Original Word: קַשָּׁב
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: qashshab
Pronunciation: kash-SHAB
Phonetic Spelling: (kash-shawb')
KJV: attent(-ive)
Word Origin: [from H7181 (קָשַׁב - listen)]

1. hearkening

attentive

Or qashshub {kash-shoob'}; from qashab; hearkening -- attent(-ive).

see HEBREW qashab

קֶ֫סֶת (for קֶשֶׂת) noun [feminine] pot (for ink), ink-horn; — construct הַסֹּפֵר ׳ק Ezekiel 9:2,3, absolute הַקֶּסֶת Ezekiel 9:11.

קשׂט (√ of following; meaning dubious).

[קַשָּׁב] adjective attentive; — feminine singular תְּהִי נָא אָזְנְךָ קַשֶּׁבֶת Nehemiah 1:6, + אֶל of thing Nehemiah 1:11.

[קשֻּׁב] adjective id.; — feminine plural קַשֻּׁבוֺת, of אָזְנַיִם, 2 Chronicles 6:40; 7:15; Psalm 130:2, all + ל of thing.

Overview

קַשָּׁב (Strong’s Hebrew 7183) is a rare noun describing the divine quality of an “attentive ear.” In every occurrence it portrays the LORD deliberately bending toward His people’s prayers, assuring them that covenant petitions never fall on deaf ears.

Canonical Occurrences

• 2 Chronicles 6: 40 – Solomon’s temple-dedication prayer
• 2 Chronicles 7: 15 – God’s immediate response to Solomon
• Nehemiah 1: 6 – Nehemiah’s prayer of confession and appeal
• Nehemiah 1: 11 – Nehemiah’s closing plea for favor before the king
• Psalm 130: 2 – An individual lament within the Songs of Ascents

Biblical Emphasis on Divine Attentiveness

2 Chronicles 7: 15 presents the definitive promise: “Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” The same phrase that Solomon had requested (2 Chronicles 6: 40) is echoed verbatim by the LORD, underscoring His willingness to grant more than His servant dares to ask (compare Ephesians 3: 20). Nehemiah imports the established temple formula into exile reality, revealing that God’s attentiveness is not location-bound but covenant-bound. Psalm 130 integrates the motif into personal penitence: “O LORD, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy” (Psalm 130: 2). Thus קַשָּׁב spans royal, national and individual settings, teaching that God’s listening ear extends across all covenant arenas.

Historical Setting and Literary Development

1. United Monarchy: Solomon places קַשָּׁב within a liturgy of temple dedication (circa 960 BC), linking divine attentiveness to the newly established house of prayer.
2. Post-Exilic Era: Nehemiah (mid-fifth century BC) re-uses the term in Susa, illustrating that the destruction of the first temple did not revoke the promise.
3. Worship Life: Psalm 130, recited by pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem, assures worshippers that the attentive ear accompanies their ascent. The progression from corporate temple worship to diaspora petitions shows an unbroken theological line: God listens wherever His repentant people call.

Theology of Prayer

• Covenant Grounding: קַשָּׁב never stands alone; it is tethered to the covenant name YHWH. Prayer is effective because God is relationally pledged to His people.
• Complementary Imagery: “Eyes open” often parallels “ears attentive,” indicating comprehensive divine awareness (cf. 1 Peter 3: 12).
• Intercessory Pattern: Solomon and Nehemiah model confession, remembrance of promises, and specific requests, trusting the attentive ear. This pattern remains instructive for pastoral and personal intercession.

Christological Fulfillment

In Jesus Christ the temple promise reaches its apex: He is the true Temple (John 2: 19-21) and ever-living Intercessor (Hebrews 7: 25). Through Him believers “have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place” (Hebrews 10: 19), assured that the divine ear is unfailingly attentive—an assurance anticipated by קַשָּׁב.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Encourage congregations to pray boldly, basing confidence on God’s covenant attentiveness, not on personal worthiness.
• Utilize the Solomon-Nehemiah-Psalm trajectory when teaching on prayer: dedication, restoration, and repentance all find a receptive ear.
• Incorporate Psalm 130: 2 in liturgies of confession, linking penitence to divine receptivity.

Summary

קַשָּׁב encapsulates the gracious readiness of God to hear. Whether in the grandeur of Solomon’s temple, the rubble of post-exilic Jerusalem, or the quiet cry of an individual pilgrim, Scripture consistently affirms: the LORD’s ears are attentive.

קַ֠שֶּׁבֶת קַשֶּׁ֣בֶת קַשֻּׁב֑וֹת קשבות קשבת kashShevet kashshuVot qaš·še·ḇeṯ qaš·šu·ḇō·wṯ qaššeḇeṯ qaššuḇōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts