qal impv 2mp Hear you, and give ear; don't be proud; for Yahweh has spoken.
- Jeremiah 13:17 תִשְׁמָע֔וּ/הָ Qal impf 2mp + sfx pers 3fs But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for [your] pride; and my eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Yahweh's flock is taken captive.
- Jeremiah 14:12 שֹׁמֵ֨עַ֙ Qal ptcp.act ms When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
- Jeremiah 16:12 שְׁמֹ֥עַ Qal inf.cs and you have done evil more than your fathers; for, behold, you walk every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart, so that you don't listen to me:
- Jeremiah 17:20 שִׁמְע֨וּ Qal impv 2mp and tell them, Hear you the word of Yahweh, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
- Jeremiah 17:23 שָֽׁמְע֔וּ שומע שְׁמ֔וֹעַ Qal pf 3cp Qal ptcp.act ms Qal inf.cs But they didn't listen, neither turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.
- Jeremiah 17:24 שָׁמֹ֨עַ תִּשְׁמְע֤וּ/ן Qal inf.abs Qal impf 2mp + sfx n It shall happen, if you diligently listen to me, says Yahweh, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but to make the Sabbath day holy, to do no work therein;
- Jeremiah 17:27 תִשְׁמְע֜וּ Qal impf 2mp But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates of it, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
- Jeremiah 18:10 שְׁמֹ֣עַ Qal inf.cs if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.
- Jeremiah 18:13 שָׁמַ֖ע Qal pf 3ms Therefore thus says Yahweh: Ask you now among the nations, who has heard such things; the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.
- Jeremiah 18:19 וּ/שְׁמַ֖ע conj + Qal impv 2ms Give heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.
- Jeremiah 19:3 שִׁמְע֣וּ שֹׁמְעָ֖/הּ Qal impv 2mp Qal ptcp.act ms cs + sfx pers 3fs and say, Hear you the word of Yahweh, kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem: thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring evil on this place, which whoever hears, his ears shall tingle.
- Jeremiah 19:15 שְׁמ֥וֹעַ Qal inf.cs Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring on this city and on all its towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it; because they have made their neck stiff, that they may not hear my words.
- Jeremiah 20:1 וַ/יִּשְׁמַ֤ע conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of Yahweh, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.
- Jeremiah 20:10 שָׁמַ֜עְתִּי Qal pf 1cs For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, [say] all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
- Jeremiah 20:16 וְ/שָׁמַ֤ע conj + Qal wpf 3ms Let that man be as the cities which Yahweh overthrew, and didn't repent: and let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime;
- Jeremiah 21:11 שִׁמְע֖וּ Qal impv 2mp Touching the house of the king of Judah, hear you the word of Yahweh:
- Jeremiah 22:2 שְׁמַ֣ע Qal impv 2ms Say, Hear the word of Yahweh, king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter in by these gates.
- Jeremiah 22:5 תִשְׁמְע֔וּ Qal impf 2mp But if you will not hear these words, I swear by myself, says Yahweh, that this house shall become a desolation.
- Jeremiah 22:21 אֶשְׁמָ֑ע שָׁמַ֖עַתְּ Qal impf 1cs Qal pf 2fs I spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said, I will not hear. This has been your manner from your youth, that you didn't obey my voice.
- Jeremiah 22:29 שִׁמְעִ֖י Qal impv 2fs O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 23:16 תִּשְׁמְע֞וּ Qal juss 2mp Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, Don't listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 23:18 וְ/יִשְׁמַ֣ע וַ/יִּשְׁמָֽע conj + Qal juss 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms For who has stood in the council of Yahweh, that he should perceive and hear his word? who has marked my word, and heard it?
- Jeremiah 23:25 שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי Qal pf 1cs I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
- Jeremiah 25:3 שְׁמַעְתֶּֽם Qal pf 2mp From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years, the word of Yahweh has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking; but you have not listened.
- Jeremiah 25:4 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם לִ/שְׁמֹֽעַ Qal pf 2mp prep + Qal inf.cs Yahweh has sent to you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, (but you have not listened, nor inclined your ear to hear),
- Jeremiah 25:7 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֥ם Qal pf 2mp Yet you have not listened to me, says Yahweh; that you may provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own hurt.
- Jeremiah 25:8 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם Qal pf 2mp Therefore thus says Yahweh of Hosts: Because you have not heard my words,
- Jeremiah 26:3 יִשְׁמְע֔וּ Qal impf 3mp It may be they will listen, and turn every man from his evil way; that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do to them because of the evil of their doings.
- Jeremiah 26:4 תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ Qal impf 2mp You shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,
- Jeremiah 26:5 לִ/שְׁמֹ֗עַ שְׁמַעְתֶּֽם prep + Qal inf.cs Qal pf 2mp to listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send to you, even rising up early and sending them, but you have not listened;
- Jeremiah 26:7 וַֽ/יִּשְׁמְע֛וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 26:10 וַֽ/יִּשְׁמְע֣וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of Yahweh; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of Yahweh's [house].
- Jeremiah 26:11 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם Qal pf 2mp Then spoke the priests and the prophets to the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.
- Jeremiah 26:12 שְׁמַעְתֶּֽם Qal pf 2mp Then spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people, saying, Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.
- Jeremiah 26:13 וְ/שִׁמְע֕וּ conj + Qal impv 2mp Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Yahweh your God; and Yahweh will repent him of the evil that he has pronounced against you.
- Jeremiah 26:21 וַ/יִּשְׁמַ֣ע וַ/יִּשְׁמַ֤ע conj + Qal wimpf 3ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms and when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty-men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt:
- Jeremiah 27:9 תִּשְׁמְע֨וּ Qal juss 2mp But as for you, don't you listen to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon:
- Jeremiah 27:14 תִּשְׁמְע֞וּ Qal juss 2mp Don't listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
- Jeremiah 27:16 תִּשְׁמְע֞וּ Qal juss 2mp Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says Yahweh: Don't listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of Yahweh's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
- Jeremiah 27:17 תִּשְׁמְע֣וּ Qal juss 2mp Don't listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: why should this city become a desolation?
