239. azan
Lexical Summary
azan: pondered

Original Word: אָזַן
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: azan
Pronunciation: ah-zan
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-zan')
KJV: give good head
NASB: pondered
Word Origin: [a primitive root (rather identical with H238 (אָזַן - give ear) through the idea of scales as if two ears)]

1. to weigh
2. (figuratively) ponder

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
ponder

A primitive root (rather identical with 'azan through the idea of scales as if two ears); to weigh, i.e. (figuratively) ponder -- give good head.

see HEBREW 'azan

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to weigh, test, prove
NASB Translation
pondered (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. [אָזַן] verb only

Pi`el Perfect weigh, test, prove (compare Arabic weigh, also Arabic & Aramaic derivatives); וְּאִזֵּן (conj.) Ecclesiastes 12:9 ("" חִקֵּר, תִּקֵּן).

אזן (√ of following; Biblical Hebrew אזן, מאֹזְנַיִם).



Topical Lexicon
Root Concept and Semantic Field

The triliteral root אָזַן shapes two prominent ideas in the Hebrew canon: the faculty of hearing (“ear,” אֹזֶן) and the instrument of weighing (“scales,” מֹאזְנַיִם). While the verbal form never surfaces in the extant Old Testament text, its derivatives occur frequently and reveal a unified notion of attentive assessment—whether receiving spoken revelation or evaluating moral weight.

Derived Forms and Their Distribution

• אֹזֶן (ear) appears well over a hundred times, ranging from literal anatomy (Leviticus 8:23) to metaphor for spiritual receptivity (Isaiah 50:5).
• מֹאזְנַיִם (scales, balances) is found in legal, commercial, and prophetic settings (Leviticus 19:36; Job 6:2; Daniel 5:27).

Together they create a picture of perception and justice: the ear discerns words as the scales discern weight.

Theological Themes: Hearing and Obedience

Scripture repeatedly links the ear to covenant faithfulness. “Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live” (Isaiah 55:3). The call is not mere acoustics but obedient response. Exodus 21:6 dramatizes lifelong service by piercing the servant’s ear—an emblem of perpetual willingness to hear and obey the master’s voice. Likewise, the oft-repeated cry “He who has an ear, let him hear” (Revelation 2:7) carries the same Hebraic resonance into the New Testament.

Judicial Imagery: Scales and Righteousness

Scales symbolize Yahweh’s uncompromising standard: “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight” (Proverbs 11:1). In Daniel 5:27 the Babylonian empire itself is “weighed on the scales and found deficient,” showing that the principle moves from the marketplace to the throne room of world powers. The metaphor plays into eschatology; divine judgment will weigh every deed, a truth consummated at the great white throne (Revelation 20:12).

Prophetic and Poetic Usage

Psalmists often plead for God to “incline Your ear” (Psalm 17:6; 86:1), confident that He actively listens. Isaiah intensifies the thought by portraying the Servant of the LORD with a disciple’s ear: “The Lord GOD has opened My ear, and I have not been rebellious” (Isaiah 50:5). Thus, faithful Israel—and ultimately Messiah—embody perfect responsiveness.

Christological and New Testament Connections

The semantic range flows naturally into the Greek ἀκούω (hear) and ζυγός/ζυγός (yoke, balance). Jesus confirms both motifs. He warns against hypocritical hearing (Mark 4:24) and confronts dishonest religious “weights” (Matthew 23:4). At Calvary the righteous scales balanced God’s justice and mercy; Christ bore the infinite weight of sin so believers might be declared righteous.

Practical Application for Preaching and Ministry

1. Cultivate a listening posture. Ministry begins with an “opened ear” before issuing proclamations.
2. Champion integrity. The imagery of honest scales speaks to financial stewardship, counseling fairness, and doctrinal accuracy.
3. Preach balanced truth. Avoiding legalism on one side and license on the other reflects the scales of sound teaching (2 Timothy 4:2).

Intertextual Notes and Key References

Leviticus 19:36; Deuteronomy 29:4; 1 Samuel 3:10; Psalm 34:15; Psalm 94:9; Proverbs 20:12, 23; Ecclesiastes 12:11; Isaiah 30:21; Jeremiah 25:4; Ezekiel 40:3; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:11; Matthew 13:16; Acts 28:26-27; James 1:19.

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