קָשַׁב (H7181) — Hebrew Lexicon

קָשַׁב

𐤒𐤔𐤁

qâshab

H7181 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To pay close attention, listen attentively, or heed. The verb קָשַׁב primarily describes the act of inclining oneself (physically or mentally) toward a speaker or message, marking something carefully, or being responsive to auditory input or instruction. It often conveys a purposeful, focused listening, whether to other humans or to divine communication. Sometimes it is used as an imperative, urging recipients to concentrate on what follows.

Semantic Range

to listen attentively, to incline the ear, to heed or pay heed, to be responsive, to mark carefully, to be attentive (mentally or physically), to grant attention (as to a request), to attend closely

Root / Etymology

From the root קשב, which fundamentally means 'to incline, pay attention, listen attentively.' The verb form reflects the action of actively attending to speech or sound, possibly from the imagery of making one's ear 'ready' to receive information. Distinct from general hearing (שָׁמַע), it emphasizes the quality and intent of the attention.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, קָשַׁב is employed to express careful attention to spoken words, instructions, or prayers, often with a focus on deliberate engagement rather than passive hearing. It frequently appears in wisdom literature (e.g., Psalms, Proverbs), where the call to 'incline your ear' (הַט אׇזְנְךָ) or 'attend' admonitions is a rhetorical device to prompt serious reflection or obedience. When used in prayers, it appeals for YHWH to incline His ear (i.e., to be responsive), highlighting a request for a favorable audience. The nuance is stronger than mere hearing, denoting concentrated or willful attention. English translations like 'hearken' or 'give heed' attempt to capture this, though 'to listen attentively' is often closer to the Hebrew intent. This root is not as frequently used as שָׁמַע (to hear, obey), and typically carries a tone of increased urgency or seriousness.

Translation Consistency

primary "listen" 26 occurrences

qâshab primarily describes inclining the ear and paying close, purposeful attention. "Listen" is the most natural, common English verb that captures both literal hearing and the broader sense of heeding or attending, and works smoothly for all inflected forms (compare Hebrew idiom "give ear"). It preserves the typical usage across contexts more naturally than more formal alternatives like "attend" or "heed."

Alternatives (20 occurrences):

"give close attention" (6x) "who gives heed" (3x) "heed" (1x) "gave attentive heed" (1x) "pay attention" (1x) "paid close attention" (1x) "gave close attention" (1x) "us give close attention" (1x) "gave close heed" (1x) "give close heed" (1x) "pay close attention" (1x) "ones paying close attention" (1x) "cause yourself to attend" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to prick up the ears, i.e. hearken; attend, (cause to) hear(-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

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Root Family

קשב (q-š-b) — to pay attention, to listen attentively, to heed

Root קשב to pay attention, to listen attentively, to heed

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H7182	קֶשֶׁב	attentive listening
H7183	קַשָּׁב	attentive-listening

Word Forms

21 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H7181-03`	הַקְשִׁ֥יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	Attend to it	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively	8
`H7181-05`	הַקְשִׁ֥יבוּ	haqeshivu	`HVhv2mp`	Listen	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively	6
`H7181-19`	וְ/הַקְשִׁ֥יבוּ	vehaqeshivu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and pay attention	and give close attention	and give close attention	4
`H7181-10`	לְ/הַקְשִׁ֖יב	lehaqeshiv	`HR/Vhc`	listen	to cause attentive listening	to cause to listen	4
`H7181-09`	הִקְשִׁ֔יבוּ	hiqeshivu	`HVhp3cp`	hearkened	they caused themselves to attend closely	they caused themselves to listen closely	4
`H7181-11`	מַקְשִֽׁיב	maqeshiv	`HVhrmsa`	listens	one who gives heed	one who gives heed	3
`H7181-04`	הַקְשִׁ֥יבִי	haqeshivi	`HVhv2fs`	listen	Pay close attention	Listen attentively	2
`H7181-08`	הִקְשִׁ֥יב	hiqeshiv	`HVhp3ms`	has attended	he gave attentive heed	he listened attentively	2
`H7181-12`	מַקְשִׁיבִ֥ים	maqeshivim	`HVhrmpa`	are listening/hearkening	the ones paying close attention	the ones paying close attention	1
`H7181-06`	הִקְשַׁ֖בְתָּ	hiqeshaveta	`HVhp2ms`	you had paid attention	you gave close attention	you had paid close attention	1
`H7181-20`	וְ/הִקְשִׁ֥יב	vehiqeshiv	`HC/Vhq3ms`	and he listens	and he gave attentive heed	and he gave attentive heed	1
`H7181-15`	תַּקְשִׁ֥יב	taqeshiv	`HVhi2ms`	you-will-incline	you will give close heed	you will give close heed	1
`H7181-16`	תִּקְשַֽׁבְנָה	tiqeshavenah	`HVqi3fp`	will listen	they will listen attentively	will listen attentively	1
`H7181-01`	הַֽקֲשִׁ֥יבָ/ה	haqashivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	listen!	cause yourself to attend closely	cause yourself to attend closely	1
`H7181-17`	וַ/יַּקְשֵׁ֤ב	vayaqeshev	`HC/Vhw3ms`	and-attended	and he gave close heed	and he gave close heed	1
`H7181-13`	נַקְשִֽׁיב	naqeshiv	`HVhi1cp`	we will listen	we will give close attention	we will give close attention	1
`H7181-21`	יַקְשִׁ֥ב	yaqeshiv	`HVhi3ms`	will listen	he will cause to heed	will pay attention	1
`H7181-07`	הִקְשַׁ֤בְתִּי	hiqeshaveti	`HVhp1cs`	I have listened	I gave close attention	I gave close attention	1
`H7181-02`	הַקְשֵׁ֖ב	haqeshev	`HVhv2ms`	Pay attention	Give close attention	Give close attention	1
`H7181-18`	וְ֝/הַקְשִׁ֗יבָ/ה	vehaqeshivah	`HC/Vhv2ms/Sh`	and give heed	and pay close attention	and pay close attention	1
`H7181-14`	נַקְשִׁ֖יבָה	naqeshivah	`HVhh1cp`	us give heed	let us give close attention	let us give close attention	1