- Jeremiah 28:7 שְׁמַֽע Qal impv 2ms Nevertheless hear you now this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people:
- Jeremiah 28:15 שְׁמַֽע Qal impv 2ms Then said the prophet Jeremiah to Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah: Yahweh has not sent you; but you make this people to trust in a lie.
- Jeremiah 29:8 תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ Qal juss 2mp For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel: Don't let your prophets who are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen you to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
- Jeremiah 29:12 וְ/שָׁמַעְתִּ֖י conj + Qal wpf 1cs You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
- Jeremiah 29:19 שָׁמְע֥וּ שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם Qal pf 3cp Qal pf 2mp because they have not listened to my words, says Yahweh, with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 29:20 שִׁמְע֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Hear you therefore the word of Yahweh, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 30:5 שָׁמָ֑עְנוּ Qal pf 1cp For thus says Yahweh: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
- Jeremiah 31:10 שִׁמְע֤וּ Qal impv 2mp Hear the word of Yahweh, you nations, and declare it in the isles afar off; and say, He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as shepherd does his flock.
- Jeremiah 31:18 שָׁמ֣וֹעַ שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי Qal inf.abs Qal pf 1cs I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself [thus], You have chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed [to the yoke]: turn you me, and I shall be turned; for you are Yahweh my God.
- Jeremiah 32:23 שָׁמְע֤וּ Qal pf 3cp and they came in, and possessed it, but they didn't obey your voice, neither walked in your law; they have done nothing of all that you commanded them to do: therefore you have caused all this evil to come on them.
- Jeremiah 32:33 שֹׁמְעִ֖ים Qal ptcp.act mp They have turned to me the back, and not the face: and though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction.
- Jeremiah 33:9 יִשְׁמְע֜וּ Qal impf 3mp [This city] shall be to me for a name of joy, for a praise and for a glory, before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do to them, and shall fear and tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I procure to it.
- Jeremiah 34:4 שְׁמַ֣ע Qal impv 2ms Yet hear the word of Yahweh, O Zedekiah king of Judah: thus says Yahweh concerning you, You shall not die by the sword;
- Jeremiah 34:10 וַ/יִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ וַֽ/יִּשְׁמְע֖וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp conj + Qal wimpf 3mp All the princes and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his man-servant, and everyone his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:
- Jeremiah 34:14 שָׁמְע֤וּ Qal pf 3cp At the end of seven years you shall let go every man his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you: but your fathers didn't listen to me, neither inclined their ear.
- Jeremiah 34:17 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם Qal pf 2mp Therefore thus says Yahweh: you have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim to you a liberty, says Yahweh, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth.
- Jeremiah 35:8 וַ/נִּשְׁמַ֗ע conj + Qal wimpf 1cp We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters;
- Jeremiah 35:10 וַ/נִּשְׁמַ֣ע conj + Qal wimpf 1cp but we have lived in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
- Jeremiah 35:13 לִ/שְׁמֹ֥עַ prep + Qal inf.cs Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel: Go, and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction to listen to my words? says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 35:14 שָֽׁמְע֔וּ שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם Qal pf 3cp Qal pf 2mp The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; and to this day they drink none, for they obey their father's commandment: but I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking; and you have not listened to me.
- Jeremiah 35:15 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם Qal pf 2mp I have sent also to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return you now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and don't go after other gods to serve them, and you shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but you have not inclined your ear, nor listened to me.
- Jeremiah 35:16 שָׁמְע֖וּ Qal pf 3cp Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to me;
- Jeremiah 35:17 שָׁמֵ֔עוּ Qal pf 3cp therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them, but they have not heard; and I have called to them, but they have not answered.
- Jeremiah 35:18 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֔ם Qal pf 2mp Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he commanded you;
- Jeremiah 36:3 יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ Qal impf 3mp It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do to them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
- Jeremiah 36:11 וַ֠/יִּשְׁמַ֗ע conj + Qal wimpf 3ms When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of Yahweh,
- Jeremiah 36:13 שָׁמֵ֑עַ Qal pf 3ms Then Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.
- Jeremiah 36:16 כְּ/שָׁמְעָ/ם֙ prep + Qal inf.cs + sfx pers 3mp Now it happened, when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one toward another, and said to Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.
- Jeremiah 36:24 הַ/שֹּׁ֣מְעִ֔ים ptcl def.art + Qal ptcp.act mp They were not afraid, nor tore their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words.
- Jeremiah 36:25 שָׁמַ֖ע Qal pf 3ms Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the scroll; but he would not hear them.
- Jeremiah 36:31 שָׁמֵֽעוּ Qal pf 3cp I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them, but they didn't listen.
- Jeremiah 37:2 שָׁמַ֛ע Qal pf 3ms But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did listen to the words of Yahweh, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
- Jeremiah 37:5 וַ/יִּשְׁמְע֨וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they broke up from Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 37:14 שָׁמַ֖ע Qal pf 3ms Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he didn't listen to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
- Jeremiah 37:20 שְֽׁמַֽע Qal impv 2ms Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
- Jeremiah 38:1 וַ/יִּשְׁמַ֞ע conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah, heard the words that Jeremiah spoke to all the people, saying,
- Jeremiah 38:7 וַ/יִּשְׁמַ֡ע conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin),
- Jeremiah 38:15 תִשְׁמַ֖ע Qal impf 2ms Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? and if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.
- Jeremiah 38:20 שְֽׁמַֽע Qal impv 2ms But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the voice of Yahweh, in that which I speak to you: so it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.
- Jeremiah 38:25 יִשְׁמְע֣וּ Qal impf 3mp But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don't hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said to you:
- Jeremiah 40:3 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם Qal pf 2mp and Yahweh has brought it, and done according as he spoke: because you have sinned against Yahweh, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come on you.
