קֶשֶׁב
𐤒𐤔𐤁
qesheb
H7182 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Attentive hearing or careful listening, with the connotation of giving focused attention or regard to what is said or to instructions. The term implies a deliberate, intentional act of listening with the purpose of understanding or obeying, rather than passive or incidental hearing.
Semantic Range
attentive listening, careful attention, paying heed, active regard, inclining the ear towards, mindfulness to a request or instruction
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root קָשַׁב (qashav), meaning 'to listen attentively, to pay close attention.' The noun קֶשֶׁב (qesheb) denotes the quality or act of such attentive listening. The root emphasizes not mere auditory perception, but focused and mindful attention to something spoken or presented. The formation is a regular abstract noun from the verbal root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קֶשֶׁב occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Psalm 130:2; 1 Kings 8:28), often in formal or poetic contexts where heightened attentiveness to prayers or petitions is being sought from YHWH. The word is part of a small group of nouns in Biblical Hebrew that specifically convey the concept of intent listening (cf. שָׁמַע, which carries a broader semantic range including general hearing and sometimes obedience). In post-biblical contexts, derivatives or cognates may continue to carry the notion of focused auditory attention. Early translations (Greek, Syriac, Latin) render qesheb with terms indicating attention or inclination of the ear, reflecting the notion of active attentiveness rather than mere auditory function. Later English translations vary, sometimes paraphrasing as 'give ear' or 'attend to,' but may miss the nuance of diligence or deliberateness inherent in the term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from קָשַׁב; a hearkening; [idiom] diligently, hearing, much heed, that regarded.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קשב (q-sh-b) — to listen attentively, to pay close attention, to incline the ear
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7181 | קָשַׁב | cause yourself to attend closely |
| H7183 | קַשָּׁב | attentive-listening |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7182-01 |
קָֽשֶׁב | qashev | HNcmsa |
attention | attentive listening | 3 |
H7182-02 |
קֶ֖שֶׁב | qeshev | HNcmsa |
attention | attentive listening | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7182-01 |
1 Kings 18:29 | קָֽשֶׁב | qashev | HNcmsa |
paying attention | attentive listening |
H7182-01 |
2 Kings 4:31 | קָ֑שֶׁב | qashev | HNcmsa |
hearing | attentive listening |
H7182-02 |
Isaiah 21:7 | קֶ֖שֶׁב | qeshev | HNcmsa |
attention | attentive listening |
H7182-01 |
Isaiah 21:7 | קָֽשֶׁב | qashev | HNcmsa |
attention | attentive listening |