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Psalms 141:1 — Word Study

Depth

WLCיְהוָ֣ה קְ֭רָאתִיךָ ח֣וּשָׁה לִּ֑י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה ק֝וֹלִ֗י בְּקָרְאִי־ לָֽךְ׃

BSAA Psalmmizmôwr of DavidDâvid I call upon Youqârâʼ [cry out, invoke] O LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord God] come quicklychûwsh [hasten, make haste] Hearʼâzan [listen, give ear] my voiceqôwl [sound, utterance] when I callqârâʼ [cry out, invoke]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 141
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Lakh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 141:1quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist calls upon the LORD for immediate help and asks Him to listen to his voice.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, expressing a personal plea to God.
Where we areA heartfelt prayer asking for God's attention and quick response.
The hard wordיְהוָ֣ה
Take awayThe urgency of the psalmist's request for divine intervention.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 141:1

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — A Prayer for Helpgenerated

1I call upon You, O LORD; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to You.
2May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering.
3Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
4Do not let my heart be drawn to any evil thing or take part in works of wickedness with men who do iniquity; let me not feast on their delicacies.

Psalms 141:1 presents a personal prayer where the psalmist calls upon the name of the LORD, expressing urgency for divine assistance. This psalm emphasizes the need for God's attention and intervention in times of distress, paralleling themes found in other psalms that seek God's help, such as Psalm 40:13 and Psalm 70:5.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 40:13Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; hurry, O LORD, to help me.
2Psalm 69:17–18Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly!
3Psalm 70:5But I am poor and needy; hurry to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.
4Psalm 71:12Be not far from me, O God. Hurry, O my God, to help me.
5Psalm 143:7Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יְהוָ֣ה, Yah.wehgenerated

The name יְהוָ֣ה (Yahweh) is the proper name for God in Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies God's eternal and self-existent nature and is closely associated with His covenant relationship with Israel.

This name appears frequently throughout the Old Testament, highlighting its importance in Jewish worship and identity. The psalmist's invocation of יְהוָ֣ה underscores a deep reliance on God's presence and power.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as well as the KJV and ASV, all using the phrase O LORD for יְהוָ֣ה.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is קְ֭רָאתִיךָ, I call out to You, which governs the structure. This verb is followed by imperative phrases that express urgency for God's action and attention.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the psalmist's plea, with the invocation of the LORD at the forefront, highlighting the relational aspect of the prayer.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יְהוָ֣ה as κύριε (Lord), maintaining the same reverent address to God. This choice reflects the continuity of worship and the importance of the divine name in both Hebrew and Greek contexts.

The use of ψαλμὸς for מִזְמוֹר indicates the psalm's nature as a song or prayer, consistent with its liturgical function.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 141:1 is a heartfelt prayer where the psalmist calls on the LORD for help, asking Him to listen and respond quickly. The urgency of the request highlights the need for divine assistance in times of trouble.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to call upon the LORD?

To call upon the LORD means to seek His help and intervention, acknowledging His power and presence in times of need.

Why does the psalmist ask for God to come quickly?

The psalmist expresses urgency in his plea, indicating a pressing need for God's immediate assistance.

What is the significance of the phrase 'give ear to my voice'?

This phrase emphasizes the desire for God to listen attentively to the psalmist's prayer, highlighting the relational aspect of prayer.

How does this psalm relate to other prayers in the Bible?

This psalm shares themes with other prayers in the Bible that express desperation and reliance on God's mercy, such as in Psalm 70:5.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what situations have I called upon the LORD for help?
  2. How can I cultivate a deeper sense of urgency in my prayers?
  3. What does it mean for me to know that God listens to my voice?
  4. How can I encourage others to seek God's help in their lives?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine, referenced this psalm in their writings, discussing the universal nature of the plea for God's attention.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 141 354–430
"Lord, I have cried unto You, hear Thou me" [Psalms 141:1]. This we all can say. This not I alone say: whole Christ says it.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 141 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 141:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Lord, I cry unto thee,.... With great earnestness, importunity, and fervency, being in distress; and knowing vain was the help of man, and that none could deliver him but the Lord, and therefore

Read John Gill on Psalms 141 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 141 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 141:1 « A Psalm of David. » LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.Ver. 1. Lord, I cry unto thee] No distress or danger, how great soever, shall stifle my faith or stop my mouth; but make me more earnest, and my prayers, like strong streams in narrow straits, shall bear down all before them. Make haste unto me] Lest help come too late.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 141 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