- Jeremiah 40:7 וַ/יִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, and women, and children, and of the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Babylon;
- Jeremiah 40:11 שָֽׁמְע֔וּ Qal pf 3cp Likewise when all the Jews who were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan;
- Jeremiah 41:11 וַ/יִּשְׁמַע֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
- Jeremiah 42:4 שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי Qal pf 1cs Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray to Yahweh your God according to your words; and it shall happen that whatever thing Yahweh shall answer you, I will declare it to you; I will keep nothing back from you.
- Jeremiah 42:6 נִשְׁמָ֑ע נִשְׁמַ֔ע Qal impf 1cp Qal impf 1cp Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of Yahweh our God, to whom we send you; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of Yahweh our God.
- Jeremiah 42:13 שְׁמֹ֔עַ Qal inf.cs But if you say, We will not dwell in this land; so that you don't obey the voice of Yahweh your God,
- Jeremiah 42:14 נִשְׁמָ֑ע Qal impf 1cp saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:
- Jeremiah 42:15 שִׁמְע֥וּ Qal impv 2mp now therefore hear you the word of Yahweh, O remnant of Judah: Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, If you indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
- Jeremiah 42:21 שְׁמַעְתֶּ֗ם Qal pf 2mp and I have this day declared it to you; but you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh your God in anything for which he has sent me to you.
- Jeremiah 43:4 שָׁמַע֩ Qal pf 3ms So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, didn't obey the voice of Yahweh, to dwell in the land of Judah.
- Jeremiah 43:7 שָׁמְע֖וּ Qal pf 3cp and they came into the land of Egypt; for they didn't obey the voice of Yahweh: and they came to Tahpanhes.
- Jeremiah 44:5 שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ Qal pf 3cp But they didn't listen, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods.
- Jeremiah 44:16 שֹׁמְעִ֖ים Qal ptcp.act mp As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of Yahweh, we will not listen to you.
- Jeremiah 44:23 שְׁמַעְתֶּם֙ Qal pf 2mp Because you have burned incense, and because you have sinned against Yahweh, and have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened to you, as it is this day.
- Jeremiah 44:24 שִׁמְעוּ֙ Qal impv 2mp Moreover Jeremiah said to all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt:
- Jeremiah 44:26 שִׁמְע֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my great name, says Yahweh, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, As the Lord Yahweh lives.
- Jeremiah 46:12 שָׁמְע֤וּ Qal pf 3cp The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, they are fallen both of them together.
- Jeremiah 48:5 שָׁמֵֽעוּ Qal pf 3cp For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction.
- Jeremiah 48:29 שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ Qal pf 1cp We have heard of the pride of Moab, [that] he is very proud; his loftiness, and his pride, and his arrogance, and the haughtiness of his heart.
- Jeremiah 49:14 שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי֙ Qal pf 1cs I have heard news from Yahweh, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, [saying], Gather yourselves together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle.
- Jeremiah 49:20 שִׁמְע֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh, that he has taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, [even] the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.
- Jeremiah 49:23 שָׁמְע֖וּ Qal pf 3cp Of Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad; for they have heard evil news, they are melted away: there is sorrow on the sea; it can't be quiet.
- Jeremiah 50:43 שָׁמַ֧ע Qal pf 3ms The king of Babylon has heard the news of them, and his hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
- Jeremiah 50:45 שִׁמְע֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh, that he has taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely they shall drag them away, [even] the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.
- Jeremiah 51:51 שָׁמַ֣עְנוּ Qal pf 1cp We are confounded, because we have heard reproach; confusion has covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of Yahweh's house.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
שמע (shâmaʻ) is a Hebrew word most often rendered “to hear.” Translators differ — “hear” in the King James Version, then “listen” (unfoldingWord Literal Text), as the renderings breakdown shows. It turns up in 1,072 verses across 39 books, one of the most common footprint. It first appears in Genesis 3:8. It also covers “listen to” and “obey”, alongside “to hear” — see its full sense range. The sections below give every sense, occurrence, and version rendering.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H8085 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 1,072
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 1,072 distinct verses.
- 39 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 39 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #32
- by frequency
- Top 50 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 32 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 1,072 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Jeremiah 168 verses 16%
- Isaiah 95 verses 9%
- Deuteronomy 82 verses 8%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 1,072 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 583 verses · 54%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 267 verses · 25%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 222 verses · 21%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
BDB lists this Strong’s number as 3 distinct words (homographs). Each count above pools all of them and is not split by sense — see the Senses section below. A low-frequency rendering may belong to a different one of those words, not the primary meaning.
- King James Version†: Hear 202×, Heard 142×, Hearken 58×
- American Standard Version†: Hear 173×, Heard 114×, Hearken 48×
- Berean Standard Bible†: Hear 169×, Listen 167×, Heard 114×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text†: Listen 189×, Hear 182×, Heard 163×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H8085 across 1,160† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 264 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H8085 across 1,157† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 300 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H8085 across 1,133† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 202 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 26 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H8085 across 1,441† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 145 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
41 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
Hebrew verbs can shift meaning by stem (binyan): Qal is the basic action, Niphal is often passive or reflexive, Piel often intensifies or makes it factitive, and Hiphil is typically causative. The senses below are grouped under the stem BDB assigns to each.
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 41 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
שמע I hear (NH id.
