שָׁמַע

hebrewOld TestamentVerb1,159 occurrences39 books1,072 verses

Definition

a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
Traditional renderings: × attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.

In the Greek Old Testament

How the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament renders שָׁמַע:

ἀκούωakouō“to hear”76%
εἰσακούωeisakouō“to listen to”14%
ὑπακούωhupakouō“to obey”2%
ἐπακούωepakouō“to listen to”1%
ἀκοήakoē“hearing”1%

Usage patterns

LawHistoryPoetryProphetsGospelsEpistles

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

1,159 total

2 Chronicles 30:27וַיִּשָּׁמַ֖ע · and God heard
Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place in heaven.
2 Chronicles 33:13וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע · and heard
And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition. So He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
2 Chronicles 34:19כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ · heard
When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes
2 Chronicles 34:26שָׁמָֽעְתָּ׃ · you heard
But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard,
2 Chronicles 34:27בְּשָׁמְעֲךָ֤ · when you heard; שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי · have heard [you]
…because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its people, and because you have humbled yourself before Me and have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.
2 Chronicles 35:22שָׁמַ֛ע · listen
Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo.
Ezra 3:13נִשְׁמַ֖ע · was heard
The people could not distinguish the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people were making so much noise. And the sound was heard from afar.
Ezra 4:1וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ · heard
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
Ezra 9:3וּכְשָׁמְעִי֙ · When I heard
When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror.
Nehemiah 1:4כְּשָׁמְעִ֣י׀ · When I heard
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 1:6לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ · to hear
…let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.
Nehemiah 2:10וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע · heard about this
But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites.
Nehemiah 2:19וַיִּשְׁמַע֩ · heard about this
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked us and ridiculed us, saying, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
Nehemiah 4:1שָׁמַ֣ע · heard
Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews
Nehemiah 4:4שְׁמַ֤ע · Hear us
Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.
Nehemiah 4:7שָׁמַ֣ע · heard
When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,
Nehemiah 4:15שָׁמְע֤וּ · heard
When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.
Nehemiah 4:20תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ · you hear
Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”
Nehemiah 5:6שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ · I heard
When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,
Nehemiah 6:1נִשְׁמַ֣ע · heard
When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates—
Nehemiah 6:6נִשְׁמָע֙ · It is reported
…that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king,
Nehemiah 6:7יִשָּׁמַ֣ע · will reach the ears
…and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.”
Nehemiah 6:16שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ · heard about this
When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.
Nehemiah 8:2לִשְׁמֹ֑עַ · who could listen
On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.
Nehemiah 8:9כְּשָׁמְעָ֖ם · as they heard
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law.
Nehemiah 8:15יַשְׁמִ֗יעוּ · they should proclaim
…and that they should proclaim this message and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”
Nehemiah 9:9שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ · You heard
You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.
Nehemiah 9:16שָׁמְע֖וּ · obey
But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.
Nehemiah 9:17לִשְׁמֹ֗עַ · to listen
They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.
Nehemiah 9:27תִּשְׁמָ֔ע · heard them
So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.
Nehemiah 9:28תִּשְׁמַ֛ע · heard
But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.
Nehemiah 9:29שָׁמְע֤וּ · and disobeyed; שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃ · obey
You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They turned a stubborn shoulder; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.
Nehemiah 12:42וַיַּשְׁמִ֙יעוּ֙ · sang out
…and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. Then the choirs sang out under the direction of Jezrahiah.
Nehemiah 12:43וַתִּשָּׁמַ֛ע · was heard
On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.
Nehemiah 13:3כְּשָׁמְעָ֣ם · [the people] heard
As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
Nehemiah 13:27הֲנִשְׁמַ֗ע · Must we now hear
Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
Esther 1:18שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ · have heard
This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
Esther 1:20וְנִשְׁמַע֩ · will be heard
The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom—and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”
Esther 2:8בְּהִשָּׁמַ֤ע · had been proclaimed
When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.
Esther 3:4שָׁמַ֖ע · comply
Day after day they warned him, but he would not comply. So they reported it to Haman to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew.
Job 2:11וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ · heard
Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.
Job 3:18שָׁ֝מְע֗וּ · hear
The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
Job 4:16אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ · and I heard
It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice:
Job 5:27שְׁ֝מָעֶ֗נָּה · So hear it
Indeed, we have investigated, and it is true! So hear it and know for yourself.”
Job 13:1שָֽׁמְעָ֥ה · have heard
“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood.
Job 13:6שִׁמְעוּ־ · Hear
Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.
Job 13:17שִׁמְע֣וּ · Listen carefully; שָׁ֭מוֹעַ
Listen carefully to my words; let my declaration ring in your ears.