Lexical Summary
azan: give ear, listen, hear
Original Word:אָזַן
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:azan
Pronunciation:ah-zan
Phonetic Spelling:(aw-zan')
KJV: give (perceive by the) ear, hear(-ken) See H0239
NASB:give ear, listen, hear, give heed, listened, listening, pays attention
Word Origin:[a primitive root, probably to expand; but used only as a denominative fromH241 (אוֹזֶן - ear)]
1. to broaden out the ear (with the hand)
2. (by implication) to listen
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
give perceive by the ear, hearken
A primitive root; probably to expand; but used only as a denominative from'ozen; to broaden out the ear (with the hand), i.e. (by implication) to listen -- give (perceive by the) ear, hear(-ken). See'azan.
see HEBREW'ozen
see HEBREW'azan
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina denominative verb from the same as
ozenDefinitionto give ear, listen
NASB Translationgive ear (24), give heed (2), hear (3), listen (8), listened (1), listening (1), pays attention (1), perceived by ear (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. []
42 . —
PerfectDeuteronomy 1:45; consecutive
Psalm 77:2 (see De Kö
1, p. 390);
Exodus 15:26;
Isaiah 64:3 +;
ImperfectJob 9:16 +; (for )
Job 32:11, etc.;
Imperative masculine singular
Numbers 23:18 +; feminine singular
Isaiah 1:2; feminine plural
Genesis 4:23;
Isaiah 32:9, etc.;
Participle (for see Kö
1, 391)
Proverbs 17:4; —
hear, perceive by the ear, absoluteIsaiah 64:3 ("" )Psalm 135:17;give ear, listen, absolute (of mountains personified)Deuteronomy 32:1, compareIsaiah 1:2 (of earth, personified); of menJudges 5:3;Psalm 49:2;Isaiah 28:23;Joel 1:2 (all "" )Hosea 5:1 ("" , )Isaiah 8:9; followed by accusative of thingGenesis 4:23;Job 33:1;Isaiah 1:10;Isaiah 32:9 (all "" )Isaiah 42:23 ("" , );Job 37:14 ("" );Psalm 78:1 followed by (of thing)Proverbs 17:4 ("" ); followed by (of thing)Job 32:11 ("" );hearken to, = be obedient to, absoluteJeremiah 13:15 ("" ) 2 Chronicles 24:19;Nehemiah 9:30; with accusative of thingJob 9:16; (of thing)Job 34:16 ("" )Exodus 15:26; followed by personJob 34:2 ("" ); followed by personNumbers 23:18; followed by personIsaiah 51:4.
of God, listening (with favour) to prayer, etc., absolutePsalm 80:2;Psalm 84:9 ("" ), followed by personPsalm 77:2;Deuteronomy 1:45 ("" ); with accusative of thingPsalm 5:2 ("" )Psalm 17:1 ("" , ),Psalm 55:2 (""Psalm 55:3)Psalm 86:6 (""id.),Psalm 140:7;Psalm 141:1; followed by (of thing)Psalm 39:13;Psalm 143:1 (both "" ); followed by (of thing)Psalm 54:4 ("" ).
Topical Lexicon
Root Conceptאָזַן (’azan) expresses the deliberate act of giving one’s ear—listening with intent, discernment, and readiness to respond. Cognate to the noun “ear” (אֹזֶן), the verb elevates physical hearing into moral and spiritual engagement. When used of the Lord it presents Him as the covenant God who attentively bends toward His people; when applied to people it summons them to covenant faithfulness by heeding His voice.
Canonical Distribution
Approximately forty-two occurrences span the Law (notablyDeuteronomy 32:1), the Prophets (e.g.,Isaiah 28:23;Jeremiah 19:3), Writings—especially Psalms (over twenty instances)—and Wisdom literature (Job and Proverbs). Its consistent deployment across Israel’s history emphasizes an unbroken biblical theme: revelation requires attentive reception.
Listening to God
Deuteronomy 32:1 inaugurates Moses’ final song with a cosmic imperative: “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.” The verb frames the entire poem, calling creation to witness Israel’s accountability. Prophets continue this pattern:
•Isaiah 28:23: “Give ear and hear my voice; pay attention and hear my word.”
•Jeremiah 19:3: “Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
Here ’azan functions as a judicial summons—Yahweh’s words carry binding authority demanding obedience, not mere auditory reception.
God Listening to Humanity
The Psalms repeatedly appeal to the Lord’s responsive ear:
•Psalm 54:2: “O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.”
•Psalm 55:1: “Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not Yourself from my plea.”
•Psalm 66:19: “But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer.”
Such prayers ground confidence in divine attentiveness. The verb thus reassures worshipers that covenant obligations are reciprocal; the Lord’s ear is not dull but inclined toward righteousness and mercy.
