Give ye ear and hear my voice; hearken and hear my speech.Isaiah 28:23 Explainer ## Introduction - In Plain Language: Pay attention—God is speaking, and He wants you to really listen. - Big idea: God calls people to intentional listening so they can learn the practical wisdom He teaches. - Key points: - The verse is a clear, urgent invitation to hear God, not a casual request. - The repetition emphasizes active, careful attention—listening with the heart as well as the ears. - The call sets up a series of everyday images that show how God teaches through ordinary life. ## Context - Where this verse fits in: Isaiah 28 marks a moment when the prophet shifts from condemning leaders and mockers to addressing the people directly, urging them to listen to God’s instruction. Verse 23 begins a new section (vv. 23–29) in which God explains His teaching through common agricultural images. - Story timeline: Isaiah prophesied in the 8th century BC during political and moral turmoil in Israel and Judah. The immediate audience is the people of Israel/Judah—especially those who are complacent, scoffing, or trusting in shallow comforts rather than God. - Surrounding passage: - Just before (vv. 20–22): Isaiah has pronounced woes on proud and drunken leaders and warned that judgment and correction are coming; mockery and stubbornness are condemned. - Just after (vv. 24–29): God uses simple, everyday scenes—plowing, threshing, winnowing, grain and wine processing—to show how He teaches, disciplines, and brings about His purposes in an ordered, wise way. The point: God’s ways are practical, measured, and purposeful; pay attention so you learn. ## Explanation - Quick take: This verse is a direct call from God—through Isaiah—for people to stop and listen carefully. It’s the verbal cue that what follows is important life-teaching, not mere rhetoric. - In Depth: Isaiah repeats the idea of hearing with two related Hebrew verbs, piling up words that demand full attention: listen, hear my voice; hearken, hear my speech. The doubling is a rhetorical device—think of someone tapping you on the shoulder and saying, “Listen up!” The message that follows (the agricultural analogies) is intentionally ordinary so that everyone can see God’s instruction in daily life. God’s teaching is not confined to temple ceremonies or lofty theology; it’s visible in how the farmer plows, sows, threshes, and separates grain. The verse challenges both prideful leaders and indifferent people: if you would only truly hear, you would recognize God’s wisdom and respond rather than scoff. ## Key Words - Shama' (שָׁמַע) — “to hear, listen” (call to attentive listening). - Qowl (קוֹל) / qoli (קוֹלִי) — “voice” / “my voice” (the speaker’s personal call). - Ha’azinu (הַאֲזִינוּ) — “give ear, hearken” (another word for attentive listening, emphasizing focus). - ‘Amrah / Imrati (אִמְרָתִי) — “my speech” / “what I say” (God’s message or instruction). ## Background - Cultural and literary background: In the ancient Near East prophets often used everyday life and nature to teach spiritual truths. For a largely agrarian audience, images of plowing, sowing, threshing, and winemaking were immediate and familiar, so they made God’s methods and timing understandable. The repeated command to listen is a classic prophetic device—prophets frequently begin a teaching with a summons to attention so the people realize the words aren’t optional. - Historical note: Isaiah 28 is addressing a people who are complacent, trusting in false security (allegiances, wine, leaders) instead of repenting and relying on God. This call to listen is part of a corrective, pastoral push to receive God’s instruction. ## Theology - Theological insights in plain language: - God speaks and calls us to receive His wisdom; hearing is a spiritual responsibility. - God often teaches through ordinary life and slow processes—His wisdom is practical and observable. - Listening is the first step toward repentance and transformation: God’s voice invites response, not merely information. ## Application To Your Life - For workers: Before reacting or making decisions, stop and listen—to God, to wise counsel, and to the facts. Paying attention saves mistakes and builds integrity. - For parents: Model listening—give full attention to your kids and to God’s leading. Children learn that hearing leads to care and wise action. - For seekers or new believers: Learning to “hear” God can start with quieting distractions, reading Scripture