שָׁמַע1159 H8085
To hear, listen, heed, obey; in Hifil: cause to hear, proclaim; in Niphal: be heard
The verb shama (שָׁמַע) encodes a progression from passive perception to active obedience that is central to biblical theology. Occurring over 1,150 times, it moves from simply hearing a sound, to deliberately listening, to obeying what is heard — a spectrum that the famous Shema prayer (Deut 6:4) exploits brilliantly, since 'Hear, O Israel' simultaneously demands auditory attention, intellectual understanding, and covenantal obedience. The Hifil causative adds the dimension of proclamation, while the Niphal passive captures sounds and reputations that 'are heard' without a named agent.
3. Hifil: cause to hear, proclaim, announce — Hifil causative: to cause someone to hear, proclaim publicly. Arabic Form IV أَسْمَعَ ('to make hear') parallels the morphology; Spanish hacer oír and French faire entendre confirm the causative reading. God caused Israel to hear at Sinai (Deut 4:10); Levitical musicians 'caused to be heard' in worship (1 Chr 15:16, 15:28). 28×
AR["أَسْمَعْتُكَ","أَسْمِعِينِي","أَسْمِعْنِي","الْمُنَادِي","لِ-يُسْمِعُوا","مُسْمِعٌ","مُسْمِعٍ","مُسْمِعِينَ","هَشْمِيعِينِي","وَ-أَسْمَعْتُهَا","وَ-أَسْمِعُوهُ","وَأَسْمِعُوا","يُسْمِعُ"]·ben["-যে-ঘোষণা-করে","আমাকে-শোনাও","আমাকে-শোনাও।","আমি-তোমাকে-শুনিয়েছি","আমি-তোমাকে-শুনিয়েছিলাম","এবং-আমি-তাদের-শোনালাম","এবং-শোনাও","ও-আসফ","ও-বীণা","ও-সাথে","পিতল-এর","শুনিয়েছি-তোমাকে","শোনাও-আমাকে","শোনাতে","শোনানো-যে-","শ্রুতিকারক"]·DE["hoeren","hoerte","lass-mich-hören","und-hoeren"]·EN["I-caused-you-to-hear","I-have-caused-you-to-hear","and-I-caused-them-to-be-heard","and-proclaim","and-proclaim-it","caused-you-to-hear","causing-to-hear","for-sounding","let-me-hear","proclaiming","sounding","to-sound"]·FR["entendre","et-entendre","fais-moi-entendre","fais-moi-entendre!","écouter"]·heb["השמיעיני","השמעתיך","ו-אשמיעם","ו-השמיעו","ו-השמיעוה","ל-שמע","משמיע","שמע","תשמיעני"]·HI["और-घोषणा-करो","और-मैंने-उन्हें-सुनाया","और-सुनाओ-इसे","के-लिए-आवाज़-तेरी","बजाता-था","बजाने-के-लिए","भलाईका-खुशखबरी-लानेवालेके","मैंने-तुझे-सुनाया","सुना-मुझे","सुनाने","सुनाने-वाला","सुनानेवाले","सुनाया-मैंने-तुझे"]·ID["Aku-memberitahu-engkau","Aku-memperdengarkan-kepadamu","dan-Aku-memperdengarkannya","dan-perdengarkan","dan-siarkanlah","memperdengarkan","perdengarkanlah-kepadaku","untuk-memperdengarkan","yang-memberitakan","yang-memperdengarkan","yang-mengabarkan"]·IT["ascoltare","e-udire","udi'","udire","udire-mio"]·jav["Ingsun-sampun-pirsakaken-dhateng-panjenengan","ingkang-nyuwantenaken","kanggé-mirengaken","kanggé-ngombè-kaken","lah","lan-Ingsun-sampun-pirsakaken","lan-suwantenkna-piyambakipun","lan-undhangna","martosaken","mugi-panjenengan-nepangaken-kula","ngombè-kaken","tiyang-kang-ngumumaken"]·KO["그리고-들려주라","그리고-들리게-하라-그것을","그리고-들리게-했으니","기쁨-과","들려다오-나-에게","들려주는-자가","들려주었으며-너에게","들리게-하는","들리게-하려고-","들리게-했느니라","들리게하는-자","들리게하는-자들","선포하는","에-들리게하는-자들","에-들리게하다"]·PT["Faze-me-ouvir","anunciando","e-as-fiz-ouvir","e-fazei-ouvir","e-fazei-ouvir-isso","faze-me-ouvir","fazendo-soar","fiz-te-ouvir","o-que-faz-ouvir","para-fazer-ouvir","para-fazer-soar","proclamando","te-fiz-ouvir"]·RU["возвещающего","дай-слышать-мне","дай-услышать-мне","дай-услышать-мне.","дал-Я-тебе-услышать","для-играющих","звучать","звучащие","звучащих","и-возвестил-Я","и-огласите","и-провозгласите-это","играющий","объявляющего","сообщил-тебе","чтобы-давать-слышать"]·ES["Te-hice-oír","el-que-hace-oír","hacer-oír","haciendo-oír","hazme-oír","para-hacer-oír","para-los-que-hacían-oír","quien-proclame","te-hice-oír","te-lo-hice-oír","y-hacedlo-oír","y-las-hice-oír","y-proclamad"]·SW["Unifanye-kusikia","akipiga","aliyejulisha","anayetangaza","kupiga","kupigia-kelele","kusikizana","na-lisikizeni","na-mtangazie","na-nikayasikiza","nilikujulisha","nilikusikiza","nimekusikiza","nisikize","wakipiga-kelele"]·TR["duyur-bana","duyuran","duyuranın","duyurdum-sana","duyurmak-için","ses-çıkaranlar-için","ve-duyurdum","ve-duyurun","ve-duyurun-onu","çalıyordu","çıkaranlar","çıkarmak-için"]·urd["اور-سناؤ","اور-میں-نے-سنائیں-اُنہیں","سنا","سنا-مجھے","سنانے-والا","سنانے-والے","سنانے-کے-لیے","سُناتا-تھا","سُناتے-ہوئے","سُنانے-والوں-کے-لیے","سُنانے-والے","سُنانے-کے-لیے","میں-نے-تجھے-سنائیں","میں-نے-تجھے-سنایا"]
Deut 4:10, 1 Chr 15:16, 1 Chr 15:19, 1 Chr 15:28, 1 Chr 16:5, 1 Chr 16:42, 2 Chr 5:13, Neh 8:15, Ps 26:7, Ps 51:8, Ps 76:8, Ps 143:8 (+16 more)
▼ 6 more senses below
Senses
1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally — Basic auditory perception in the Qal: the ear receives sound without implied volition. Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʿa) and cognates across Semitic languages confirm this as the unmarked root meaning. Dominant at 921 occurrences — Lamech says 'hear my voice' (Gen 4:23), and prophetic reception is described as simply hearing (Num 12:6). 921×
AR["اسمَعوا","اسْمَعوا","اسْمَعُوا","اسْمَعُوا-","اسْمَعْنَ","اِسمَعوا","اِسمَعِي","اِسْمَعوا","اِسْمَعُوا"]·ben["শুনুন","শেন","শোন","শোনো"]·DE["hoere","hoere-","hoeren","hoert","hörte"]·EN["Hear","hear","hear-"]·FR["entendre","entends","entends-","écouter"]·heb["שמע","שמעו","שמענה"]·HI["शिम्ऊ","सुनो","सुनो-"]·ID["Dengarkanlah","Dengarlah","dengarkanlah","dengarlah","dengarlah-"]·IT["ascoltare","odi","odi-","udi'","udire","udite"]·jav["Mireng-a","Mirengaken","Mirengna","midhangétna","mirengna","mugi-midhangetaken"]·KO["들어라","들으라"]·PT["Ouvi","ouvi"]·RU["Слушайте","Слушайте,","слушайте","слушайте-"]·ES["Escuchad","Oíd","escuchad","escuchen","oigan","oíd"]·SW["Sikieni","Sikilizeni","sikieni","sikilizeni"]·TR["Dinleyin","dinleyin","duyun","işitin"]·urd["سنو"]
