'Listen' in the Bible

Lamech said to his wives,“Adah and Zillah,Hear my voice;You wives of Lamech,Listen to what I say;For I have killed a man [merely] for wounding me,And a boy [only] for striking (bruising) me.

“Listen to us, my lord; you are a prince of God [a mighty prince] among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave or hinder you from burying your dead [wife].”

And Abraham said to them, “If you are willing to grant my dead a [proper] burial, listen to me, and plead with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,

“My lord, listen to me. The land [you seek] is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”

Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Listen, Esau my brother is a hairy man and I am a smooth [skinned] man.

But if you do not listen to us and refuse to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter [Dinah] and go.”

He said to them, “Please listen to [the details of] this dream which I have dreamed;

Tamar was told, “Listen, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

And so it was that she spoke to Joseph [persistently] day after day, but he did not listen to her [plea] to lie beside her or be with her.

Then Moses answered [the Lord] and said, “What if they will not believe me or take seriously what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’”

Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their impatience and despondency, and because of their forced labor.

But Moses said before the Lord, “Look, I am unskilled and inept in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me and pay attention to what I say?”

But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I shall lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts [like a defensive army, tribe by tribe], My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment (the plagues).

Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts and enchantments; so Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

But when Pharaoh saw that there was [temporary] relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen or pay attention to them, just as the Lord had said.

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the [supernatural] finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen or pay attention to them, just as the Lord had told Moses.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders (miracles) may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

saying, “If you will diligently listen and pay attention to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and listen to His commandments, and keep [foremost in your thoughts and actively obey] all His precepts and statutes, then I will not put on you any of the diseases which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

But they did not listen to Moses, and some left a supply of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul and rotten; and Moses was angry with them.

Now listen to me; I will advise you, and may God be with you [to confirm my advice]. You shall represent the people before God. You shall bring their disputes and causes to Him.

Then they said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak to us or we will die.”

Be on your guard before Him, listen to and obey His voice; do not be rebellious toward Him or provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgression, since My Name (authority) is in Him.

But if you will indeed listen to and truly obey His voice and do everything that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

If in spite of all this you still will not listen to Me and be obedient, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

‘Yet if in spite of this you will not [attentively] listen to Me but act with hostility against me,

Balaam took up his [second] discourse (oracle) and said:“Rise up, O Balak, and hear;Listen [closely] to me, son of Zippor.

And you returned and wept before the Lord; but the Lord would not listen to your voice nor pay attention to you.

But the Lord was angry with me because of you [and your rebellion at Meribah], and would not listen to me; and the Lord said to me, ‘Enough! Speak to Me no longer about this matter.

“Now, O Israel, listen and pay attention to the statutes and the judgments (God’s legal decisions) which I am teaching you to do, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and all your soul [your entire being].

you shall not consent to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare him or conceal him.

if only you will listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all these commandments which I am commanding you today.

The man who acts presumptuously and insolently by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the Lord your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; so you shall remove the evil from Israel.

For these nations which you shall dispossess listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners and fortune-tellers, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you, from your countrymen (brothers, brethren). You shall listen to him.

“If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or of his mother, and when they reprimand and discipline him, he will not listen to them,

Nevertheless, the Lord your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God has loved you.

“Now it shall be, if you diligently listen to and obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all of His commandments which I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

But I would not listen to Balaam. Therefore he had to bless you, so I saved you from Balak’s hand.

Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the prostitute after other gods and they bowed down to them. They quickly turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do as their fathers.

They were [allowed to remain] for the testing of Israel, to determine whether Israel would listen to and obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers (ancestors) through Moses.

then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let us pass through your land,” but the king of Edom would not listen. Also they sent word to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel stayed at Kadesh.

But the king of the Ammonites disregarded the message of Jephthah, which he sent to him.

But the men would not listen to him. So the man took the Levite’s concubine and brought her outside to them; and they had relations with her and abused her all night until morning; and when daybreak came, they let her go.

Now therefore, turn over the men [involved], the worthless and wicked men in Gibeah, so that we may put them to death and remove this wickedness from Israel.” But the Benjamites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel.

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but stay here close by my maids.

If one man does wrong and sins against another, God will intercede (arbitrate) for him; but if a man does wrong to the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.

So now listen to their voice; only solemnly warn them and tell them the ways of the king who will reign over them.”

Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us,

Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now listen and pay close attention to the words of the Lord.

David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘David seeks to harm you?’