Qal
- Pf. 3 ms. שׁ׳ Gn 24:52 +, שָׁמֵ֑עַ Je 36:13 + 3 times; 2 fs. שָׁמַעַתְּ 1 K 1:11 + 2 times; 3 pl. שָׁמֵ֑עוּ Ju 2:17 + 12 times; Impf. 3 ms. יִשְׁמַע Ex 6:30 +, 1 s. cohort. אֶשִׁמְעָה Nu 9:8, וָאֶשְׁמֳעָה (on—ֳ cf. Ges§ 10 h; Ol § 65 c. qu. reading) Dn 8:13; 2 mpl. תִּשְׁמְע֔וּן Dt 8:20 +, תִּשְׁמָע֔וּן Dt 1:17, etc.; Imv. ms. שְׁמַע Am 7:16 +, שִׁמְעָה Jb 32:10 + (especially ψψ), שְׁמָ֮עָה֮ Dn 9:19; fpl. שְׁמַ֫עְנָה Is 32:9; Je 9:19, שְׁמַ֫עַן Gn 4:23 (Ges§ 46 f), etc.; Inf. abs. שָׁמוֹעַ Is 6:9 +; cstr. שְׁמֹעַ 1 S 15:22 +; sf. שָׁמְעוֹ Dt 29:18 +, שָׁמְעָתוֹ Is 30:19 (Ges§ 45 d), etc.; Pt. שֹׁמֵעַ Gn 42:23 +; f. שֹׁמַ֫עַת Gn 18:10 +, etc.;— e.g. Genesis 24:52
- 1. subj. pers. hum. (vel rei personif.):
- a. hear (perceive by ear), acc. rei, especially קוֹל Gn 3:10 (J) + 46 times, דבר(ים) Am 8:11 + 50 times, etc.; acc. חָכְמָה i.e. wise sayings 1 K 5:14 + 4 times; any utterance or sound (c. 150 times) + (obj. om.) Dt 4:33 + 32 times + (cl. temp.) 1 S 14:27 + 6 times; c. ב 1 S 14:6, שׁ׳ בְּסוֹד י׳ Jb 15:8; 26:14; 37:2; c. obj. cl., כִּי Ex 4:31 + 52 times + Is 39:1b (read כִּי שׁ׳ 𝔊 𝔖 ‖ 2 K 20:12), אֶת־אֲשֶׁר Jos 2:10; 5:1 (both RD),—ֹֹמַה־ Ju 7:11 + 3 times; without connect. שׁ׳ אֹתָהּ עָשִׂיתִי †2 K 19:25 = Is 37:26; sq. orat. rect. †Is 40:28; Zc 8:23. e.g. Genesis 3:10
- b. acc. pers. + מְדַבֵּר hear one speaking Gn 27:6 (J), Je 26:7; Dn 8:13, so בֹּכֶה Nu 11:10 (J), נִבָּא Je 20:1, מְקַלְלֶ֑ךָ Ec 7:21; occas. pers. om., דֹּבְרִים Gn 37:17 (JE), אֶת־מִדַּבֵּר Ez 2:2; 43:6 (v. דבר Hithp.); acc. pers. only Dn 12:7. e.g. Genesis 27:6
- c. c. לֵאמֹר only, hear say = hear it said, 1 S 13:4; 2 S 19:3; Dt 13:13; Jos 22:11 (P), 1 K 16:16; + עַל pers. concerning Gn 41:15 (E), Is 37:9; אֶל pers. id. 2 K 19:9. e.g. 1 Samuel 13:4
- d. hear of, concerning: (1) acc. rei, אֵת (כָּל־)אֲשֶׁר Ex 18:1; 2 K 19:11 + 5 times, דבר(ים) 1 S 3:11 + 4 times, רָעָה Je 19:3 + 5 times, etc.; כַּאֲשֶׁר 1 S 23:11 ψ 48:9, כָּזֹאת Is 66:8 hear of anything like this, כָּאֵלֶּה Je 18:13; acc., etc., om. Ju 9:46 + 43 times; (2) less often acc. pers. Jb 42:5, אֶל pers. Ez 19:4, pers. om. Dt 9:2; c. ב pers. hear exultantly of their fate †ψ 92:12 (prob. imitated from ‖ הִבִּיט בְּ v a; v. especially ראה 8 a (6)). e.g. Exodus 18:1
- e. hear, abs., = have power to hear, 2 S 19:36 (c. בְּקוֹל), Is 21:3; 32:3; Pr 20:12; Zc 7:11; in sim. ψ 38:15; c. neg. of idols Dt 4:28 ψ 115:6; fig. (spiritual power) Je 5:21; Dt 29:3; Ez 12:2; Is 42:20.—Pr 21:28 is probably corrupt, v. Toy. e.g. 2 Samuel 19:36
- f. hear with attention, interest, listen to (sometimes ‖ הֶאֱזִין, הִקְשִׁיב), acc. דבר(ים) (54 times) Am 4:1 +, especially דבר(י) י׳ Nu 12:6 (JE) + 45 times; אִמְרָה Is 28:23, קוֹל v 23, זֹאת Mi 3:9, etc.; often abs. Ju 5:3 + 57 times, + (neg.) ψ 38:14 pay no attention; abs. לֵב שֹׁמֵעַ 1 K 3:9, אִישׁ שֹׁמֵעַ Pr 21:28. e.g. Amos 4:1
- g. understand (language), שָׂפָה Gn 11:7 (J), Is 33:19, לָשׁוֹן Dt 28:49, דְּבָרִים Ez 3:6, מַה־יְּדַבֵּר Je 5:15, no acc. Gn 42:23 (E), 2 K 18:26 = Is 36:11. e.g. Genesis 11:7
- h. specif. of hearing a (judicial) case, דָּבָר Dt 1:17, cf. v 17; acc. om. בֵּין pers. v 16, of י׳ Ju 11:10; c. מִשְׁפָּט 1 K 3:11; לִשׁ׳ הַטּוֹב וְהָרֵע 2 S 14:17, וְשֹׁמֵע אֵין לְךָ 15:3, cf. Jb 31:35. e.g. Deuteronomy 1:17
- i. c. acc. pers. in polite address, hear us (me)! Gn 23:6, 8, 11, 13, 15 (all P), 1 Ch 28:2; 2 Ch 13:4; 15:2; 20:20. e.g. Genesis 23:6
