Words · Hebrew Words · Lesson 1, word 4 of 5
שְׁמַעshema (the verb shama)
Hearing that takes in, understands and responds.
Why this word is here. Israel's central confession begins with this verb ('Hear, O Israel'), and the verb itself occurs constantly in law, narrative and prophecy.
What it means
Shama means to hear, and the lexicon range runs well past the ear: to hear with attention, to understand a language, to hear a legal case, to listen and give heed, to consent or grant a request, and to obey. One verb covers the whole path from sound arriving to action following.
The featured form, shema, is the opening word and traditional name of the confession in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, recited by Jewish households morning and evening for well over two thousand years.
Where you meet it
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.
Deuteronomy 6:4 (BSB)
Anchor verse 'Hear (shema), O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.' The confession that follows commands love with heart, soul and strength, so the hearing demanded is the responding kind.
Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
1 Samuel 3:10 (BSB)
The boy Samuel answers God's call: 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening (shama).' Hearing as a servant's posture.
Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant— My loving devotion promised to David.
Isaiah 55:3 (BSB)
'Incline your ear and come to Me; listen (shama), so that your soul may live.' Hearing that leads to life, in an invitation to the thirsty.
Why it matters
Shema collapses the gap modern readers put between hearing a sermon and doing what it says. In Hebrew, to truly hear God is already to be underway in obedience, which is why the prophets can accuse people who had physically heard everything of never having heard at all.
Watch out
Two over-claims to avoid. First, 'shema is the name of a prayer' only: Shema names the Deuteronomy passage by its first word; the word itself is an ordinary verb. Second, the claim that every use of shama 'really means obey': it can mean plain hearing or understanding a language (Genesis 11:7), and context decides which parts of the range are active. Obedience is the word's gravitational pull, not a code substituted in every verse.
In this lesson
- shalom (שָׁלוֹם): Wholeness, welfare and peace, not just calm.
- hesed (חֶסֶד): Covenant kindness and loyalty that keeps its promises.
- ruach (רוּחַ): Wind, breath, or spirit, context decides.
- torah (תּוֹרָה): God's instruction and direction for his people.
Sources
- Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906)
- Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible / STEP Hebrew data
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