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“obey.” In Abraham’s seed, all nations would be blessed because he “heard” (obeyed)
God’s voice (Gen. 22:18).
Another nuance of intellectual “hearing” appears in Gen. 11:7, in which we are told
that God planned to confuse human language, “that they may not understand one
another’s speech.”
To have a “hearing heart” is to have “discernment” or “understanding” (1 Kings 3:9).
Certainly when Moses told Israel’s judges to “hear” cases, he meant more than listening
with one’s ear. He meant for them to examine the merits of a case, so as to render a just
decision (Deut. 1:16).
B. Nouns.
(
, 8089), means “things heard by accident; hearsay.” This word appears
infrequently in the Old Testament, as in Josh. 6:27: “So the Lord was with Joshua; and
his
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was noised throughout all the country.”
(
, 8088), “something heard
by design; report.” The Old Testament attests this word 17 times. Gen. 29:13 contains
one occurrence: “And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings [
] of Jacob
his sister’s son.…
$
(
, 8052), “revelation; something heard.” This word
appears 27 times. One appearance is in Isa. 28:9: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and
whom shall he make to understand doctrine [
$
]?”
HEART
A. Noun.
( , 3820), “heart; mind; midst.”
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and its synonym
appear 860 times in
the Old Testament. The law, prophets, and Psalms often speak of the “heart.” The root
occurs also in Akkadian, Assyrian, Egyptian, Ugaritic, Aramaic, Arabic, and post-biblical
Hebrew. The corresponding Aramaic nouns occur seven times in the Book of Daniel.
“Heart” is used first of man in Gen. 6:5: “And God saw that the wickedness of man
was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only
evil continually.” In Gen. 6:6 is used of God: “And it repented the Lord that he had
made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”
“Heart” may refer to the organ of the body: “And Aaron shall bear the names of the
children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the
holy place …” (Exod. 28:29); “… [Joab] took three darts in his hand, and thrust them
through the heart of Absalom …” (2 Sam. 18:14); “My heart panteth …” (Ps. 38:10).
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may also refer to the inner part or middle of a thing: “… and the depths were congealed
in the heart of the sea” (Exod. 15:8); “… and the mountain burned with fire in the midst
[
RSV
, “to the heart”] of heaven …” (Deut. 4:11,
KJV
)“Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth
down in the midst of the sea …” (Prov. 23:34).
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can be used of the inner man, contrasted to the outer man, as in Deut. 30:14:
“But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do
it” (cf. Joel 2:13); “… man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on
the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).
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is often compounded with “soul” for emphasis, as in 2
Chron. 15:12; “And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers
with all their heart and with all their soul” (cf. 2 Chron. 15:15).
:
(“soul; life; self”)