כְּ/שָׁמְעִ֣/י
𐤊/𐤔𐤌𐤏/𐤉
shâmaʻ
when I heard
To perceive sound or speech with the ear; by extension, to listen, pay attention, or heed, often with the implication of responding appropriately. In many contexts, carries the sense of attentive or obedient listening, sometimes extending to 'obey,' especially in covenantal or legal passages. Also used causatively ('to make hear,' 'cause to be announced'), with a secondary sense of proclaiming, reporting, or making known information to others. The verb can also connote understanding, discerning, or acknowledging a message or instruction.
Nehemiah 1:4 · Word #2
Lexicon H8085
| Lemma | שָׁמַע |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤔𐤌𐤏 |
| Transliteration | shâmaʻ |
| Strong's | H8085 |
| Definition | To perceive sound or speech with the ear; by extension, to listen, pay attention, or heed, often with the implication of responding appropriately. In many contexts, carries the sense of attentive or obedient listening, sometimes extending to 'obey,' especially in covenantal or legal passages. Also used causatively ('to make hear,' 'cause to be announced'), with a secondary sense of proclaiming, reporting, or making known information to others. The verb can also connote understanding, discerning, or acknowledging a message or instruction. |
Morphology HR/Vqc/Sp1cs
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state |
| Binyan | q — Qal — Simple active |
| Conjugation | c — Infinitive Construct — The verbal noun ("to ...") |
Common Translation
| Phrase | when I heard |
SIBI-P1 Translation H8085-31
as my hearing
| Morphological Notes | Qal infinitive construct of שׁמע with prefixed כְּ ('as') and 1st person common singular pronominal suffix; verbal noun form functioning as 'my hearing.' |
| Rendering Rationale | The Qal infinitive construct of שׁמע expresses the act of hearing in its simple, active sense. The 1st person singular suffix makes it possessive ('my hearing'), and the prefixed כְּ adds the comparative/temporal sense 'as.' |
View full lexicon entry for H8085 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
when I heard
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | The phrase is best rendered 'when I heard.' P1 'as my hearing' is awkward and misses the context of 'I' as the subject and the action of personal hearing. |