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

Isaiah 39:1וַיִּשְׁמַ֕ע · for he had heard
At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard about Hezekiah’s illness and recovery.
Isaiah 39:5שְׁמַ֖ע · Hear
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of Hosts:
Isaiah 40:21תִשְׁמָ֔עוּ · heard
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the foundation of the earth?
Isaiah 40:28שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ · heard
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.
Isaiah 41:22הַשְׁמִיעֻֽנוּ׃ · announce to us
“Let them come and tell us what will happen. Tell the former things, so that we may reflect on them and know the outcome. Or announce to us what is coming.
Isaiah 41:26מַשְׁמִ֔יעַ · foretold it; שֹׁמֵ֖עַ · one heard
Who has declared this from the beginning, so that we may know, and from times past, so that we may say: ‘He was right’? No one announced it, no one foretold it, no one heard your words.
Isaiah 42:2יַשְׁמִ֥יעַ · heard
He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets.
Isaiah 42:9אַשְׁמִ֥יע · I proclaim them
Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”
Isaiah 42:18שְׁמָ֑עוּ · Listen
Listen, you deaf ones; look, you blind ones, that you may see!
Isaiah 42:20יִשְׁמָֽע׃ · hear
Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.”
Isaiah 42:23וְיִשְׁמַ֖ע · and obey
Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen and obey hereafter?
Isaiah 42:24שָׁמְע֖וּ · obey
Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? They were unwilling to walk in His ways, and they would not obey His law.
Isaiah 43:9יַשְׁמִיעֻ֑נוּ · and proclaim to us; וְיִשְׁמְע֖וּ · so that others may hear
All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and proclaim to us the former things? Let them present their witnesses to vindicate them, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
Isaiah 43:12וְהִשְׁמַ֔עְתִּי · and proclaimed
I alone decreed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you. So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
Isaiah 44:1שְׁמַ֖ע · listen
But now listen, O Jacob My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen.
Isaiah 44:8הִשְׁמַעְתִּ֥יךָ · told you
Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.”
Isaiah 45:21הִשְׁמִיעַ֩ · foretold
Speak up and present your case—yes, let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and Savior; there is none but Me.
Isaiah 46:3שִׁמְע֤וּ · Listen
“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth.
Isaiah 46:12שִׁמְע֥וּ · Listen
Listen to Me, you stubborn people, far removed from righteousness:
Isaiah 47:8שִׁמְעִי־ · hear
So now hear this, O lover of luxury who sits securely, who says to herself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or know the loss of children.’
Isaiah 48:1שִׁמְעוּ־ · Listen
“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness—
Isaiah 48:3וְאַשְׁמִיעֵ֑ם · and I proclaimed them
I foretold the former things long ago; they came out of My mouth and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
Isaiah 48:5הִשְׁמַעְתִּ֑יךָ · I announced it
Therefore I declared it to you long ago; I announced it before it came to pass, so that you could not claim, ‘My idol has done this; my carved image and molten god has ordained it.’
Isaiah 48:6שָׁמַ֤עְתָּֽ · You have heard [these things]; הִשְׁמַעְתִּ֤יךָ · I will tell you of
You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not acknowledge them? From now on I will tell you of new things, hidden things unknown to you.
Isaiah 48:7שְׁמַעְתָּ֑ם · heard of them
They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot claim, ‘I already knew them!’
Isaiah 48:8שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ · heard
You have never heard; you have never understood; for a long time your ears have not been open. For I knew how deceitful you are; you have been called a rebel from birth.
Isaiah 48:12שְׁמַ֤ע · Listen
Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I have called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.
Isaiah 48:14וּֽשֲׁמָ֔עוּ · and listen
Come together, all of you, and listen: Which of the idols has foretold these things? The LORD’s chosen ally will carry out His desire against Babylon, and His arm will be against the Chaldeans.
Isaiah 48:16שִׁמְעוּ־ · and listen
Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit.
Isaiah 48:20הַשְׁמִ֙יעוּ֙ · proclaim
Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare it with a shout of joy, proclaim it, let it go out to the ends of the earth, saying, “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!”
Isaiah 49:1שִׁמְע֤וּ · Listen
Listen to Me, O islands; pay attention, O distant peoples: The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me.
Isaiah 50:4לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ · to listen
The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
Isaiah 50:10שֹׁמֵ֖עַ · [and] obeys
Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
Isaiah 51:1שִׁמְע֥וּ · Listen
“Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut, and to the quarry from which you were hewn.
Isaiah 51:7שִׁמְע֤וּ · Listen
Listen to Me, you who know what is right, you people with My law in your hearts: Do not fear the scorn of men; do not be broken by their insults.
Isaiah 51:21שִׁמְעִי־ · hear
Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one, drunken, but not with wine.
Isaiah 52:7מַשְׁמִ֧יעַ · who proclaim; מַשְׁמִ֣יעַ · who proclaim
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Isaiah 52:15שָׁמְע֖וּ · heard
…so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.
Isaiah 55:2שִׁמְע֨וּ · Listen carefully; שָׁמ֤וֹעַ
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.
Isaiah 55:3שִׁמְע֖וּ · listen
Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.
Isaiah 58:4לְהַשְׁמִ֥יעַ · be heard
You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high.
Isaiah 59:1מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃ · to hear
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.
Isaiah 59:2מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ׃ · so that He does not hear
But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
Isaiah 60:18יִשָּׁמַ֨ע · be heard
No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders. But you will name your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
Isaiah 62:11הִשְׁמִ֙יעַ֙ · has proclaimed
Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say to Daughter Zion: See, your Savior comes! Look, His reward is with Him, and His recompense goes before Him.”