This verb commands silence, calling for quiet attention. Moses uses it at a crucial moment in Deuteronomy: 'Keep silence and listen, O Israel!' The command precedes a solemn declaration that Israel has become Yahweh's people. The Hiphil imperative calls for active silencing—not passive quiet but deliberate cessation of noise to focus completely on what follows. The Arabic and Syriac cognates similarly mean to be quiet or silent, often in the sense of listening attentively. The verb recognizes that hearing important things requires stopping other activities and creating receptive stillness.