PSALM CXLI The psalmist prays that his devotions may be accepted, 1, 2. That he may be enabled so to watch that he do not offend with his tongue; and that he may be preserved from wickedness, 3, 4. His willingness to receive reproof, 5. He complains of disasters, 6, 7. His trust in God, and prayer against his enemies, 8-10. NOTES ON PSALM CXLI This Psalm is generally attributed to David, and considered to have been composed during his persecution by Saul. Some suppose that he made it at the time that he formed the resolution to go to Achish, king of Gath; see 1 Samuel 27:1-3. It is generally thought to be an evening prayer, and has long been used as such in the service of the Greek Church.…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 141 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1, 2. Introductory appeal for a favourable hearing.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 141 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Lord, I cry unto thee - In view of my perils; in view of the suggestions of my friends; in view of my temptation to do a wrong thing at their advice, and with the prospect of the advantage which it might seem to be to me.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 141 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

1. Lord, I cry unto thee—Hebrew, Jehovah, I have called thee, hasten to me. The impassioned cry supposes great want and imminent danger. This might apply to various points of the psalmist’s history.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 141 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

I call upon You, O LORD; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to You.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Yahweh, I have called on you. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to you.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

A Psalm of David. I call upon You, O LORD; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to You.

NETBNew English Translation2006

O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me! Pay attention to me when I cry out to you!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Jehovah, I have called upon thee; make haste unto me: Give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.

RVARevised Version, American1894

LORD, I have called upon thee; make haste unto me: give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

A Psalm of David. LORD, I cry to thee: make haste to me; give ear to my voice, when I cry to thee.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

A Psalme of David. O Lord, I call vpon thee: haste thee vnto me: heare my voyce, when I cry vnto thee.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Jehovah, I have called upon thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

A Psalm, by David. O Jehovah, I have called Thee, haste to me, Give ear [to] my voice when I call to Thee.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

A PSALM OF DAVID. O YHWH, I have called You, hurry to me, || Give ear [to] my voice when I call to You.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

“A psalm of David.” O Lord, I call thee, hasten unto me: give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Yahweh, I am crying out to you; come quickly to me. Listen to me when I call to you.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Of understanding for David. A prayer when he was in the cave. [1 Kings 24]

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Lord, I'm calling out to you! Please hurry up and help me! Please listen to me when I cry out to you!

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Lord, I have made my cry to you; come to me quickly; give ear to my voice, when it goes up to you.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausesubjectמִזְמ֗וֹרa.psalmprepositional phrase · predicateלְofדָ֫וִ֥דDavidclauseclauseיְהוָ֣הO.Yahwehclauseverbקְ֭רָאתִיIobjectךָcall.out.to.youclauseverb phrase · verbח֣וּשָׁmakeהhasteprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִּ֑toיmeclauseverb phrase · verbהַאֲזִ֥ינָgiveהear.tonoun phrase · objectק֝וֹלִ֗voiceיmyprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּwhenclauseverbקָרְאִcallsubjectיIprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָֽtoךְyou

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all eight words matched. This shows a strong consistency in the transmission of this verse across different traditions.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

יְהוָ֣ה קְ֭רָאתִיךָ ח֣וּשָׁה לִּ֑י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה ק֝וֹלִ֗י בְּקָרְאִי־ לָֽךְ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
יְהוָ֣הψαλμὸςקְ֭רָאתִיךָδαυιδח֣וּשָׁהκύριεלִּ֑יσέהַאֲזִ֥ינָהεἰσάκουσόνק֝וֹלִ֗יμουבְּקָרְאִי־φωνῇלָֽךְ׃ἐν

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 141:1יהוהO YahwehO YahwehיהוהקָרָאI call out I call out to yקָרָאחוּשׁmake haste make haste !חוּשׁנִיto meto meנִיאָזַןgive ear togive ear to !אָזַןקוֹלvoice myvoice myקוֹלקָרָאwhen call Iwhen call Iקָרָאךְto youto youךְהָיָהto beto beהָיָהקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאאֹ֫זֶןearearאֹ֫זֶןצוֹםfastfastצוֹםשֵׁםnamenameשֵׁםנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאעֶזְרָהhelphelpעֶזְרָהנָצַלto rescueto rescueנָצַלתְּפִלָּהprayerprayerתְּפִלָּהקָשַׁבto listento listenקָשַׁבתְּרוּעָהshoutshoutתְּרוּעָהשֹׁפָרtrumpettrumpetשֹׁפָר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 141:1