Occurrences in Scripture

46 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H7181-10`	1 Samuel 15:22	לְ/הַקְשִׁ֖יב	lehaqeshiv	`HR/Vhc`	to heed	to cause attentive listening	to heed
`H7181-04`	Isaiah 10:30	הַקְשִׁ֥יבִי	haqeshivi	`HVhv2fs`	Listen	Pay close attention	Listen attentively
`H7181-20`	Isaiah 21:7	וְ/הִקְשִׁ֥יב	vehiqeshiv	`HC/Vhq3ms`	and he listens	and he gave attentive heed	and he gave attentive heed
`H7181-05`	Isaiah 28:23	הַקְשִׁ֥יבוּ	haqeshivu	`HVhv2mp`	pay attention	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-16`	Isaiah 32:3	תִּקְשַֽׁבְנָה	tiqeshavenah	`HVqi3fp`	will listen	they will listen attentively	will listen attentively
`H7181-05`	Isaiah 34:1	הַקְשִׁ֑יבוּ	haqeshivu	`HVhv2mp`	give attention	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-21`	Isaiah 42:23	יַקְשִׁ֥ב	yaqeshiv	`HVhi3ms`	will listen	he will cause to heed	will pay attention
`H7181-06`	Isaiah 48:18	הִקְשַׁ֖בְתָּ	hiqeshaveta	`HVhp2ms`	you had paid attention	you gave close attention	you had paid close attention
`H7181-19`	Isaiah 49:1	וְ/הַקְשִׁ֥יבוּ	vehaqeshivu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and give ear	and give close attention	and give close attention
`H7181-05`	Isaiah 51:4	הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ	haqeshivu	`HVhv2mp`	listen attentively	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-10`	Jeremiah 6:10	לְ/הַקְשִׁ֑יב	lehaqeshiv	`HR/Vhc`	listen	to cause attentive listening	to cause to listen
`H7181-05`	Jeremiah 6:17	הַקְשִׁ֖יבוּ	haqeshivu	`HVhv2mp`	Listen	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-13`	Jeremiah 6:17	נַקְשִֽׁיב	naqeshiv	`HVhi1cp`	we will listen	we will give close attention	we will give close attention
`H7181-09`	Jeremiah 6:19	הִקְשִׁ֔יבוּ	hiqeshivu	`HVhp3cp`	they listened	they caused themselves to attend closely	they caused themselves to listen closely
`H7181-07`	Jeremiah 8:6	הִקְשַׁ֤בְתִּי	hiqeshaveti	`HVhp1cs`	I have listened	I gave close attention	I gave close attention
`H7181-14`	Jeremiah 18:18	נַקְשִׁ֖יבָה	naqeshivah	`HVhh1cp`	us give heed	let us give close attention	let us give close attention
`H7181-03`	Jeremiah 18:19	הַקְשִׁ֥יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	Give heed	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-08`	Jeremiah 23:18	הִקְשִׁ֥יב	hiqeshiv	`HVhp3ms`	has paid attention	he gave attentive heed	he listened attentively
`H7181-19`	Hosea 5:1	וְ/הַקְשִׁ֣יבוּ	vehaqeshivu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and pay attention	and give close attention	and give close attention
`H7181-04`	Micah 1:2	הַקְשִׁ֖יבִי	haqeshivi	`HVhv2fs`	listen	Pay close attention	Listen attentively
`H7181-09`	Zechariah 1:4	הִקְשִׁ֥יבוּ	hiqeshivu	`HVhp3cp`	pay attention	they caused themselves to attend closely	they caused themselves to listen closely
`H7181-10`	Zechariah 7:11	לְ/הַקְשִׁ֔יב	lehaqeshiv	`HR/Vhc`	to pay attention	to cause attentive listening	to cause to listen
`H7181-17`	Malachi 3:16	וַ/יַּקְשֵׁ֤ב	vayaqeshev	`HC/Vhw3ms`	and-attended	and he gave close heed	and he gave close heed
`H7181-03`	Psalms 5:3	הַקְשִׁ֤יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	give-heed	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-15`	Psalms 10:17	תַּקְשִׁ֥יב	taqeshiv	`HVhi2ms`	you-will-incline	you will give close heed	you will give close heed
`H7181-03`	Psalms 17:1	הַקְשִׁ֥יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	attend	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-03`	Psalms 55:3	הַקְשִׁ֣יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	give-heed-to-me	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-03`	Psalms 61:2	הַ֝קְשִׁ֗יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	give ear	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-08`	Psalms 66:19	הִ֝קְשִׁ֗יב	hiqeshiv	`HVhp3ms`	has attended	he gave attentive heed	he listened attentively
`H7181-18`	Psalms 86:6	וְ֝/הַקְשִׁ֗יבָ/ה	vehaqeshivah	`HC/Vhv2ms/Sh`	and give heed	and pay close attention	and pay close attention
`H7181-03`	Psalms 142:7	הַקְשִׁ֤יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	Attend to it	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-11`	Proverbs 1:24	מַקְשִֽׁיב	maqeshiv	`HVhrmsa`	paid attention	one who gives heed	one who gives heed
`H7181-10`	Proverbs 2:2	לְ/הַקְשִׁ֣יב	lehaqeshiv	`HR/Vhc`	to give heed	to cause attentive listening	to cause to listen
`H7181-19`	Proverbs 4:1	וְ֝/הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ	vehaqeshivu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and attend	and give close attention	and give close attention
`H7181-03`	Proverbs 4:20	הַקְשִׁ֑יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	give attention	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-03`	Proverbs 5:1	הַקְשִׁ֑יבָ/ה	haqeshivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	pay attention	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-19`	Proverbs 7:24	וְ֝/הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ	vehaqeshivu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and pay attention	and give close attention	and give close attention
`H7181-11`	Proverbs 17:4	מַקְשִׁ֣יב	maqeshiv	`HVhrmsa`	listens	one who gives heed	one who gives heed
`H7181-11`	Proverbs 29:12	מַקְשִׁ֣יב	maqeshiv	`HVhrmsa`	listens	one who gives heed	one who gives heed
`H7181-05`	Job 13:6	הַקְשִֽׁיבוּ	haqeshivu	`HVhv2mp`	Listen attentively	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-02`	Job 33:31	הַקְשֵׁ֖ב	haqeshev	`HVhv2ms`	Pay attention	Give close attention	Give close attention
`H7181-12`	Song of Songs 8:13	מַקְשִׁיבִ֥ים	maqeshivim	`HVhrmpa`	are listening/hearkening	the ones paying close attention	the ones paying close attention
`H7181-01`	Daniel 9:19	הַֽקֲשִׁ֥יבָ/ה	haqashivah	`HVhv2ms/Sh`	listen!	cause yourself to attend closely	cause yourself to attend closely
`H7181-09`	Nehemiah 9:34	הִקְשִׁ֨יבוּ֙	hiqeshivu	`HVhp3cp`	hearkened	they caused themselves to attend closely	they caused themselves to listen closely
`H7181-05`	2 Chronicles 20:15	הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּ	haqeshivu	`HVhv2mp`	Listen	Give attentive heed	Listen attentively
`H7181-09`	2 Chronicles 33:10	הִקְשִֽׁיבוּ	hiqeshivu	`HVhp3cp`	they paid attention	they caused themselves to attend closely	they caused themselves to listen closely

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