What does שֵׁמַע (šēmaʿ) mean in the Bible?
שֵׁמַע (šēmaʿ): Information received through hearing—rumor, report, or divine proclamation—carries authority and demands response.
Hebrew · H8088
שֵׁמַע
Something heard , i.e. a sound , rumor , announcement ; abstractly, audience
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
שֵׁמַע H8088
Pronunciation šēmaʿ
What does שֵׁמַע (šēmaʿ) mean in the Bible?
שֵׁמַע (šēmaʿ): Information received through hearing—rumor, report, or divine proclamation—carries authority and demands response.
Full entry for שֵׁמַע (H8088) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8088?
The BSB source-word alignment has 18 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the report (2), a rumor about it (1), about the fame (1), My ears (1), of My fame (1).
Where does שֵׁמַע (šēmaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 29:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (3), Jeremiah (2), Job (2), Psalms (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It the report 2× Jeremiah 37:5, Jeremiah 50:43
a rumor about it 1× Job 28:22
about the fame 1× 1 Kings 10:1
My ears 1× Job 42:5
of My fame 1× Isaiah 66:19
of Your fame 1× Numbers 14:15
over the news 1× Isaiah 23:5
report 1× Exodus 23:1
the fame 1× 2 Chronicles 9:1
the news 1× Genesis 29:13
the news of you 1× Nahum 3:19
the report [reaches] 1× Isaiah 23:5
the report of You 1× Habakkuk 3:2
the reports of you 1× Deuteronomy 2:25
when I hear them 1× Hosea 7:12
When they hear me 1× Psalms 18:44
with clashing 1× Psalms 150:5
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 29:13 שֵׁ֣מַע׀ to the news Noun - masculine singular construct Exodus 23:1 שֵׁ֣מַע to report Noun - masculine singular construct Numbers 14:15 שִׁמְעֲךָ֖ to of Your fame Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 2:25 שִׁמְעֲךָ֔ to the reports of you Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular 1 Kings 10:1 שֵׁ֥מַע to about the fame Noun - masculine singular construct 2 Chronicles 9:1 שֵׁ֣מַע to the fame Noun - masculine singular construct Job 28:22 שִׁמְעָֽהּ׃ to a rumor about it Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Job 42:5 לְשֵֽׁמַע־ to My ears Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct Psalms 18:44 לְשֵׁ֣מַֽע to When they hear me Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct Psalms 150:5 שָׁ֑מַע to with clashing Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 29:13
Aligned rows 18
Books represented 13
Genesis 1 Exodus 1 Numbers 1 Deuteronomy 1 1 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 1 Job 2 Psalms 2 Isaiah 3 Jeremiah 2 Hosea 1 Nahum 1 Habakkuk 1
Source forms
שֵׁ֣מַע 2x šê·ma‘ Exodus 23:1, 2 Chronicles 9:1
כְּשֵׁ֥מַע 1x kə·šê·ma‘ Isaiah 23:5
כְּשֵׁ֖מַע 1x kə·šê·ma‘ Hosea 7:12
לְשֵׁ֣מַֽע 1x lə·šê·ma‘ Psalms 18:44
לְשֵֽׁמַע־ 1x lə·šê·ma‘- Job 42:5
שֵׁ֥מַע 1x šê·ma‘ 1 Kings 10:1
שֵׁ֖מַע 1x šê·ma‘ Isaiah 23:5
שָׁ֑מַע 1x šā·ma‘ Psalms 150:5
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular construct 4x Genesis 29:13, Exodus 23:1, 1 Kings 10:1, 2 Chronicles 9:1
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular 4x Numbers 14:15, Deuteronomy 2:25, Nahum 3:19, Habakkuk 3:2
Noun - masculine singular 2x Psalms 150:5, Isaiah 23:5
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural 2x Jeremiah 37:5, Jeremiah 50:43
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct 2x Job 42:5, Psalms 18:44
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 1x Isaiah 66:19
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular 1x Job 28:22
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular 1x Hosea 7:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Information received through hearing—rumor, report, or divine proclamation—carries authority and demands response.
Source Gloss
something heard , i.e. a sound , rumor , announcement ; abstractly, audience
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Information received through hearing—rumor, report, or divine proclamation—carries authority and demands response.
something heard, i.e. a sound, rumor, announcement; abstractly, audience BDB: hearing Usage: bruit, fame, hear(-ing), loud, report, speech, tidings.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
שֵׁמַע is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain