Exodus 18:19:2Exod.18.19.W2TAB
שְׁמַ֤ע
shema
“listen”
- Transliteration
- she-MA
- Extended
- sheh-MAH
- IPA
- /ʃəˈmaʕ/
Meaning by language
- English
- listen
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Shin | shin with right dot; sin with left dot | |
| Sheva | vocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable | |
| Mem | m as in mother | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Ayin | deep guttural stop, voiced pharyngeal |
Tap any letter to hear its name and sound
Now you try — trace the word:
The word
Word in context
- word
she-MA
- phraseyour reading level
she-MA be-ko-LI
- clause
a-TAH she-MA be-ko-LI ee-ah-TS-KHA vi-YI e-lo-HIM im-MAKH
- sentence
a-TAH she-MA be-ko-LI ee-ah-TS-KHA vi-YI e-lo-HIM im-MAKH he-YEH a-TAH lah-AM MOOL ha-e-lo-HIM ve-he-ve-TAH a-TAH et-had-de-va-RIM el-ha-e-lo-HIM
Exegesis
The imperative shema {שְׁמַע | šə-maʿ} ‘hear’, coupled with the prepositional phrase bekoli {בְּקֹלִי | bə-qō-lî} ‘in my voice’, forms a directive clause emphasizing Moses’ attentive reception of instruction.
Root and etymology
“hear, obey”
In context — Exodus 18:19
Now listen to my voice; I will advise you, and may God be with you. Act for the people before God, and you shall bring the matters to God.
About this coordinate
Exodus 18:19:2 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 2 of Exodus 18:19, so the Hebrew word שְׁמַ֤ע (shema) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Exod.18.19.W2, which extends further down to each syllable (Exod.18.19.W2.S1) and character.