Liturgical and Devotional Use
Davidic laments (Psalms 5, 17, 39, 59, 61) embed ’azan within personal worship, transforming public covenant themes into intimate petitions. The verb often pairs with שָׁמַע (shamaʿ, “hear”) for poetic emphasis—e.g.,Psalm 5:1: “Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.” The dual verbs convey both depth (intensity) and breadth (completeness) of listening required in corporate and personal devotion.
Wisdom Context
Job employs ’azan in didactic dialogue:
•Job 34:2: “Hear my words, you wise men; give ear to me, you men of learning.”
•Job 34:10; 34:16 repeat the plea, framing Elihu’s discourse as a courtroom examination.
Proverbs 22:17 exhorts, “Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise,” linking attentive hearing to the acquisition of discernment. ’Azan therefore undergirds biblical pedagogy: wisdom is transmitted through earnest listening.
Prophetic Warnings and Hope
When prophets confront spiritual complacency, ’azan sharpens the call:
Isaiah 32:9: “Rise up, you complacent women; hear my voice; give ear to my speech.” Those who refuse to “give ear” invite judgment (Jeremiah 6:10), whereas repentance is marked by renewed attentiveness (Isaiah 55:3).
Theological Trajectory
1. Revelation: God graciously speaks; ’azan highlights the solemn duty to receive His word (Deuteronomy 32:1).
2. Relationship: Prayer assumes divine attentiveness, encouraging bold appeals (Psalms).
3. Responsibility: Moral and social exhortations demand listening hearts (Proverbs 22:17).
4. Remnant Hope: Prophets couple warning with promise—those who “give ear” will find life (Isaiah 55:3).
Ministry Implications
• Preaching and Teaching: ’Azan underscores the goal of biblical exposition—cultivating congregations that listen unto obedience (James 1:22 reflects the same ethic in the New Testament).
• Pastoral Care: Assurance that the Lord “gives ear” sustains intercessory prayer and counsels believers struggling to sense God’s nearness.
• Discipleship: Encouraging active listening models, such as memorization and meditation, aligns modern practice with the biblical command to “incline the ear.”
Christological Reflection
While ’azan is reserved for the Hebrew text, its theology resonates in the Gospels. Jesus’ repeated call, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” mirrors the prophetic demand for attentive hearts. The incarnate Word expects the same covenant responsiveness outlined in Deuteronomy’s “Give ear.”Hebrews 2:1 draws the line forward: “We must pay closer attention to what we have heard.” The Old Testament verb thus anticipates the fuller revelation in Christ and the ongoing ministry of the Spirit who enables true hearing (Revelation 2:7).
Summary
אָזַן threads through Scripture as the vocabulary of attentive covenant relationship. It summons creation, nations, congregations, families, and individual believers to receive God’s voice with reverent obedience, while simultaneously assuring them that the Lord’s own ear is graciously inclined toward their prayers. The biblical storyline, pastoral ministry, and the life of every disciple flourish where hearts continue to “give ear” in faith and action.
Forms and Transliterations
אָ֭זִין אזין הֶאֱזִ֑ינוּ הֶאֱזִ֖ין הֶאֱזִֽינוּ׃ הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינוּ הַאְזֵ֖נָּה הַאֲזִ֑ינוּ הַאֲזִ֔ינוּ הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ הַאֲזִ֗ינָה הַאֲזִ֛ינוּ הַאֲזִ֣ינָה הַאֲזִ֥ינָה הַאֲזִ֥ינָה ׀ הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַאֲזִ֨ינָה הַאֲזִֽינָה׃ הַאֲזִינָה֮ האזין האזינה האזינה׃ האזינו האזינו׃ האזנה וְאִזֵּ֣ן וְהַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּ וְהַֽאֲזַנְתָּ֙ וְהַאֲזִ֖ינוּ וְהַאֲזִ֣ינִי וְהַאֲזִ֥ין ואזן והאזין והאזינו והאזיני והאזנת יַאֲזִ֑ינוּ יַאֲזִ֣ין יַאֲזִ֥ין יאזין יאזינו מֵ֝זִין מזין ’ā·zîn ’āzîn Azin ha’·zên·nāh ha’ăzînāh ha’ăzînū ha’zênnāh ha·’ă·zî·nāh ha·’ă·zî·nū haaZinah haaZinu haZennah he’ĕzîn he’ĕzînū he·’ĕ·zî·nū he·’ĕ·zîn heeZin heeZinu mê·zîn Mezin mêzîn vehaazanTa vehaaZin vehaaZini vehaaZinu veizZen wə’izzên wə·’iz·zên wə·ha·’ă·zan·tā wə·ha·’ă·zî·nî wə·ha·’ă·zî·nū wə·ha·’ă·zîn wəha’ăzantā wəha’ăzîn wəha’ăzînî wəha’ăzînū ya’ăzîn ya’ăzînū ya·’ă·zî·nū ya·’ă·zîn yaaZin yaaZinu
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