slowly, and looking for how God’s truth shows up in ordinary routines. - For leaders: Resist the temptation to bulldoze ahead; listen to criticism, warning signs, and the small, everyday signals God uses. - Reflection questions: - Where am I dismissing important truth because I’m not willing to listen? - What ordinary parts of my life might God be using to teach me right now? - Short prayer: Lord, open my ears and heart to hear Your voice. Help me pay attention to Your teaching in everyday life. ## Translation Comparison - KJV: “Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.” - NIV: “Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear my speech.” - ESV: “Give ear and hear my voice; give heed and hear my speech.” - NRSV: “Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear my speech.” - NASB: “Give ear and hear my voice, listen and hear my speech.” - Why differences matter: Most translations repeat two verbs for hearing—this reflects the Hebrew’s stack of synonyms meant to intensify the call. Differences in words like “pay attention” vs. “give heed” reflect attempts to capture the urgency and focused attention implied in the Hebrew. ## FAQs - Q: Why does Isaiah use two different words for “hear” in one verse? Short answer: The Hebrew uses similar but distinct verbs to heighten urgency. It’s not just casual hearing (like noise passing your ears) but intentional, focused listening that results in understanding and obedience. The repetition is a rhetorical tool—think: “Listen—really listen!” This emphasis also prepares the audience for the practical lessons that follow; Isaiah wants them to be mentally present so God’s everyday wisdom will register and produce change. - Q: Who should “give ear” — is this for leaders, the common people, or both? Short answer: Both. The immediate context includes rebuke of leaders and complacent citizens, so the summons to listen is aimed at the whole community. Leaders need the warning to stop mocking and self-assurance; ordinary people need the invitation to learn and not follow false security. The verse’s broad, plain-language command suggests everyone has responsibility to hear and respond to God’s teaching. ## Cross References - Proverbs 1:20–23 — Wisdom calls for a listening people; parallels the summons to pay attention. - Matthew 11:15 / Luke 8:8 — “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” — Jesus echoes the prophetic call to attentive listening. - Romans 10:17 — “Faith comes by hearing” — connects hearing God’s word with growth in faith. - Isaiah 50:4 — “The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught” — shows prophetic receiving and passing on of God’s instruction. ## Deeper Study - Commentary synthesis (high-level): Scholars note that Isaiah 28:23 begins a pedagogical section where God teaches through familiar images. The verse’s stacked verbs signal a shift from judgment language to didactic language; God moves from condemnation to instruction, showing His order and wisdom in the world. Commentators highlight the social edge: God’s teaching addresses those who have failed to heed prior warnings; it invites a practical reorientation. - Group study bullets: - Read vv. 23–29 together and list all the everyday images used—what do they teach about God’s timing and methods? - Share a time when a simple, ordinary experience taught you a spiritual lesson. - Discuss why listening is hard in your community and what practical steps could help people “give ear.” - Consider how a leader should respond differently after hearing this prophetic call. ## Related verses (compare and contrast) - Proverbs 1:20–23 — Wisdom publicly calls people to listen; compare how both call for attention and offer benefit to those who hear. - Isaiah 30:9–11 — People refuse to listen and prefer comfortable lies; contrast this with Isaiah 28:23’s urgent call to attentive hearing. - Matthew 11:15 — Jesus repeats the prophetic summons “let him who has ears, hear”; compare how Jesus and Isaiah both demand attentive response. ## Talk to the Bible Try the “Talk To The Bible” feature to explore how listening to Scripture plays out in daily life. Suggested prompts: - “Show me modern, practical examples of Isaiah 28:23—how might God teach me today through ordinary tasks?” - “Compare Isaiah 28:23–29 with Jesus’ teaching about listening—what continuous themes do you see?” - “Help me make a 7-day plan for practicing ‘give ear’—daily exercises for improving spiritual listening.”
