Word Study Wednesday- Link Up Define Ear

I like word studies! It's okay, you can think that's strange or boring. BUT I'd like to challenge you to give it a try and then see what you think about them.

My friend Gina at A Cherished Keeper is hosting Word Study Wednesdays. What's a Word Study? Why even bother with doing one? You can learn answers to those questions here at this post by Principled Mom. 

I was challenged by a gal a while ago to do a word study on the word ear. A Cherished Keeper's Word Study Wednesday is helping me to finally get to that!

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

E'AR, n. [L. auris, whence auricula; audio.]

The definition for my focus:

2. The sense of hearing, or rather the power of distinguishing sounds and judging of harmony; the power of nice perception of the differences of sound, or of consonances and dissonances. She has a delicate ear for music, or a good ear.

Defining my underlined words:

HE'ARING, ppr. Perceiving by the ear, as sound.
1. Listening to; attending to; obeying; observing what is commanded.

3. The act of perceiving sounds; sensation or perception of sound.

DISTINGUISHING, ppr.

1. Separating from others by a note of diversity; ascertaining difference by a mark.

2. Ascertaining, knowing or perceiving a difference.

SOUND, a. [L. sanus.]
8. Founded in truth; firm; strong; valid; solid; that cannot be overthrown or refuted; as sound reasoning; a sound argument; a sound objection; sound doctrine; sound principles.

PERCEP'TION, n. [L. perceptio. See Perceive.]

1. The act of perceiving or of receiving impressions by the senses; or that act or process of the mind which makes known an external object. In other words, the notice which the mind takes of external objects. We gain a knowledge of the coldness and smoothness of marble by perception.

4. The state of being affected or capable of being affected by something external.   

 

Looking at how ear is used in Scripture. 

I don't have a lot of spare time so I utilize search engines a lot. There are many references to ear in Scripture and it's hard to narrow it down for this post but you can research more on your own if you'd like to:

The organ of hearing:

Job 13:1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

Capable of trying and distinguishing words:

Job 12:11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

God Made the Ear:

Proverbs 20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

Planted.

Psalms 94:9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

God Opens Ears. 

Job 33:16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 

Job 36:10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

God Judicially Closes Ears:

Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Seek Knowledge With Ears:

Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Be Bowed Down to Instructions With Our Ears:
Proverbs 5:1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:Be inclined to wisdom.

Proverbs 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;  

Application:  

We are made in God's image (He has ears-Job 13:1) but it goes deeper than that. God designed the human ear with purposes other than the physical mechanics to hear sound. He created it so we can hear to receive instruction and discipline (i.e. correction). He closes them to get our attention (a way of pursuing us). We are to be careful to what we listen to; we're to seek knowledge and wisdom.

I know my study can go deeper than this but this is all I have time for today. I have already gained a much richer understanding about the Biblical foundations and purposes of God bothering to give us ears.

May you be blessed by this!

Heather