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

O Yahweh I call out to you make haste ! to me give ear to ! voice my when call I to you
יְהוָ֣הYah.weh O Yahweh H3068 Noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah, the Lord God
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
O Yahweh I call out to you make haste ! to me give ear to ! voice my when call I to you
קְ֭רָאתִיךָKe.ra.ti.cha I call out to you H7121 Verb qal perfect first person common singular · suffix
733× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It's used in many situations, like calling for help or reading aloud. In Genesis, God calls out to Adam in the Garden.
Amplified meaning
cry out, invoke
Tyndale gloss
to call: call to
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read

Qal

call, cry, utter a loud sound

call, cry

call unto some one

cry for help

proclaim

read aloud

read to oneself

summon

call = name

Niph.

reflex.

pass. be called

Pu. be called

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound

. call, cry

. . call unto some one

. cry for help

. proclaim

. . read aloud

. read to oneself

. summon

. call = name

. . reflex.

. pass. be called

. be called

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7121 qara' kaw-raw'

a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea

of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,

address by name, but used in a wide variety of

applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,

forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,

mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),

pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.

see HEBREW for 07122

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.

: call_to/invite/entreat

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow

1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to call oneself

1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named

1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.

: call_by/name

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal perfect first person common singular · suffix
HVqp1cs/Sp2ms
O Yahweh I call out to you make haste ! to me give ear to ! voice my when call I to you
ח֣וּשָׁהChu.shah make haste ! H2363 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
20× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to hurry or be eager with excitement, often translated as to make haste. It can also mean to enjoy or feel something, conveying a sense of enthusiasm or readiness. This word is used in various contexts, including when someone is preparing for action.
Amplified meaning
hasten, make haste
Tyndale gloss
to hasten
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חוּשׁ (chush) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to hurry or make haste. It can also imply eagerness or enjoyment. The entries indicate two main uses: one related to hastening actions and the other to feelings of enjoyment. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חוּשׁ vb. haste, make haste

Qal make haste

Hiph.

shew haste, act quickly

transit. I will hasten it

base

[חוּשׁ] vb. feel, enjoy

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2363a חוּשׁ haste, make haste .make haste

. . shew haste, act quickly

. transit. I will hasten it

H2363b חוּשׁ feel, enjoy

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2363 chuwsh koosh

a primitive root; to hurry; figuratively, to be eager with

excitement or enjoyment:--(make) haste(-n), ready.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חוּשׁ (chush) — to hasten.

1) to haste, make haste, hurry

1a) (Qal) to make haste

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to show haste, act quickly, hasten, come quickly

חוּשׁ (chush) — to enjoy.

to feel, enjoy

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sh
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hast (chaphaz, chush, mahar; speudo): "Haste" (from a root meaning "to pursue") implies "celerity of motion."

(1) The noun occurs as translation of mahar, "to hasten," etc. (Ex 10:16; 12:33, "in haste"); of chapaz, "to make haste" (2Ki 7:15; Ps 31:22; 116:11, "I said in my haste (the Revised Version margin "alarm"), All men are liars"); of chippazon, a "hasty flight" (Ex 12:11; De 16:3; Isa 52:12); of nachats, "to be urgent" (1Sa 21:8, "The king's business required haste").

Nave's Topical Bible

→ In judgment, by Moses and the Israelites Nu 32:1-19; Jos 22:10-34

→ See RASHNESS

O Yahweh I call out to you make haste ! to me give ear to ! voice my when call I to you
לִּ֑יLi to me H9030 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִי (ni) — me.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp1bs
O Yahweh I call out to you make haste ! to me give ear to ! voice my when call I to you
הַאֲזִ֥ינָהha.'a.Zi.nah give ear to ! H238 Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To listen or hear is the meaning of this Hebrew word, often implying obedience or paying attention to what is being said, as in 1 Kings 3:9.
Amplified meaning
listen, give ear
Tyndale gloss
to listen
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָזַן (azan) is a verb meaning to listen or hear, derived as a denominative from a root suggesting the broadening of the ear. It encompasses the act of giving ear, being obedient, and specifically refers to God listening to prayers. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָזַן] 42 vb. denom. Hiph. give ear, listen, hear

hear, perceive by the ear

of God, listening (with favour) to prayer

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H238 אָזַן vb. denom. Hiph. give ear, listen, hear

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

238 'azan aw-zan'

a primitive root; probably to expand; but used only as a

denominative from 241; to broaden out the ear (with the hand),

i.e. (by implication) to listen:--give (perceive by the) ear,

hear(-ken). See 239.

see HEBREW for 0241

see HEBREW for 0239

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָזַן (a.zan) — to listen.