- j. listen, give heed (sometimes ‖ הִקְשִׁיב), abs., Gn 42:21 (E) + 18 times, + (usually ‖ הִטָּה אֹזֶן), Je 7:13 + 14 times Je, + (opp. חָדַל) Ez 2:5 + 3 times Ez; + שִׂים עַל־לֵב Mal 2:2; hear + do Dt 5:24; 2 K 18:12, etc.; = consent, agree, Gn 37:27 (J), grant request Ju 11:17; c. ל pers. (mostly late) Ju 19:25; 1 S 30:24; Jb 15:17 + 16 times, לי׳ Ho 9:17; Lv 26:14, 18, 21, 27; לְדִבְרֵי י׳ 1 S 15:1, לְעֵצָה Pr 12:15. k. c. אֶל pers. + listen to, yield to Gn 49:2; Ju 2:17 + 69 times (אֶל־י׳ 15 times, especially Je 7:26 + 10 times Je), עַל pers. 2 K 20:13; אֶל־דִּבְרֵי etc., Dt 18:19; Je 29:19 + 14 times, עַל־דִּבְרֵי etc., 2 K 22:13 + 3 times; very rarely acc. rei 1 S 24:10 (Gi v 9). l. שׁ׳ לְקוֹל = id., obey, Gn 3:17 (J) + 11 times + (לְקוֹל י׳) Ju 2:20; Ex 15:26 (JE). m. very often, שׁ׳ בְּקוֹל = obey 1 S 8:7 + 25 times, + שׁ׳ בְּקוֹל י׳ (י׳’s word, etc.) Dt 4:30; Je 3:13 + 65 times (Dt 18 times, Je 18 times). n. obey, c. acc. דבר(ים) Jos 1:18 + 2 times + (ד׳ י׳) Je 11:3 + 5 times Je, 1 K 12:24 = 2 Ch 11:4, etc.; acc. pers. Ex 6:12 (P), 2 Ch 28:11. o. abs. be obedient (especially to י׳) Is 1:19; Mi 5:14; Je 12:17 + 4 times Je + 7 times. e.g. Genesis 42:21
- 2. י׳ (God) subj.:
- a. acc. קוֹל, דברים, etc., Gn 21:17 (E), 2 K 19:4(×2), 16, usually with favour implied Nu 20:16; Dt 33:7 +, so especially acc. תְּפִלָּה, תְּחִנָּה, etc., 1 K 8:45 ψ 6:10 +. e.g. Genesis 21:17
- b. obj. cl. כִּי Gn 29:33 (J). e.g. Genesis 29:33
- c. no obj. (32 times) Is 59:2; Je 22:21, usually hear and forgive, help, etc., 1 K 8:30, 32; Is 30:19 +; hear and be angry ψ 78:59, cf. 55:20. e.g. Isaiah 59:2
- d. = be able to hear Is 59:1 ψ 94:9. e.g. Isaiah 59:1
- e. שׁ׳ בְּקוֹל = hear (and grant) Gn 30:6 (J) + 6 times. e.g. Genesis 30:6
- f. hear and answer, c. אֶל of cry, etc., Gn 21:17; 16:11 1 K 8:28 + 8 times; c. אֶל pers. Dt 3:26 + 12 times. e.g. Genesis 21:17
- g. c. לְ of utterance Je 18:19 ψ 61:6; ל pers. Jos 24:10 (E). e.g. Jeremiah 18:19
- h. hear, acc. pers. + מִתְנוֹדֵד Je 31:18; favourably, c. acc. pers. Mi 7:7 + 3 times, so, + ל concerning, Gn 17:20 (P); obj. om. 2 K 22:19 ψ 22:25 + 3 times + ψ 34:7, 18 (hear and deliver); c. cl. temp. Je 11:14. e.g. Jeremiah 31:18
Niphal
- Pf. 3 ms. נִשְׁמַע Gn 45:16 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִשָּׁמַע Ex 23:13 +, יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ 1 S 1:13, etc.; Inf. cstr. הִשָּׁמַע Est 2:8; Pt. f. נִשְׁמַ֫עַת Je 51:46, etc.;— e.g. Genesis 45:16
- 1. be heard, of voice, sound, etc., 1 S 1:13; 1 K 6:7; Jb 26:14 (or 1 pl. Qal Impf.?); of a report, נִשׁ׳ … לֵאמֹר Gn 45:16 (E); subj. cl., כִּי, Ne 6:1 (ל pers.), cf. cl. וְהַיְהוּדִים חשְׁבִים Ne 6:6; v 7 be reported, (לַמֶּלֶךְ) כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה; be heard, לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֶיךָ Dn 10:12. e.g. 1 Samuel 1:13
- 2. be heard of, כָּמֹהוּ Dt 4:32. e.g. Deuteronomy 4:32
- 3. be regarded, obeyed, Ec 9:17; in 2 S 22:45 = ψ 18:45 it is be obedient (לִי), si vera l. (read perhaps Qal, cf. Now). e.g. Ecclesiastes 9:17
- 4. וַיִּשּׁ׳ בְּקוֹלָם 2 Ch 30:27 = (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice. e.g. 2 Chronicles 30:27
Piel
- Impf. 3 ms. וַיְשַׁמַּע 1 S 15:4 he caused the people (acc.) to hear (and respond, i.e. he assembled them), so 23:8 (v. Hiph. 1 d). e.g. 1 Samuel 15:4
Hiphil
- Pf. 3 ms. הִשְׁמִיעַ 1 K 15:22 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. sf. יַשְׁמִעֵנִי Dt 30:12, 13; 2 ms. juss. תַּשְׁמַע Ju 18:25, etc.; Imv. ms. sf. הַשְׁמִיעֵנִי ψ 143:8; fs. sf. הַשְׁמִיעִנִי Ct 2:14; 8:13, etc.; Inf. cstr. לַשְׁמִעַ ψ 26:7 (Ges§ 53q); Pt. מַשְׁמִיעַ Je 4:15 +, etc.;— e.g. 1 Kings 15:22
- 1. of man:
