אֹזֶן

𐤀𐤆𐤍

ʼôzen

H241 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אזן to hear, to listen, to give ear

Definition

Ear; the external organ of hearing in humans and animals, as well as hearing as a sensory function. The term can also denote the faculty of listening, understanding, or receiving information, both literally (physical hearing) and figuratively (obedience or receptivity to instruction). Used in various idiomatic expressions indicating attention, communication, or responsiveness.

Semantic Range

ear (the organ), hearing (the faculty), auditory perception, listening, attention, obedience, receptivity to information, understanding, audience, report, announcement, to make heard, to give heed

Root / Etymology

From the root אָזַן (ʼ-z-n), meaning 'to hear, listen, give ear.' The noun אֹזֶן derives from this root, signifying the organ associated with hearing. The root's central idea is active listening or heeding.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical Hebrew, אֹזֶן appears throughout all periods: used to indicate the ear as a physical organ, but also frequently as a metaphor for attentiveness or willingness to obey (e.g., 'incline your ear', 'give ear'). The figurative sense extends to willingness to understand or receive transmission (cf. Isa 50:5). Ritual and legal contexts also refer to the piercing of the ear (Exod 21:6) as a symbol of perpetual servitude, linking physical ear to a social or covenantal relationship. In prophetic and poetic literature, YHWH is described as having ears—often in contrast to lifeless idols—to emphasize divine attentiveness. English translations that limit the word to physical hearing may overlook these metaphorical or relational uses. Related roots (such as שָׁמַע, 'to hear') can overlap but more strictly refer to the capacity or act of hearing, while אָזַן and its derivatives are more closely associated with the organ and the attentive dimension. The use of אֹזֶן in narrative, legal, and poetic texts may reflect subtle shifts between concrete and abstract senses depending on context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָזַן; broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man); [phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אזן (ʾ-z-n) — to hear, to listen, to give ear

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H238 אָזַן I will cause to listen
H239 אָזַן and he listened attentively
H240 אָזֵן your broad-blade
H244 אׇזְנִי the Oznite
H245 אֲזַנְיָה Yah has listened

Word Forms

35 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H241-15 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֣י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the ears of in the ears of 36
H241-20 אֹ֨זֶן ozen HNcfsc ear ear of 25
H241-06 אָזְנֶֽ/ךָ azenekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your ear your ear 21
H241-01 אָזְנָ/ם֙ azenam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their ear their ear 10
H241-11 אָזְנִ֑/י azeni HNcfsc/Sp1cs my ear my ear 8
H241-12 אָזְנ/וֹ֙ azeno HNcfsc/Sp3ms his ear his ear 7
H241-04 אָזְנַ֖יִם azenayim HNcfda ears two ears 7
H241-24 בְ/אָזְנָ֑/י veazenay HR/Ncfdc/Sp1cs in-my-ears in my ears 7
H241-13 בְּ/אָזְנָ֑/י beazenay HR/Ncfdc/Sp1cs in my ears in my ears 6
H241-16 בְּ/אָזְנֵי/הֶ֑ם beazeneyhem HR/Ncfdc/Sp3mp in their ears in their ears 5

Occurrences in Scripture

188 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H241-16 Genesis 20:8 בְּ/אָזְנֵי/הֶ֑ם beazeneyhem HR/Ncfdc/Sp3mp in their hearing in their ears
H241-15 Genesis 23:10 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֣י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the hearing of in the ears of
H241-15 Genesis 23:13 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֤י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the hearing of in the ears of
H241-15 Genesis 23:16 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֣י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the hearing of in the ears of
H241-16 Genesis 35:4 בְּ/אָזְנֵי/הֶ֑ם beazeneyhem HR/Ncfdc/Sp3mp in their ears in their ears
H241-15 Genesis 44:18 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֣י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the ears of in the ears of
H241-15 Genesis 50:4 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֥י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the ears of in the ears of
H241-15 Exodus 10:2 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֨י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the ears of in the ears of
H241-15 Exodus 11:2 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֣י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the ears of in the ears of
H241-15 Exodus 17:14 בְּ/אָזְנֵ֣י beazeney HR/Ncfdc in the ears of in the ears of