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
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שֵׁמַעH8088
Pronunciationšēmaʿ
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 Itthe report2×Jeremiah 37:5, Jeremiah 50:43
a rumor about it1×Job 28:22
about the fame1×1 Kings 10:1
My ears1×Job 42:5
of My fame1×Isaiah 66:19
of Your fame1×Numbers 14:15
over the news1×Isaiah 23:5
report1×Exodus 23:1
the fame1×2 Chronicles 9:1
the news1×Genesis 29:13
the news of you1×Nahum 3:19
the report [reaches]1×Isaiah 23:5
the report of You1×Habakkuk 3:2
the reports of you1×Deuteronomy 2:25
when I hear them1×Hosea 7:12
When they hear me1×Psalms 18:44
with clashing1×Psalms 150:5
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 29:13שֵׁ֣מַע׀tothe newsNoun - masculine singular constructExodus 23:1שֵׁ֣מַעtoreportNoun - masculine singular constructNumbers 14:15שִׁמְעֲךָ֖toof Your fameNoun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularDeuteronomy 2:25שִׁמְעֲךָ֔tothe reports of youNoun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular1 Kings 10:1שֵׁ֥מַעtoabout the fameNoun - masculine singular construct2 Chronicles 9:1שֵׁ֣מַעtothe fameNoun - masculine singular constructJob 28:22שִׁמְעָֽהּ׃toa rumor about itNoun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularJob 42:5לְשֵֽׁמַע־toMy earsPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructPsalms 18:44לְשֵׁ֣מַֽעtoWhen they hear mePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructPsalms 150:5שָׁ֑מַעtowith clashingNoun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 29:13
Aligned rows18
Books represented13
Genesis1Exodus1Numbers1Deuteronomy11 Kings12 Chronicles1Job2Psalms2Isaiah3Jeremiah2Hosea1Nahum1Habakkuk1
Source forms
שֵׁ֣מַע2xšê·ma‘Exodus 23:1, 2 Chronicles 9:1
כְּשֵׁ֥מַע1xkə·šê·ma‘Isaiah 23:5
כְּשֵׁ֖מַע1xkə·šê·ma‘Hosea 7:12
לְשֵׁ֣מַֽע1xlə·šê·ma‘Psalms 18:44
לְשֵֽׁמַע־1xlə·šê·ma‘-Job 42:5
שֵׁ֥מַע1xšê·ma‘1 Kings 10:1
שֵׁ֖מַע1xšê·ma‘Isaiah 23:5
שָׁ֑מַע1xšā·ma‘Psalms 150:5
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular construct4xGenesis 29:13, Exodus 23:1, 1 Kings 10:1, 2 Chronicles 9:1
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular4xNumbers 14:15, Deuteronomy 2:25, Nahum 3:19, Habakkuk 3:2
Noun - masculine singular2xPsalms 150:5, Isaiah 23:5
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural2xJeremiah 37:5, Jeremiah 50:43
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct2xJob 42:5, Psalms 18:44
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular1xIsaiah 66:19
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular1xJob 28:22
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular1xHosea 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 definitionSource: 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.