The term "heardest" is an archaic form of the verb "hear," often found in older English translations of the Bible. It is used to describe the act of listening or perceiving sound, particularly in the context of divine communication or human response to God's word. In the Berean Standard Bible , the equivalent modern term "heard" is used, but the concept remains significant throughout Scripture.

Biblical Context

1. Divine Communication: The act of hearing is frequently associated with receiving divine messages. In the Old Testament, God often communicated with His people through prophets, dreams, and direct speech. For example, in Deuteronomy 4:12 , it is written, "Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice." This passage emphasizes the importance of hearing God's voice, even when His form is not visible.

2. Obedience and Faith: Hearing in the biblical sense often implies obedience. In the Shema, a central declaration of the Jewish faith found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 , it states, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Here, "hear" is not merely about auditory perception but involves a call to action and devotion.

3. Judgment and Accountability: The concept of hearing is also linked to judgment. In the New Testament, Jesus frequently uses the phrase "He who has ears, let him hear" (e.g., Matthew 11:15) to call people to understand and act upon His teachings. This implies that hearing the word of God brings with it a responsibility to respond appropriately.

4. Faith Comes by Hearing: The Apostle Paul underscores the importance of hearing in the process of salvation. In Romans 10:17 , he writes, "Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." This highlights the necessity of hearing the gospel message as a means to develop faith and receive salvation.

5. Spiritual Deafness: The Bible also warns against spiritual deafness, where individuals hear the word of God but fail to understand or act upon it. In Isaiah 6:9-10 , God instructs the prophet, "Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’" This passage serves as a caution against hardening one's heart to God's message.

Theological Implications

The act of hearing in the Bible is deeply intertwined with themes of revelation, obedience, and faith. It is not merely a physical act but a spiritual one that requires openness to God's voice and a willingness to act upon His commands. The biblical narrative consistently emphasizes that true hearing leads to transformation and alignment with God's will.

And Thou Sentest Thine Hand from Above, and Drewest My Soul Out of ...
... For she, by that faith and spirit which she had from Thee, discerned the death wherein
I lay, and Thou heardest her, O Lord; Thou heardest her, and despisedst ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter xi and thou sentest.htm

He Refers to the Tears, and the Memorable Dream Concerning Her Son ...
... For she saw that I was dead by that faith and spirit which she had from
Thee, and Thou heardest her, O Lord. Thou heardest her, and ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/chapter xi he refers to the.htm

Deepening Shadows.
... And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest
Me; and I knew that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the multitude that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/deepening shadows.htm

Psalm XXXI.
... "Therefore Thou heardest, O Lord, the voice of my prayer, when I cried unto Thee."
Therefore putting a limit to correction, and showing that I have part in Thy ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xxxi.htm

Seventeenth Lesson. I Know that Thou Hearest Me Always;'
... Or Prayer in Harmony with the Being of God. Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest
me. And I knew that Thou hearest me always.'"John 11:41, 42. ...
/.../murray/with christ in the school of prayer/seventeenth lesson i know that.htm

How a Man Shall have Him in this Work against all Thoughts, and ...
... The cause of this scattering is, that thou heardest him first wilfully, then
answeredest him, receivedest him, and lettest him alone. ...
/.../anonymous/the cloud of unknowing/here beginneth the seventh chapter.htm

And when the First Created, Father Adam, had Heard This...
... this, that Jesus was baptized in Jordan, he cried out to his son Seth: Tell thy
sons, the patriarchs and the prophets, all that thou heardest from Michael the ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of nicodemus /chapter 3 19 and when.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xviii. 7, Where we are ...
... Thou wast thinking, as thou heardest, "Woe unto the world because of offences,"
whither thou mightest go beyond the world, that thou mightest not be exposed to ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xxxi on the words.htm

The Rediscovered Law and Its Effects
... Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when
thou heardest what I speak against this place, and against the inhabitants ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the rediscovered law and its.htm

Josiah and the Newly Found Law
... Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou
heardest His words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/josiah and the newly found.htm

Knewest (11 Occurrences)
... In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. (KJV ASV DBY
WBS). Isaiah 48:6 Thou heardest, see all this; and ye, will not ye declare it? ...
/k/knewest.htm - 10k

Rend (35 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 22:19 Because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before
Jehovah, when thou heardest what I spoke against this place and against the ...
/r/rend.htm - 18k

Heardest (15 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Heardest (15 Occurrences). ... And Jesus lifted up his eyes,
and said, Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. (ASV). ...
/h/heardest.htm - 11k

Rent (76 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 22:19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before
the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against ...
/r/rent.htm - 32k

Oppressors (31 Occurrences)
... gavest them into the hand of their oppressors, and they oppressed them; and in the
time of their distress, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from ...
/o/oppressors.htm - 15k

Leftest (1 Occurrence)
... leftest thou them in the land of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over
them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from ...
/l/leftest.htm - 6k

Fenced (61 Occurrences)
... Joshua 14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that
day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the ...
/f/fenced.htm - 27k

Deliveredst (3 Occurrences)
... thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the
time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from ...
/d/deliveredst.htm - 7k

Anakites (8 Occurrences)
... Joshua 14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spoke in that
day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakim were there, and cities great ...
/a/anakites.htm - 8k

Astonishment (51 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 22:19 because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before
Jehovah, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the ...
/a/astonishment.htm - 24k

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