What the Bible Says About Harken: Understanding Its Meaning and Significance

In the Bible, “harken” means to listen attentively or to heed what is being said, often in the context of obeying God’s word or commands. It emphasizes the importance of responsiveness to divine instruction, as seen in verses like Deuteronomy 6:4, where believers are urged to listen and follow God’s teachings.

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Scripture

3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:3-9

Biblical Meaning of “Harken”

The term “harken” in the Bible encapsulates a call to attentive listening and obedient action, particularly in relation to God’s commands and teachings. The significance of harken extends beyond mere auditory reception; it embodies a profound engagement with God’s word that demands both understanding and application in daily life. For example, in Deuteronomy 6:4, the instruction to “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” is not simply an exhortation to listen but a summons to fully embrace and respond to the monotheistic essence of God. This phrase, known as the Shema, serves as a foundational declaration for Israel’s covenant relationship with God, underscoring the importance of internalizing divine truths.

Moreover, the call to harken can also be seen in Proverbs 4:20-21, where it states, “My son, attend to my words; incline your ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.” Here, “harken” implies a holistic approach to wisdom, where listening involves not just the ears but the heart and mind as well. The emphasis is on an active engagement with divine wisdom that influences one’s thoughts and actions. This theme resonates throughout Scripture, urging believers to cultivate a relationship with God marked by attentiveness, reflection, and obedient response to His guidance, whether in individual circumstances or communal life, revealing the transformative power of truly heeding divine instruction.

The concept of “harken” finds further depth in the prophetic literature, where the call to listen carries a weight of urgency. In various prophetic passages, the prophets implore the people to harken to God’s messages, as obedience often determines the fate of the community. For instance, in the writings of the prophet Isaiah, the phrase “harken to the voice of the Lord” is often used to challenge the people to respond to God’s instruction and to heed warnings of impending judgment or encouragement for deliverance. This suggests that harken represents not only a plea for attention but also an invitation to partake in God’s redemptive plan. The dynamics of harken in this context emphasize the necessity of an active spiritual ear, discerning the nuances of divine communication, which is often accompanied by a call to repentance or a reaffirmation of faith.

Additionally, the New Testament echoes this theme, as Jesus frequently invites His listeners to “harken” or “listen” through parables that convey deeper spiritual truths. In passages such as the Parable of the Sower, Christ illustrates the varied responses to His message, urging His followers to consider how they receive and act upon the word of God. The exhortation to harken becomes even more profound in the context of the teachings of Jesus. This active listening leads to understanding, spiritual growth, and ultimately, bearing fruit in one’s life. Thus, the call to harken transcends a simple auditory experience, becoming a transformative journey that shapes the believer’s relationship with God and nurtures a community grounded in faith, action, and responsive love. This ongoing theme underscores that to harken is to embrace a way of life that seeks to align with God’s will and purposes amidst the complexities of the world.

The Call to Obedience

In the biblical context, “harken” signifies a call to obedience and attentiveness to God’s commands. It emphasizes the importance of not just hearing the words of God but actively responding to them with a willing heart. This concept underscores the relationship between faith and action, where true belief is demonstrated through adherence to divine instructions.

The Importance of Listening

“Harken” also conveys the significance of listening, particularly in a spiritual sense. It suggests that one should be open to receiving wisdom and guidance from God, as well as from spiritual leaders and scripture. This attentive listening is portrayed as essential for spiritual growth and understanding, highlighting the need for believers to cultivate a posture of receptivity to divine truths.

The Connection to Covenant Relationship

In many biblical passages, “harken” reflects the covenant relationship between God and His people. It serves as a reminder that listening to God’s voice is integral to maintaining this relationship. By harkening to God’s words, individuals affirm their commitment to the covenant, which involves not only hearing but also living out the principles and values that define their faith.

How to Embrace God’s Word for Spiritual Growth

Embracing God’s Word for spiritual growth is a transformative journey that requires both intention and openness. Start by setting aside dedicated time each day to read the Scriptures, allowing the words to wash over you and speak to your heart. As you read, consider keeping a journal to jot down insights, questions, or verses that resonate with you—this practice not only deepens your understanding but also helps you reflect on how God is working in your life. Don’t hesitate to engage with a community, whether through a Bible study group or discussions with fellow believers, as sharing perspectives can illuminate truths you might not have seen on your own. Most importantly, approach the Word with a prayerful heart, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you and reveal the wisdom within its pages. Remember, spiritual growth is a lifelong journey, and each step you take in embracing God’s Word brings you closer to the heart of Christ.

Bible References to “Harken” Meaning:

1 Samuel 15:22-23: 22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”

Proverbs 1:23-33: 23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Isaiah 55:2-3: 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Jeremiah 7:23-28: 23 But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’
24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.
25 From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day.
26 Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.
27 “So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you.
28 And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.

Ezekiel 3:10-11: 10 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.
11 And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.”

Matthew 7:24-27: 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

John 10:27-30: 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
30 I and the Father are one.

Romans 10:14-17: 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Hebrews 3:7-15: 7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness
9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

James 1:22-25: 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 for he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Revelation 3:20-22: 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.