- a. cause to hear, acc. pers. + rei Dt 30:12, 13; Ct 2:14; 8:13 + 4 times; obj. rei om. (= make proclamation to) 1 K 15:22; obj. pers. om. Je 5:20 +; acc. שָׁלוֹם †Is 52:7; Na 2:1 i.e. proclaim peace; אָוֶן †Je 4:15 (מִן loc.); הַשׁ׳ קוֹל utter a sound Jos 6:10 (J; ‖ הֵרִיעַ), cf. Ju 18:25 (קוֹלְךָ, + עִמָּנוּ), Is 42:2; 58:4; הִשׁ׳ קוֹל תְּהִלָּתוֹ †ψ 66:8, בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה †26:7. e.g. Deuteronomy 30:12
- b. abs. as musical term, sound aloud, בִּמְצִלְתַּיִם לְהַשְׁמִיעַ 1 Ch 15:19 (perhaps to mark the time, Gr ψ 67 De: cf. 16:5; also ψ 150:5 בְּצִלְצְלֵי שָׁ֑מַע), מַשְׁמִיעִים 15:16, 28; 16:42, לְהַשׁ׳ קוֹל אֶחָד 2 Ch 5:13 i.e. prob. in unison (PrinceEB iii. 3241), Ne 12:42. e.g. 1 Chronicles 15:19
- c. abs. make proclamation (often ‖ הִגִּיד), Am 3:9; 4:5; Is 41:26; Je 4:5 + 6 times Je. e.g. Amos 3:9
- d. הַשְׁמִיעוּ, acc. pers. + אֶל loc. = summon Je 50:29, עַל loc. 51:27 (cf. Pi.). e.g. Jeremiah 50:29
- 2. י׳ subj.:
- a. cause to hear, acc. pers. et rei Dt 4:10, 36 (מִן loc.), 2 K 7:6 + 4 times; acc. pers. om. Is 30:30 + 3 times; acc. rei om. 44:8; 48:5. e.g. Deuteronomy 4:10
- b. = tell, acc. pers. + כָּזֹאת Ju 13:23; acc. pers. only, Is 42:9; acc. rei only, 48:3; Ez 36:15 (אֵלַיִךְ). e.g. Judges 13:23
- c. abs., make proclamation Is 43:12; 62:11 (אֶל loc.). e.g. Isaiah 43:12
שמע II [m.] sound
שמע III m. usually Σαμα(α), Σεμαα (cf. Sab. n.pr. סמע Hal509)
- 1. in Judah 1 Ch 2:44, שָׁ֑מַע v 43. e.g. 1 Chronicles 2:44
- 2. in Reuben 5:8. e.g. 1 Chronicles 5:8
- 3. in Benj. 8:13 (= שִׁמְעִי v 21). e.g. 1 Chronicles 8:13
- 4. post-ex. Ne 8:4, Σαμαιας. e.g. Nehemiah 8:4
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
I. vb. hear (NH id.; Ph. שמע Lzb378; Assyrian šemǔ; Arabic سَمِعَ; Sab. סמע, mostly in deriv., especially epith. div. סמע he who hears HomChr 124 FellZMG iiv (1900), 250, 252 DHMHofmus. No. 10, l. 1; Ethiopic ሰምዐ Aramaic שְׁמַע, ܫܡܰܥ, Old Aramaic שמע Lzb 378; cf. also משמעת MI 28 obedience);—
II. n.pr.m. usually Σαμα(α), Σεμαα (cf. Sab. n.pr. סמע Hal509);—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Origin: a primitive root
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
שָׁמַע
- (b. h.) [to be still,] to hear, listen, obey; to understand. R. Hash. IV, 2 כל עיר … ושׁוֹמַעַת וכ׳ every township near Jerusalem from where you can see (the city) and hear (the Shofar) &c. Ib. 21ᵇ עד שיִשְׁמְעוּ … מקודש until they heard from the mouth of the court m’ḳuddash (v. קָרַשׁ). Snh. 90ᵃ שְׁמַע לו listen to him (obey the prophet’s command); אל תִּשְׁמַע לו listen not to him. Keth. 5ᵇ אם יִשְׁמַע וכ׳ if a man hears an improper word &c., v. שָׁפָה II. Ber. 13ᵃ the text (Deut. VI, 4) says ‘hear’ (or ‘understand’), בכל לשון שאתה שׁוֹמֵעַ recite the Sh’mʿa in whatever language you understand. R. Hash. III, 7 אם קול שופר ש׳ if he heard the sound of a Shofar; ואם קול הברה ש׳, v. הֲבָרָה. Y. Hor. I, 46ᵃ top נותנין לו שהות עד שׁיִשְׁמַע we allow him time enough that he may have heard (the decision of the other court), opp. to עד שישמע (not שישפע) (he is not guilty) until he has really heard it; a. v. fr. e.g. Deuteronomy 6:4
- 1. to cause to hear; to announce. Ber. l. c. הַשְׁמַע לאזניך וכ׳ let thy ears hear what thou utterest &c. Ib. לא ה׳ לאזנו if he read the Sh’inʿa inaudibly to himself. R. Hash. 28ᵇ עד שיתכוין שומע ומַשְׁמִיעַ until he that hears (the Shofar) and he that causes to hear (that blows) have the intention to perform a religious act. Shek. I, 1 מַשְׁמִיעִין על השקלים וכ׳ (Y. ed. מְשַׁמְּעִין, Pi.) public announcement is made concerning the contribution of the half-Shekels &c.; a. fr.
- 2. (sub. עצמו) to show one’s self obedient, be persuaded, surrender, v. Nif.
- 1. to announce, v. supra. Y. Shek. I, beg. 45ᶜ; Y. Meg. I, 71ᵃ.
