אֹזֶן
broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)
Definition
The Hebrew noun אֹזֶן (ʼôzen) primarily means 'ear,' the physical organ of hearing. It often functions literally, as when Abraham's servants 'listened to him' (Genesis 23:10-11). More significantly, it is used metaphorically to represent the faculty of hearing, understanding, and obedience. For instance, God commands Israel to 'hear' His statutes (Ezekiel 40:4), and the psalmist prays for God to 'incline' His ear (Psalm 31:2), depicting attentiveness. The word can also denote the handle of a vessel, likely due to a similar shape (e.g., Exodus 29:20).
Biblical Usage
אֹזֶן appears 179 times across all major sections of the Old Testament. Its usage is both literal (describing the physical ear, as in Genesis 35:4) and profoundly figurative. A key pattern is its connection to receiving divine revelation and the responsibility to obey. Prophets are sent so that Israel will 'hear' (Exodus 10:2), and kings give 'audience' (literally, 'ear') to petitions (Genesis 44:18). The phrase 'uncircumcised ear' (Jeremiah 6:10) metaphorically describes spiritual deafness. It is also used in legal contexts for bearing witness (Genesis 23:16).
Etymology
The noun אֹזֶן derives from the root אָזַן (ʼāzan, H238), which means 'to weigh' or 'to perceive by the ear,' hence 'to hear.' This root highlights the ear's function in processing and discerning information. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Ugaritic *ʾudn* and Arabic *ʾuḏun*, confirm the basic meaning 'ear.' The development from a root about perception to the concrete noun for the organ is straightforward.
Semantic Range
Theologically, 'ear' is central to the covenant relationship. God speaks, and His people are called to 'hear' (shema) and obey (Deuteronomy 6:4). An 'open ear' symbolizes a willing, submissive heart (Isaiah 50:5), while closed or dull ears signify rebellion (Isaiah 6:10). The concept enriches our understanding of prayer, as appeals to God often ask Him to 'incline' His ear (2 Kings 19:16), portraying a personal, attentive God. Ultimately, it underscores that true faith comes by hearing God's word (cf. Romans 10:17).
In ancient Israelite culture, the ear was not just a passive receptor but symbolized the whole person's attention and submission. Piercing a servant's ear with an awl at a doorpost (Exodus 21:6) was a public, permanent sign of voluntary lifelong obedience to a master, a powerful cultural image of committed hearing. This differs from a modern, purely biological understanding of the ear.
שְׁמוּעָה (shemu'ah, H8052) — a 'report' or 'thing heard,' focusing on the message received. לְחִי (lechi, H3895) — 'cheek' or 'jaw,' sometimes near the ear but not the organ of hearing itself. הֶגֶה (hegeh, H1897) — 'muttering' or 'meditation,' related to sound production, not reception.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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