What Does Ezekiel 3:10 Mean in the King James?
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
In Hebrew, hearing carries the force of response: the spoken word is received in the heart and heard with attention.
THE MEANING
The words reaching you are received in the heart and heard with the ears; the verse holds inward reception and attentive hearing together. The speech is more than sound passing by: it meets the inner person and calls for a response.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It dissolves the idea that hearing is complete when sound reaches the ear; the verse pairs hearing with receiving the words in the heart.
THE ROOT
שְׁמַע
shemaʿ
GROWS FROM
שמע
Hear, listen, heed; in this context, hear and respond.
“hear” in this verse is shemaʿ. The root can carry more than sound reaching the ear: it includes attentive hearing that responds. Here, receiving the words in the heart and hearing with the ears form one movement of attention.
ALSO GROWS
shamaʿ: Hear, listen, heed.
שָׁמַע
This related form shows the attentive force carried by the command to hear.
shemuʿah: Report, tidings; what is heard.
שְׁמוּעָה
The message itself bears the name of what reaches the hearer.
דְּבָרַי
devarai
GROWS FROM
דבר
Speak; word, matter, or thing.
The Hebrew uses the same root in “my words” and “that I shall speak.” What is received in the heart is the very speech being spoken; the noun and verb echo one another beneath the English wording.
ALSO GROWS
davar: Word, matter, thing.
דָּבָר
The word for what is spoken also carries the sense of a matter or thing.
dibber: Speak, say.
דִּבֵּר
This verbal form shares its root with “my words,” joining the utterance to what is received.
קַח
qaḥ
GROWS FROM
לקח
Take, receive.
The verb translated “receive” is an imperative of taking. The same root also yields a word for instruction, bringing taking in and being taught into the same root family.
ALSO GROWS
lāqaḥ: Take, receive.
לָקַח
This is the basic verb behind the command to receive the words.
leqaḥ: Instruction, teaching.
לֶקַח
The related noun gives what is received the further sense of instruction taken in.
THE PATTERN
A spoken word becomes inwardly received as it is heard with attention.
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.THE THREAD
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:Deuteronomy joins “these words” with the heart, echoing Ezekiel’s pairing of spoken words, inward reception, and hearing. Both passages use the Hebrew root דבר for words, linking what is spoken with what is taken into the heart.
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