Gen 4:23, Num 12:6, Judg 9:7, 1 Sam 22:7, 2 Sam 20:16, 2 Sam 20:16, 1 Kgs 22:28, 2 Kgs 7:1, 2 Kgs 18:28, 2 Chr 18:18, 2 Chr 18:27, Job 13:6 (+38 more)
2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention — Volitional, attentive listening — hearing directed by intention. Imperative forms carry this force: 'Hear now, you rebels' (Num 20:10). Arabic اِسْمَعْ in imperative demands directed attention; Korean 들으라 shifts similarly. Balaam's command 'Rise up, Balak, and listen' (Num 23:18) and the Shema formula (Deut 6:4) exemplify this sense. 172×
AR["أَسْمَعُ","اسمَع","اسْمَعْ","اسْمَعْ-","اِسْمَعْ","اِسْمَعْ-","سَمِعْنَاهَا","لِـ-تَسْمَعَ","لِيَسمَعَ"]·ben["-শুনতে","শুনতে","শুনি","শুনুন","শুনুন-","শুনেছিলাম-তা","শোন","শোনো","শোনো-"]·DE["hoeren","hörte","hörte-","zu-hoere"]·EN["hear","hear-","to-hear","we-heard-of-it"]·FR["entendre","à-entends"]·heb["אשמע","ל-שמוע","שמע","שמע-","שמעה","שמעה-","שמענוה"]·HI["सुन","सुन-","सुनता-हूँ","सुनने-को","सुनो","हमने-सुना"]·ID["Dengarkanlah","Dengarlah","Dengarlah-","dengarkanlah","dengarlah","kami-mendengarnya","untuk-mendengar","untuk-mendengarkan"]·IT["a-odi","ascoltare","udi'"]·jav["Midhangétna","Midhangétna-","Mirengna","Mirengna-","Mugi-midhangetaken","Piyarsakna","Piyarsakna-","kangge-mirengaken","kanggé-mirengaken","kita-mireng-piyambakipun","mireng","mirengna","mugi-midhangetaken","mugi-mirengaken","tiyang-Zip"]·KO["듣도다","들었도다-그것-을","들으소서","들으소서-","들으시려고","분별하여"]·PT["Ouve","ouve","ouvimos-dela","ouço","para-ouvir"]·RU["слушай","слышали-мы-о-нём","слышу","услышь","услышь-","чтобы-слышать","чтобы-услышать"]·ES["Escucha","Escucha-","Oye","escucha","oigo","oye","oímos-de-ella","para-oír"]·SW["Sikia","kusikia","ninasikia","sala","sikia","tulisikia-habari-yake"]·TR["Duy","Duy-","dinle","dinle-","dinlemek-için","duy","duyarım","duymak-için","işit","işit-","işittik-onu"]·urd["سن","سنا-ہم-نے-اسے","سنتا","سننے-کو","سنو","سُن","سُن-"]
Exod 23:21, Num 23:18, Deut 5:27, Deut 12:28, Deut 27:9, Judg 2:17, Judg 5:16, 1 Sam 25:24, 2 Sam 14:17, 2 Sam 22:45, 1 Kgs 3:11, 1 Kgs 4:34 (+38 more)
4. Niphal: be heard (passive) — Niphal passive: to be heard, become audible without a specified agent. Arabic passive سُمِعَ ('was heard') maps precisely. Joseph's report 'was heard in Pharaoh's house' (Gen 45:16), no hammer 'was heard in the temple' during construction (1 Kgs 6:7), and Israel's prayer 'was heard' in heaven (2 Chr 30:27). 23×
