אֹזֶן
𐤀𐤆𐤍
ʼôzen
H241 noun
SILEX Entry
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
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot 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 |