📖 Biblical Definition
Hearing in Scripture is almost always prior to seeing. God called; Israel was to hear ("Hear, O Israel," Deut 6:4). Jesus repeatedly said, "He who has ears, let him hear" (Matt 11:15). Faith comes through hearing (Rom 10:17). A Hebrew slave who loved His master and chose to stay forever had His ear pierced at the doorpost (Ex 21:6) — a sign of permanent, voluntary covenant belonging. Christ says this of Himself prophetically: "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but you have given me an open ear" (Ps 40:6, applied in Heb 10:5-7). The ear is the organ of faithful obedience.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
EAR, n.
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EAR, n. [Sax. eare.] The organ of hearing. In Scripture, the ear is the primary gateway of faith: "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The Hebrew slave whose love for His master bound Him forever had His ear bored through at the doorpost, a sign of perpetual covenant service. Christ, fulfilling the type, says, "An ear you have prepared for me" — meaning, a body prepared for obedience.
📖 Key Scripture
Deuteronomy 6:4 — "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one."
Romans 10:17 — "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
Exodus 21:5-6 — "But if the slave plainly says, "I love my master... I will not go out free," then his master shall... bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever."
Matthew 11:15 — "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Podcast and audiobook abundance has never produced more listeners — but active hearing-and-obeying is as rare as ever.
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Modern Christians consume more audio Scripture and sermons than any generation before them. And yet the biblical standard is not consumption but hearing-and-doing: "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (Jas 1:22). The ear that merely consumes has not yet obeyed. The pierced-ear slave of Exodus 21 is the type of the Christian who loves his Master so much he will not leave — the ear permanently marked for service. Recover the ear. Hear in order to obey, not in order to entertain.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
H241 — ozen. G3775 — ous.
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H241 — ozen (אֹזֶן) — ear; used for the ear as hearing organ and as symbol of attention.
G3775 — ous (οὖς) — ear; used in Jesus' frequent "he who has ears let him hear."
G189 — akoē (ἀκοή) — hearing; what is heard; the faculty of hearing.
Usage
"Faith comes by hearing. Read the Word aloud; let your own voice reach your own ear."
"The Hebrew slave's ear was pierced at the doorpost. Your Christian ear is marked the same way: I love my Master; I will not go out free."