AR["سَيُسْمَعُ","سُمِعَ","سُمِعَتْ","فَـ-سُمِعَ","لِتُسْمَعْ","نِشْمَعِيم","هَلْ-نَسْمَعُ","وَ-سُمِعَ","وَ-سُمِعَتْ","وَ-يُسْمَعْ","يُسْمَعُ"]·ben["আর-শোনা-গেল","এবং-শোনা-গেল","ও-শোনা-যাবে","ও-শোনা-হল","কি-শোনা-হবে","শোনা-গেছে","শোনা-গেল","শোনা-যাক","শোনা-যাবে","শোনা-যেত","শোনা-হচ্ছে","শোনা-হয়েছে"]·DE["du-wirst-hoeren","er-hoert","hoeren","hoerte","und-er-hoerte","und-hoerte","und-waren-hoerte","war-hoerte","wurde-gehört"]·EN["Let-be-heard","and-was-heard","and-were-heard","and-will-be-heard","are-heard","heard","it-is-heard","it-was-heard","it-will-be-heard","shall-be-heard","shall-we-hear","was-heard","were-heard","will-be-heard"]·FR["entendre","et-furent-entendit","et-écouter","fut-entendit","il-entendra","écouter","était-entendit"]·heb["ו-נשמעו","ו-שמע","יישמע","נשמע","נשמעו","נשמעים","שמע","תישמע"]·HI["और-जब-सुनाई-जाए","और-सुनी-गई","और-सुनेए-गयेएन","क्या-हम-सुनें","तब-सुनाई-दी","सुना","सुना-गया","सुना-जाएगा","सुनाई-जाएगी","सुनाई-दी","सुनी-गई","सुनी-जाए","सुनी-जाएगी","सुने-गए","सुने-जाते","सुने-जाते-हैं"]·ID["akan-didengar","akan-terdengar","apakah-akan-didengar","biarlah-terdengar","dan-akan-didengar","dan-didengar","dan-didengarlah","dan-kedengaran","didengar","terdengar"]·IT["ascoltare","e-ascoltare","e-erano-udì","era-udì","fu-udì","udire","udra"]·jav["Kapireng","Lan-kapireng","badhe-dipun-mireng","badhe-dipunmireng","badhe-kapireng","badhé-dipun-mirengaken","badhé-kapireng","dipun-mirengaken","kapireng","lajeng-kapireng","lan-dipun-mirengaken","lan-kepireng","punapa-dipun-mirengaken"]·KO["그리고-들려졌다","그리고-들렸다","그리고-들리게-될-것이다","듣겠느냐","들렸다","들리게-하라","들리다","들리리라","들리었느니라","들리지","들리지-않았다","들리지-않을-것이다","들린다","들릴-것이다"]·PT["E-foram-ouvidas","E-será-ouvido","Seja-ouvido","e-foi-ouvida","foi-ouvido","foram-ouvidas","ouvidas","ouvido","se-ouvirá","será-ouvida","será-ouvido","são-ouvidas"]·RU["будет-слышен","будет-слышно","будет-услышано","был-слышен","были-слышны","были-услышаны","да-услышится","и-будет-услышано","и-слышна-была","и-услышан","и-услышаны-были","слушаются.","слышатся","слышно","слышно-ли","услышан-был","услышано-было"]·ES["Se-oiga","Y-fueron-oídas","Y-será-oído","escucharemos","fue-oída","fue-oído","fueron-oídas","se-oirá","se-oye","será-oída","será-oído","son-escuchadas","y-fue-escuchada","y-se-oyó"]·SW["Itasikiwa","haitasikiwa","hakutasikiwa","ilipojengwa","ilisikika","ilisikiwa","imesikiwa","itasikika","itasikiwa","je-tutasikia","kusikika","kusikiwa","na-ikasikika","na-itakaposikiwa","na-wakasikia","wayiּshaּma","yalisikiwa","yanasikiwa"]·TR["Ve-duyuldu","duyulacak","duyulacak-mı","duyuldu","duyulmayacak","duyulur","duyuluyordu","ve-duyulacak","ve-duyuldu","ve-işitildi"]·urd["اور-سنا-جائے","اور-سنی-گئی","اور-سنی-گئیں","سنا گیا","سنا-جائے-گا","سنا-گیا","سنائی-دے","سنائی-دے-گی","سنی-جائے-گی","سنی-جاتی-ہیں","سنی-جاتیں","سنی-گئی","سُنی-جائے-گی","سُنے-گئے","کیا-سنیں"]