- 2. to assemble for mourning services, invite. Snh. 47ᵃ הלינו לכבודו לשַׁמֵּעַ עליו וכ׳ if burial is postponed for the honor of the dead, to assemble the surrounding townships for his funeral, to bring on lamenting women &c.
- 1. to be heard; to be listened to, be obeyed. Ber. 6ᵃ אין תפלה … נִשְׁמַעַת וכ׳ man’s prayer is heard only in the house of prayer. Y. ib. V, end, 9ᵇ שׁנִשְׁמְעָה תפלתו that his prayer will be heard (his petition be granted). Erub. 18ᵇ כל בית שׁנִשְׁמָעִין וכ׳ a house in which the words of the Law are heard by night will never be destroyed. Yeb. 65ᵇ כשם … דבר הנִשְׁמָע וכ׳ as well as it is proper to say a thing that has been heard (to mention one’s authority), so it is proper not to say a thing that has not been heard (for which you cannot cite your authority); a. fr.
- 2. to show one’s self willing; to submit to authority; (of woman) to surrender. R. Hash. 25ᵇ אשרי הדור שהגדולים נִשְׁמָעִים וכ׳ blessed the generation in which the superiors (in wisdom) submit to the authority of their inferiors, and how much more when inferiors acknowledge the authority of their superiors!—Snh. 82ᵃ הִשָּׁמְעִי לי (ed. הַשְׁמִיעִי לי) surrender thyself to me; לא תִשָּׁמְעִי אלא וכ׳ surrender thyself only to a prominent man among them; Sifré Num. 131; ib. רצונך שׁאֶשָּׁמַע לך הנזר וכ׳ if thou desirest me to surrender myself to thee, renounce the law of Moses; Yalk. ib. 771. Y. Succ. V, 55ᵇ top נִשְׁמָעוֹת … לליגיונותי וכ׳ if you will surrender to my legions, I will not put you to death. Snh. 93ᵃ הַשְׁמִיעִי אל וכ׳ surrender thyself to Zedekiah; a. fr.
שְׁמַע I
- Targ. Gen. XXVII, 5. Targ. Ex. XVIII, 1. Targ. Job IV, 16; a. v. fr.—Part. pass. שְׁמִיעַ; f. שְׁמִיעָא. Targ. Ps. XXIX, 3, sq. Targ. II Chr. VII, 12; a. fr.—Y. Ter. X, 47ᵇ bot. אנא מה דשַׁמְעִית ואינון מה דשַׁמְעוּן I report what I have heard, and they, what they have heard. Sabb. 46ᵇ הא שַׁמְעִינָן ליה לר"ש וכ׳ have we not heard what R. S. says &c.? Y. Sot. VII, beg. 21ᵇ, v. אֲלִנִיסְטִי; a. v. fr.—שמיע ל־ he has heard, he knows of. Erub. 9ᵇ ור"י מי לא ש׳ ליה הא but has R. J. not heard that (does he not know that Boraitha of R. Ḥiya)? ש׳ ליה ולא סבר (v. Rabb. D. S. a. l.) he knows of it, but does not accept it. Ib. 10ᵃ, a. fr. לא ש׳ לי הא שמעתתא this tradition is not known to me. Pes. 34ᵃ מידי ש׳ לך בהא do you know anything about this (hălakhah)?; a. v. fr.—Esp. שמע מ־ to understand from, to infer, prove. Ab. Zar. 72ᵇ, a. fr. ש׳ מינה וכ׳ (abbrev. ש"מ) deduce from this that &c. Ib. שַׁמְעַת מינה וכ׳ wilt thou conclude from this that &c.? Ib., a. fr. אלא מהא ליכא למִשְׁמַע מינה but (the conclusion is,) you can derive nothing from this.—Ib., a. fr. תא שמע (abbrev. ת"ש; v. אֲתָא) come and learn, i.e. derive it from the following. Sabb. 13ᵇ ת"ש … ש"מ ואלו תנן ש"מ I will prove it (from this Tosefta): ‘you must not …, and those are some of the halakhoth &c.’, which proves that the right version is ‘and those’: it stands proved. Y. M. Kat. III, 83ᵃ top נִישְׁמְעִינָהּ מן הדא let us prove it from this; a. v. fr.
- 1. to make music; to sing, v. Af.
- שַׁמְּעָא) to minister to, be an attendant of. Ber. 41ᵇ מאן … ונְשַׁמְּעִינָךְ would that we had iron feet, that we could always wait on thee! Meg. 28ᵇ ניחא לי דאֲשַׁמְּעֵיה למר (Ms. M. דאשתמש ליה למר, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l.) it gives me pleasure to be your servant; a. e.
- 1. to cause to hear, cause to be heard, announce, proclaim. Targ. Deut. IV, 36. Targ. Is. LII, 7. Targ. Ps. XXVI, 7; a. fr.—Esp. (interch. with Pa.) to make music, play; to be a musician. Targ. I Sam. XXIX, 5 (Ms. Pa.). Targ. I Chr. XV, 16. Ib. XVI, 42 מַשְׁמְעַיָּא ed. Lag. (ed. Rahmer משמעייאה, Var. מַשְׁמְעַיָּה; h. text מַשְׁמִיעִים) musicians. Targ. Ps. CL, 5 דמְשַׁמְּעִין לבדוחא Ms. (ed. Lag. דמשמעין בלחודיהון; ed. Wil. a. oth. דשמעין בלחודיהון, corr. acc.). Ib. דמַשְׁ׳ ביבבא (Ms. Pa.).