So now, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you, and eat, so that you may have strength when you go on your way.”

And who will listen to you in regard to this matter? For as is the share of him who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the provisions and supplies; they shall share alike.”

Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “While the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he would not listen to our voices. How then can we tell him the child is dead, since he might harm himself [or us]?”

But he would not listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

But she said, “No, because this wrong of sending me away is worse than the other that you have done to me!” But he would not listen to her.

However, they did not listen, but they acted in accordance with their former custom.

until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, so that you may live and not die.” Do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads and incites you, saying, “The Lord will rescue us!”

But they did not listen; and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons (descendants) of Israel.

Yet have regard for the prayer of Your servant and for his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You,

that Your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, toward the place in which You have said that You would put Your Name (Presence), to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place.

So listen to the requests of Your servant and Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from Your dwelling place, from heaven; and when You hear, forgive.

When all Israel saw that the king did not listen and pay attention to them, the people answered him,“What portion do we have in David?We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.Every man to your tents, O Israel;Now, [Rehoboam, descendant of] David, see to your own house.” So all Israel went to their tents.

Yet God sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; these prophets testified against them, but they would not listen.

please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You, day and night, on behalf of Your servants, the sons (descendants) of Israel (Jacob), confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have committed against You; I and my father’s house have sinned.

And You admonished them and warned them to turn them back to Your law.Yet they acted presumptuously and arrogantly and did not heed Your commandments, but sinned against Your ordinances,Which by keeping, a man will live.But they turned a stubborn shoulder, stiffened their neck, and would not listen.

“Yet You were patient with them for many years,And admonished them and warned them by Your Spirit through Your prophets;Still they would not listen.Therefore You gave them into the hand (power) of the peoples of the lands.

Do we then hear about you that you have done all this great evil, acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign (pagan) women?”

“Please hear my argumentAnd listen to the pleadings of my lips.

“Listen diligently to my speech,And let my declaration fill your ears.

“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;I also will give you my opinion [about Job’s situation] and tell you plainly what I think.’

“Pay attention, Job, listen to me;Keep silent, and I will speak.

“If not [and you have nothing to say], listen to me;Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

“If you now have understanding, hear this;Listen to the sound of my words.

Listen to my words, O Lord,Consider my groaning and sighing.

Hear the just (righteous) cause, O Lord; listen to my loud [piercing] cry;Listen to my prayer, that comes from guileless lips.

Come, you children, listen to me;I will teach you to fear the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience].

Listen to my prayer, O God,And do not hide Yourself from my plea.

Hear my cry, O God;Listen to my prayer.

“Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you—O Israel, if you would listen to Me!

“Oh, that My people would listen to Me,That Israel would walk in My ways!

I will hear [with expectant hope] what God the Lord will say,For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones—But let them not turn again to folly.

Hear, O Lord, my prayer;And listen attentively to the voice of my supplications (specific requests)!

Now then, my sons, listen to meAnd do not depart from (forget) the words of my mouth.

Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,And pay attention to the words of my mouth.

“Now therefore, O sons, listen to me,For blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] are they who keep my ways.

The ransom for a man’s life is his wealth,But the poor man does not even have to listen to a rebuke or threats [from the envious].

Listen carefully and hear the words of the wise,And apply your mind to my knowledge;

The Lord will strike Egypt, striking but healing it; so they will return to the Lord, and He will respond to them and heal them.

“When he sees a chariot, horsemen in pairs,A train of donkeys and a train of camels,Let him pay attention and listen closely, very closely.”

He who said to them, “This is the place of quiet, give rest to the weary,”And, “This is the resting place,” yet they would not listen.

Listen and hear my voice;Listen carefully and hear my words.

Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded,And the ears of those who hear will listen attentively.

Rise up, you women who are carefree,And hear my voice,You confident and unsuspecting daughters!Listen to what I am saying.

Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for this is what the king of Assyria says, ‘Make peace with me and come out to me, and each one of you will eat from his own vine and each from his own fig tree and each [one of you] drink from the water of his own cistern,

“Listen to Me in silence, you islands and coastlands,And let the nations gain their strength;Let them come near, then let them speak;Let us come together for judgment [and decide the issue between us concerning the enemy from the east].

Who among you will listen to this?Who will listen and pay attention in the time to come?

“Listen to Me,” [says the Lord], “O house of Jacob,And all the remnant of the house of Israel,You who have been carried by Me from your birthAnd have been carried [in My arms] from the womb,