← H237 H239 →

אָזַן

𐤀𐤆𐤍

ʼâzan

H238 verb

SILEX Entry

Root אזן to listen, to give ear, to pay attention

Definition

To listen attentively, to pay close attention or heed; in rarer cases, to cause someone to hear or give audience. The verb is typically used to express an intentional, receptive posture toward spoken words, whether from another person or the divine. In poetic or formal speech, it can emphasize careful attention.

Semantic Range

to listen attentively, to pay heed, to hear, to make hear (cause to listen), to give audience

Root / Etymology

From the root אזן (aleph-zayin-nun), which is connected to the noun אֹזֶן (ʾozen, 'ear'). Though the root may originally have referred to the act of expanding or opening (as one would open the ear to sound), in Biblical Hebrew it develops practically as 'to listen', often with heightened attentiveness. The verb is denominative from the noun, indicating action done with the ear.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אָזַן is relatively infrequent in the Hebrew Bible and mostly appears in poetic literature (Psalms, Proverbs, Job) and prophetic speech. It often appears parallel to verbs for 'hearing' (שָׁמַע) but with a greater emphasis on willingness or deliberate attentiveness. It is almost always used in contexts where the speaker is urging their audience—human or divine—to listen seriously to a message or plea. In rare causative forms, it can mean 'to make hear,' but this use is largely poetic and less common than the piel (intensive) form 'to give ear'. The tendency to translate as 'hearken' in older English versions may obscure its sense of attentive, receptive listening. While related roots exist in other Semitic languages, the denominative function from 'ear' is a feature of Hebrew and Aramaic specifically.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; probably to expand; but used only as a denominative from אֹזֶן; to broaden out the ear (with the hand), i.e. (by implication) to listen; give (perceive by the) ear, hear(-ken). See אָזַן.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

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

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H239 אָזַן and he listened attentively
H240 אָזֵן your broad-blade
H241 אֹזֶן their ear
H244 אׇזְנִי the Oznite
H245 אֲזַנְיָה Yah has listened

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H238-02 הַאֲזִ֥ינָ/ה haazinah HVhv2ms/Sh give ear cause yourself to listen 16
H238-03 הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ haazinu HVhv2mp give ear cause yourselves to listen 8
H238-11 וְ/הַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּ vehaazinu HC/Vhv2mp and give ear and give attentive ear 3
H238-06 הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ heezinu HVhp3cp ear has perceived they gave attentive ear 3
H238-04 הַאְזֵ֖נָּה haezenah HVhv2fp give ear Give attentive ear 2
H238-12 יַאֲזִ֣ין yaazin HVhi3ms he had hearkened he will give attentive ear 2
H238-05 הֶאֱזִ֖ין heezin HVhp3ms give ear he caused to listen attentively 1
H238-10 וְ/הַאֲזִ֣ינִי vehaazini HC/Vhv2fs and give ear and cause yourself to listen attentively 1
H238-07 מֵ֝זִין mezin HVhrmsa pays attention one who causes to listen 1
H238-13 יַאֲזִ֑ינוּ yaazinu HVhi3mp they hear they will make hear 1

Occurrences in Scripture

41 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H238-04 Genesis 4:23 הַאְזֵ֖נָּה haezenah HVhv2fp listen Give attentive ear
H238-08 Exodus 15:26 וְ/הַֽאֲזַנְתָּ֙ vehaazaneta HC/Vhq2ms and you give ear and you caused to listen attentively
H238-02 Numbers 23:18 הַאֲזִ֥ינָ/ה haazinah HVhv2ms/Sh give ear cause yourself to listen
H238-05 Deuteronomy 1:45 הֶאֱזִ֖ין heezin HVhp3ms give ear he caused to listen attentively
H238-03 Deuteronomy 32:1 הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ haazinu HVhv2mp Give ear cause yourselves to listen
H238-03 Judges 5:3 הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ haazinu HVhv2mp give ear cause yourselves to listen
H238-10 Isaiah 1:2 וְ/הַאֲזִ֣ינִי vehaazini HC/Vhv2fs and give ear and cause yourself to listen attentively
H238-03 Isaiah 1:10 הַאֲזִ֛ינוּ haazinu HVhv2mp Give ear cause yourselves to listen
H238-11 Isaiah 8:9 וְ/הַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּ vehaazinu HC/Vhv2mp and give ear and give attentive ear
H238-03 Isaiah 28:23 הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ haazinu HVhv2mp Give ear cause yourselves to listen
← H237 Hebrew Lexicon H239 →