- 2. to give to understand; to teach, prove. Ber. 2ᵃ מילתא … קא מַשְׁמַע לן וכ׳ (the Tannai in using such an expression) wants to teach us something by the way: when do the priests eat &c.; והא קמשמע לן וכ׳ (abbrev. קמ"ל) and it is this he teaches us, that the sacrifice of atonement is not indispensable &c. Ib. 4ᵇ לאפוקי … קמ"ל דחובה in opposition to the opinion that the evening prayer is optional, he gives us to understand that it is obligatory. Sabb. 19ᵃ מהו דתימא … קמ"ל you may have thought (that the cases are different, because) this devolves upon him, and the other does not, therefore he teaches us (that they are the same). Ib. 108ᵃ מאי קמ"ל what does he teach us (is it not a matter of course)? Ber. 21ᵃ sq. דאי אַשְׁמְעִינָן וכ׳, v. צְרִיךְ; a. v. fr.—Part. pass. מַשְׁמֵע a) understood. Yeb. 102ᵇ מ׳ הכי ומ׳ הכי it may be understood thus (it may mean, ‘to take off’), and may be understood thus (it may mean, ‘to strengthen’); a. fr.—2) inferred, proved; evidence. Sabb. 84ᵇ מאי מ׳ how is this proved (from the verse quoted)? Erub. 65ᵃ מאי מ׳ וכ׳ what evidence is there &c.?, v. פּוּק. Ib. מַשְׁמְעֵי, v. infra; a. fr.—V. מַשְׁמָע.
- 1. to be heard, let one’s self be heard. Targ. Gen. XLV, 16. Targ. Job XXXVII, 4 Ms. (ed. ישמע). Targ. Ps. LXXVII, 19; a. fr.—Snh. 95ᵇ (prov.) אגב אורחך … א׳ on thy road let thy enemy hear from thee, i.e. take revenge when occasion offers. R. Hash. 27ᵃ תרתי … לא מִשְׁתַּמְּעֵי … משתמעי two different sounds produced simultaneously by the same person are not distinctly perceived, but if produced by two persons, they are. Erub. l. c. מכדי קראי מִשְׁתַּמְּעֵי בין למר וכ׳ Ms. M. (ed. משמעי, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note) since verses may be quoted in favor of the one as well as of the other, what is the practical difference between them?; a. fr.
- 2. to make one’s self subservient, obey; to surrender to the enemy, desert. Targ. II Kings XXV, 11 (h. text נפלו). Ib. VII, 4. Targ. Ps. XVIII, 45; II Sam. XXII, 45; a. fr. e.g. 2 Samuel 22:45
שְׁמַע II
- (v. Deut. VI, 4) Sh’mʿa, the confession of faith in the morning and evening prayers (recitation of Deut. VI, 4-9; XI, 13-21; Num. XVI, 37-41). Targ. Y. I Num. XXV, 6. Targ. II Esth. III, 8.—Ber. I, 1 מאימתי קורין את ש׳ וכ׳ from what time of the day may we read the Sh’mʿa of the evening prayer? Ib. II, 2 (13ᵃ) למה קדמה (פרשת) ש׳ וכ׳ why does the reading of the section of Sh’mʿa (Deut. VI, 4–9) precede that of v’hayah (ib. XI, 13-21) Ib. בין שניה לש׳ ובין ש׳ וכ׳ between the second benediction and Sh’mʿa (the first section), and between Sh’mʿa and v’hayah &c.; a. fr.—קריאת ש׳ (abbr. ק"ש), v. קְרִיאָה. Ib. 2ᵃ ק"ש דשכיבה the recitation of Sh’mʿa at bed-time. Num. R. s. 2020 עומדין … וחוטפין ק"ש וכ׳ they rise from their sleep like lions, and hasten to read the Sh’mʿa, and proclaim the kingship of the Lord &c. Ib. והוא … בק"ש משומרי וכ׳ and with the recital of the Sh’mʿa he is handed over from the guards of the day to those of the night. Ber. 4ᵇ אע"פ שקרא אדם ק"ש וכ׳ although one has read the Sh. in synagogue, it is proper to recite it again on going to bed. Ib. 5ᵃ אם … ואם לאו יקרא ק"ש if he conquers it (the evil thought), it is well, and if not, let him read the Sh.; a. v. fr. e.g. Deuteronomy 6:4
שֵׁמַע
- 1. report, fame. Deut. R. s. 1, end היו … שומעים שִׁמְעֲכֶם וכ׳ the nations heard of your fame and were afraid; a. e.
- 2. = מִשְׁמָע understanding, meaning. Sifré Num. 142 (ref. to Num. XXVIII, 3) כשִׁמְעוֹ וכ׳ (trad. pronunc. כִּשְׁמָעוֹ) according to its literal meaning, two each day. e.g. Numbers 28:3
שֵׁמַע ²
- , report, fame. Targ. Gen. XXIX, 13. Targ. Ps. XVIII, 45; II Sam. XXII, 45 ed. Lag. (oth. שְׁמוֹעַ, שְׁמוּעַ). Targ. Josh. VI, 27 שִׁמְעֵיה (some ed. שָׁמְ׳); a. e. e.g. 2 Samuel 22:45
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 535 distinct written forms H8085 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that stem’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 475 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H8085, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derived from this word
- השמעות hashmâʻûwth H2045 report
- משמע mishmâʻ H4926 rumor
- שמע shᵉmaʻ H8086 to hear
- שמע shêmaʻ H8088 hearing
- שמע shômaʻ H8089 report
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
- אשתמע ʼEshtᵉmôaʻ H851 Eshtemoh
- ישמעאל Yishmâʻêʼl H3458 Ishmael
- ישמעיה Yishmaʻyâh H3460 Ishmaiah
- שמואל Shᵉmûwʼêl H8050 Samuel
- שמע Shâmâʻ H8091 Shama
- שמעון Shimʻôwn H8095 Simeon
- שמעיה Shᵉmaʻyâh H8098 Shemaiah
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 13 — not the complete family. 7 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 990 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 1,072 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 3:8
- Exodus 2:15
- Leviticus 5:1
- Numbers 7:89
- Deuteronomy 1:16
- Joshua 1:17
- Judges 2:2
- Ruth 1:6
- 1 Samuel 1:13
- 2 Samuel 3:28
- 1 Kings 1:11
- 2 Kings 3:21
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