1) to hear, listen

1a) (Hiphil)

1a1) to hear, listen, give ear

1a2) to be obedient, harken

1a3) to hear or listen to prayers (of God)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhv2ms/Sh
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

er ('ozen; ous, otion, the latter word (literally, "earlet") in all the Gospels only used of the ear of the high priest's servant, which was cut off by Peter: Mt 26:51; Mr 14:47; Lu 22:51 (not 22:50); Joh 18:10,26):

(1) The physical organ of hearing which was considered of peculiar importance as the chief instrument by which man receives information and commandments. For this reason the ear of the priest had to be specially sanctified, the tip of the right ear being touched with sacrificial blood at the consecration (Le 8:23). Similarly the ear of the cleansed leper had to be rededicated to the service of God by blood…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ear

Used frequently in a figurative sense (Ps. 34:15). To “uncover the ear” is to show respect to a person (1 Sam. 20:2 marg.). To have the “ear heavy”, or to have “uncircumcised ears” (Isa. 6:10), is to be inattentive and disobedient. To have the ear “bored” through with an awl was a sign of perpetual servitude (Ex. 21:6).

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Blood put upon, in consecration of priest Ex 29:20; Le 8:23

→ In cleansing lepers Le 14:14,25

→ Anointed with oil in purifications Le 14:17,28

→ Bored as a sign of servitude Ex 21:5,6; Ps 40:6

→ See DEAFNESS

→ FIGURATIVE

Anthropomorphic uses of Ps 17:6; 39:12; 77:1; 80:1; 84:8

For more extended anthropomorphic uses, consult a concordance

O Yahweh I call out to you make haste ! to me give ear to ! voice my when call I to you
ק֝וֹלִ֗יko.Li voice my H6963 Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
506× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A voice or sound, it can refer to the sound of a person speaking, an animal, or a musical instrument. In the Bible, it is often used to describe God's voice or the sound of praise and worship.
Amplified meaning
sound, utterance
Tyndale gloss
voice: sound
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

קוֹל (qol) primarily means 'voice' or 'sound,' encompassing various contexts such as music, noise, and even thunder. It can also denote lightness or frivolity. The word is built from a root meaning to call aloud and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including a reference in Jeremiah 3:9.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קוֹל 506 n.m. sound, voice

base

קֹל n.[m.] lightness, frivolity;—Je 3:9

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6963a קוֹל sound, voice H6963b קֹל lightness, frivolity

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6963 qowl kole

or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a

voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out),

fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim,

proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, +

yell.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קוֹל (qol) — voice.

: voice/shout/loud

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קֹל (qol) — frivolity.

lightness, frivolity

קוֹל (qol) — voice: sound.

: sound/noise

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: thunder.

: thunder

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: message.

: message/proclaim

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: [sound of].

: [sound_of](THING)

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

קוֹל (qol) — voice: listen.

: listen

1) voice, sound, noise

1a) voice

1b) sound (of instrument)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffix
HNcmsc/Sp1bs
O Yahweh I call out to you make haste ! to me give ear to ! voice my when call I to you
בְּקָרְאִי־be.ka.re.'i- when call I H7121 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
733× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It's used in many situations, like calling for help or reading aloud. In Genesis, God calls out to Adam in the Garden.
Amplified meaning
cry out, invoke
Tyndale gloss
to call: call to
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read

Qal

call, cry, utter a loud sound

call, cry

call unto some one

cry for help

proclaim

read aloud

read to oneself

summon

call = name

Niph.

reflex.

pass. be called

Pu. be called

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound

. call, cry

. . call unto some one

. cry for help

. proclaim

. . read aloud

. read to oneself

. summon

. call = name

. . reflex.

. pass. be called

. be called

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7121 qara' kaw-raw'

a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea

of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,

address by name, but used in a wide variety of

applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,

forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,

mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),

pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.

see HEBREW for 07122

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.

: call_to/invite/entreat

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow

1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to call oneself

1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named

1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.

: call_by/name

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound

1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)

1a3) to proclaim

1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
HR/Vqcc/Sp1bs
O Yahweh I call out to you make haste ! to me give ear to ! voice my when call I to you
לָֽךְ׃Lakh to you H9032 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךְ (kh) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person feminine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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