מִשְׁמַעַת (H4928) — Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁמַעַת

𐤌𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤕

mishmaʻath

H4928 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁמע to hear, to listen, to obey

Definition

Formal summons to hear or attend, specifically a summoned assembly (often in the context of a royal audience or the court of a ruler); by extension, the condition or status of obedience or allegiance (especially as the state of one who appears before authority). The term can designate both the setting (audience, presence before the king or ruler) and the relational status (obedience, subjection to authority).

Semantic Range

audience (formal gathering before authority), royal court, summoned assembly, obedience, being under command, allegiance, subject status

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root שׁמע (to hear, listen, obey). The noun מִשְׁמַעַת is a feminine formation reflecting an abstract or collective sense related to hearing or attending, but comes to be used in contexts of being summoned or under command/authority. The root conveys the basic sense of receiving and responding to spoken instruction or summons.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In ancient Israelite usage, מִשְׁמַעַת appears in royal or courtly contexts, indicating those present at an official summons—often members of the king's retinue, officials, or subjects under command (e.g., Nehemiah 8:7; 2 Samuel 23:23). Over time, its meaning could extend to the broader idea of obedience or allegiance to authority, not limited to royal settings. The term is etymologically and semantically related to שָׁמַע (to hear), שֵׁמַע (report), and מִשְׁמָע (hearing, obedience), but מִשְׁמַעַת has a more formal or legal color, signifying the state or act of (summoned) presence and the responsive loyalty it implies. English translations tend to vary (e.g., 'audience,' 'obedience,' 'bidding'), at times narrowing the nuance to either the assembly or the status (obedience), but the term maintains both senses. It differs from מִשְׁמָר (guard, watch), which focuses on vigilance or keeping rather than audience or allegiance. In later periods, the word's usage diminishes, replaced by other terms for obedience or assembly.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of מִשְׁמָע; audience, i.e. the royal court; also obedience, i.e. (concretely) a subject; bidding, guard, obey.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

שׁמע (š-m-ʿ) — to hear, to listen, to obey

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1953	הוֹשָׁמָע	Yahweh-has-heard
H3460	יִשְׁמַעְיָה	Yahweh hears
H4926	מִשְׁמָע	to report-of
H8037	שַׁמָּא	he heard
H8039	שִׁמְאָה	Hearing-one
H8051	שַׁמּוּעַ	Heard-One
H8052	שְׁמוּעָה	in the heard-report
H8085	שָׁמַע	I will cause to hear
H8086	שְׁמַע	listening ones
H8087	שֶׁמַע	Listen!
H8088	שֵׁמַע	as report of
H8089	שֹׁמַע	his hearing
H8090	שְׁמָע	and Shema
H8091	שָׁמָע	he heard
H8094	שְׁמָעָה	Yahweh-has-heard
H8095	שִׁמְעוֹן	Hearer
H8096	שִׁמְעִי	to Yahweh-has-heard
H8098	שְׁמַעְיָה	to YHWH-has-heard
H8100	שִׁמְעַת	Shimath
H8101	שִׁמְעָתִי	Shimʻah clansmen

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4928-03`	מִשְׁמַעְתּֽ/וֹ	mishemaeto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his guard	his summoned-audience	2
`H4928-02`	מִשְׁמַעְתֶּ֖/ךָ	mishemaetekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your bidding	your audience	1
`H4928-01`	מִשְׁמַעְתָּֽ/ם	mishemaetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their obedience	their obedience	1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4928-02`	1 Samuel 22:14	מִשְׁמַעְתֶּ֖/ךָ	mishemaetekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your bidding	your audience
`H4928-03`	2 Samuel 23:23	מִשְׁמַעְתּֽ/וֹ	mishemaeto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his guard	his summoned-audience
`H4928-01`	Isaiah 11:14	מִשְׁמַעְתָּֽ/ם	mishemaetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their obedience	their obedience
`H4928-03`	1 Chronicles 11:25	מִשְׁמַעְתּֽ/וֹ	mishemaeto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his guard	his summoned-audience

← H4927 Hebrew Lexicon H4929 →