5. Qal: obey, submit, comply — Obedience and compliance — hearing that results in conforming action. Spanish distinctively uses obedecer rather than oír or escuchar, providing clear multilingual evidence for a separate sense. Joseph's brothers confess 'we did not obey' (Gen 42:21-22), and the Deuteronomic formula 'if you will obey my voice' (Deut 26:14) makes obedience the expected outcome of hearing. 18×
AR["تَسْمَعوا","تَسْمَعُوا","سَمِعتُ","سَمِعْتُ","سَمِعْتُمْ","فَسَمِعْنَا","نَسْمَعُ","نَسْمَعْ","نِشْمَعُ","وَ-سَمِعْتُمْ","وَسَمِعْنَا","يَسْمَعُونَ"]·ben["আমরা-শুনব","আমি-শুনেছি","এবং-আমরা-মানলাম","এবং-শুনেছ","তারা-মান্য-করবে","তারা-শুনবে","তোমরা-শুনলে","শুনব","শুনলে","শুনেছ","শুনেছি","শুনেছিলে"]·DE["du-listened","hörte","hörten-wir","hörtet-ihr","ich-gehorchte","ich-habe-hoerte-zu","ich-hoerte-zu","sie-obey","und-du-haben-gehorchte","und-wir-hoeren","wir-hoeren","wir-wird-listen"]·EN["I-have-listened","I-listened","I-obeyed","and-we-obeyed","and-you-have-obeyed","they-obey","they-obeyed","we-listen","we-listened","we-will-listen","you-listened"]·FR["entendre","et-entendre","et-tu-avoir-obéit","ils-obéis","je-ai-écouta","je-obéit","je-écouta","nous-sera-listen","nous-écouta","nous-écouterons","tu-listened","tu-écouta"]·heb["ו-נשמע","ו-שמעתם","ישמעו","נשמע","שמע","שמעתי","שמעתם"]·HI["और-सुना-हमने","और-सुनी","और-हमने-सुनी","मैंने-सुना","मैने-सुन","सुना","सुना-तुमने","सुना-हमने","सुनेंगे","सुनेंगे।"]·ID["akan-kami-dengarkan","aku-mendengarkan","aku-telah-mendengarkan","dan-kami-mendengarkan","dan-kamu-mendengarkan","kami-akan-dengarkan","kami-mendengarkan","kamu-dengarkan","kamu-mendengar","kita-dengarkan","mendengarkan-lah-kamu","mereka-mendengarkan","mereka-patuh"]·IT["e-tu-avere-ubbidì","e-udire","essi-ubbidisci","io-ascoltò","io-avere-ascoltò","io-ubbidi","noi-listened","noi-volere-listen","tu-listened","udi'","udire"]·jav["Lan-kula-manut","badhé-mirengaken","kawula-badhe-mirengaken","kawula-mirengaken","kawula-sampun-mirengaken","kita-badhé-mirengaken","kita-mirengaken","kula-mirengaken","lan-kula-manut","lan-mirengaken","mirengaken","piyambak-ipun-mireng","piyambakipun-mirengaken","sampéyan-sami-mirengaken"]·KO["그리고-순종하였다","그리고-우리는-순종했다","내가-들었다","너희가-들었다","듣겠다-우리가","듣지","들었다","들었다-나는","받아들으리라","순종하겠다","순종하나이다","순종하리이다"]·PT["E-obedecemos","e-obedecemos","e-ouvistes","me-obedeceram","obedecerão","obedeci","ouvi","ouvimos","ouviremos","ouvirmos","ouvistes"]·RU["будем-слушать","будут-повиноваться","и-послушались","и-слушались","повинуются","послушаем","послушаемся","послушал-я","послушали","слушал","слушали","слушали-вы","услышал-я","услышали-вы","услышали-мы"]·ES["He-escuchado","Y-obedecimos","escuchamos","escucharemos","escucharon","escuchasteis","escuchasteis?","escuché","he-escuchado","me-obedecen","obedeceremos","obedezcamos","y-obedecimos","y-obedecisteis"]·SW["Na-tumesikia","kusikiliza","na-mkaisikia","na-tumesikia","nilisikiliza","nimesikia","nimesikiliza","sikiliza","tutaisikia","tutaisikiliza","tutakusikiliza","watanitii"]·TR["Ve-itaat-ettik","dinledik","dinledim","dinlediniz","dinleyecekler","dinleyeceğiz","itaat-edeceğiz","itaat-ederler","ve-dinlediniz","ve-itaat-ettik"]·urd["اور-سنا-ہم-نے","اور-سنی","تم-نے-سنا","سنا-تم-نے","سنا-میں-نے","سنا-ہم-نے","سنیں-گے","سنیں-گے-ہم","سُنا-میں-نے","میں-نے-سُنا","وہ-سنیں-گے"]
Gen 42:21, Gen 42:22, Deut 1:43, Deut 26:14, Josh 1:17, Josh 22:2, Josh 24:24, Judg 2:2, Judg 6:10, 1 Sam 12:1, 1 Sam 15:20, 1 Sam 25:35 (+6 more)
6. sense 6 — Two occurrences (1 Sam 15:4, 23:8) where Saul 'summoned' the people — likely a specialized Hifil or Piel usage meaning 'to call together, muster.' Spanish convocó and English summoned diverge from all hearing-related glosses, suggesting a military-administrative extension: to cause people to hear a summons and thereby assemble. The mustering context in both passages supports this distinct sense. 2×
AR["وَ-أَسْمَعَ","وَ-جَمَعَ"]·ben["এবং-ডাকল","এবং-ডাকলেন"]·DE["und-er-summoned"]·EN["and-he-summoned"]·FR["et-il-summoned"]·heb["ו-שימע","ו-שמע"]·HI["और-बुलअय","और-बुलाया"]·ID["Dan-memanggil","Dan-mengumpulkanlah"]·IT["e-egli-convocò"]·jav["Lan-piyambakipun-ngerikaken","lan-ngempalaken"]·KO["그리고-부르라-모았다","그리고-소집했다"]·PT["E-convocou"]·RU["и-созвал"]·ES["Y-convocó","y-convocó"]·SW["na-akaita","na-akawaita"]·TR["Ve-topladı","Ve-çağırdı"]·urd["اور-بلایا"]
7. sense 7 — A single occurrence at Gen 11:7 in the Tower of Babel narrative: 'that they may not understand one another's speech.' Here shama means not merely to hear but to comprehend — the confusion of languages means they will hear sounds but not grasp meaning. German verstehen ('to understand') in the glosses confirms this cognitive-comprehension extension beyond bare auditory perception. 1×
AR["يَسْمَعُوا"]·ben["বুঝতে-পারে"]·DE["sie-verstehen"]·EN["they-will-hear"]·FR["ils---entendre"]·heb["שמע"]·HI["वे-समझे"]·ID["mendengar-mereka"]·IT["essi-will-udire"]·jav["sami-mirengaken"]·KO["그들이-알아듣다"]·PT["ouviriam"]·RU["слышали"]·ES["oigan"]·SW["wasielewe"]·TR["duyacaklar"]·urd["سمجھیں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
שָׁמַע1159 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);— Qal1052 Pf. 3 ms. שׁ׳ Gn 24:52 +, שָׁמֵ֑עַ Je 36:13 + 3 times; 2 fs. שָׁמַעַתְּ 1 K 1:11 + 2…