WG: Voice / Sound / Hearing
Overview
The voice/sound concept in Hebrew Scripture revolves around qowl (the sound itself) and its network of related words for hearing, calling, shouting, and tumultuous noise. These words frequently co-occur in theophanic, covenantal, and lament contexts.
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| H6963 |
קוֹל |
qowl |
m. noun |
436 |
The sound/voice itself — central term |
H6963-qowl.md |
| H8085 |
שָׁמַע |
shama |
verb |
1072 |
The hearing/obeying response |
TODO(need H8085 study) |
| H7121 |
קָרָא |
qara |
verb |
688 |
The calling/crying out |
TODO(need H7121 study) |
| H8643 |
תְּרוּעָה |
truah |
f. noun |
33 |
Shout or trumpet blast |
H8643-truwah.md |
| H7588 |
שָׁאוֹן |
shaon |
m. noun |
16 |
Uproar, rushing noise |
TODO(need H7588 study) |
| H1995 |
הָמוֹן |
hamon |
m. noun |
78 |
Tumult, crowd-noise |
TODO(need H1995 study) |
Relationships
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| qowl (H6963) |
shama (H8085) |
235 |
"hear the voice" — the defining OT collocation |
| shama (H8085) |
qara (H7121) |
61 |
"heard... and called" — divine response pattern |
| qowl (H6963) |
qara (H7121) |
39 |
"cried with a voice" — lament and proclamation |
| qowl (H6963) |
truah (H8643) |
12 |
Trumpet blast + voice — theophany, warfare, worship |
| qowl (H6963) |
hamon (H1995) |
12 |
"noise of the tumult" — battle/judgment scenes |
| shama (H8085) |
truah (H8643) |
8 |
"heard the shout" — response to war-cry or trumpet |
| qowl (H6963) |
shaon (H7588) |
5 |
"noise of uproar" — rushing waters, tumultuous destruction |
| shaon (H7588) |
hamon (H1995) |
4 |
"tumultuous noise of multitude" — war imagery |
LXX Overlaps
| Hebrew Words |
Shared Greek |
Notes |
| qowl + shama |
φωνή (phone) G5456 |
qowl → phone 388x; shama → phone 228x — hearing and sound share a Greek target |
| qowl + truah |
φωνή (phone) G5456 |
Both rendered phone when associated with trumpet blasts |
| qowl + truah |
σάλπιγξ (salpinx) G4536 |
qowl → salpinx 20x; truah → salpinx 14x — trumpet overlaps |
| qowl + truah |
κραυγή (krauge) G2906 |
qowl → krauge 20x; truah → krauge 9x — outcry overlaps |
Roles in the Concept
- The Sound: qowl (קוֹל) — the voice, sound, or noise itself; ranges from whisper to thunder
- The Response: shama (שָׁמַע) — to hear, listen, obey; the human/divine response to the voice
- The Utterance: qara (קָרָא) — to call out, cry, proclaim; the act of producing directed speech
- The Blast: truah (תְּרוּעָה) — shout or trumpet blast; ritual and military sound-signal
- The Rush: shaon (שָׁאוֹן) — impersonal uproar, rushing; chaotic/destructive sound
- The Roar: hamon (הָמוֹן) — crowd-tumult, multitude-noise; collective commotion
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Gen 21:17 — [qowl + shama + qara] "And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar"
- Josh 6:5, 20 — [qowl + shama + truah] "when ye hear the sound of the trumpet... the people shouted"
- 1 Sam 4:6, 14 — [qowl + shama + truah/hamon] "the Philistines heard the noise of the shout... the noise of this tumult"
- 2 Sam 22:7 — [qowl + shama + qara] "In my distress I called upon the LORD... he did hear my voice"
- Isa 13:4 — [qowl + shaon + hamon] "The noise of a multitude in the mountains... a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms"
- Ezek 8:18 — [qowl + shama + qara] "though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them"
- Dan 8:16 — [qowl + shama + qara] "I heard a man's voice... which called, and said, Gabriel"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py
Last updated: 2026-05-03