Psalms 115:6 — Word Study
WLCאָזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ אַ֥ף לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יְרִיחֽוּן׃
BSAthey have earsʼôzen [organs of hearing, to listen] but cannotlôʼ hearshâmaʻ▸ [do not listen, are deaf to] they have nosesʼaph [nostrils, a nose to smell] but cannotlôʼ smellrûwach▸ [do not perceive, are without scent]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אָזְנַ֣יִם | ears | Noun common, feminine dual absolute |
| לָ֭הֶם | [belong] to them | Preposition, suffix |
| וְלֹ֣א | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ | they hear | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| אַ֥ף | a nose | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לָ֝הֶ֗ם | [belongs] to them | Preposition, suffix |
| וְלֹ֣א | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| יְרִיחֽוּן׃ | they smell ! | Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine plural, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; |
| KJV | They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: |
| ASV | They have ears, but they hear not; Noses have they, but they smell not; |
| YLT | Ears they have, and they hear not, A nose they have, and they smell not, |
| WEB | They have ears, but they don’t hear. They have noses, but they don’t smell. |
| BBE | They have ears, but no hearing; they have noses, but no sense of smell; |
Where they part company is in the translations of the verbs 'hear' and 'smell' — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses highlight the contrast between the physical attributes of the idols and their inability to function.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֹזֶן
verbשָׁמַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 115:6
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Futility of Idolatrygenerated
Psalm 115:6 illustrates the limitations of idols, showing that while they may have the appearance of human features, they are ultimately powerless and unresponsive. This verse is part of a broader passage that critiques the worship of idols, emphasizing that those who create and trust in them become like them, devoid of true understanding and life, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
The Key Word — אָזְנַ֣יִם, 'a.ze.Na.yimgenerated
The word אָזְנַ֣יִם (*'a.ze.Na.yim*) is the dual form of אֹזֶן (*ozen*), meaning 'ears.' It refers to the physical organs of hearing and implies the ability to listen and respond. In this context, it highlights the irony of idols having ears but being unable to hear.
This dual noun indicates a pair of ears, emphasizing the idea of listening, which is central to the relationship between God and His people. The parsing as feminine dual absolute suggests a completeness in the inability of these idols to perform the function of hearing.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses, each describing a feature of the idols: אָזְנַ֣יִם (ears) and אַ֥ף (noses). The structure emphasizes the contrast between the physical attributes of the idols and their inability to perform their intended functions.
The finite verbs יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ (they hear) and יְרִיחֽוּן (they smell) are negated by וְלֹ֣א (and not), reinforcing the theme of incapacity.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אָזְנַ֣יִם as ὦτα (ears), maintaining the same meaning as in the Hebrew. This choice reflects the translators' intention to convey the physical attributes of idols while emphasizing their lack of functionality.
The use of ἔξουσιν (they have) for the phrase 'to them' aligns with the Hebrew, indicating possession but not capability.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 115:6 describes idols that have ears but cannot hear and noses but cannot smell. This verse highlights the futility of worshiping such lifeless figures, emphasizing that they cannot respond or engage with their worshipers.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist uses these features to illustrate the absurdity of worshiping idols that appear to have human characteristics but lack any real ability to hear or smell.
This verse contributes to the theme of the psalm, which critiques idolatry and emphasizes the living God’s power and responsiveness compared to the lifeless idols.
The psalmist warns that those who trust in idols become like them, lacking understanding and life, as they are unable to perceive or respond to God.
The message serves as a reminder to evaluate what we place our trust in and to seek a relationship with the living God rather than relying on empty substitutes.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see people placing their trust in things that cannot truly help them?
- How can I ensure that my relationship with God is active and responsive, unlike the idols described in this verse?
- What are some modern 'idols' that people might be tempted to worship today?
- How can I encourage others to seek the living God rather than rely on lifeless substitutes?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 115:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey have ears, but they hear not,.... The makers of them have taken care to place a pair of ears to their heads, but could not convey the faculty of hearing to them; so that though their priests may
Read John Gill on Psalms 115 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have ears, but they hear not. Contrast with this and Psalms 115:5 the description of our God, Psalms 94:9.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 115 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:Ver. 6. They have ears, but they hear not] But are as deaf as door nails to the prayers of their suppliants. The Cretans pictured their Jupiter without ears; so little hearing or help they hoped for from him. Socrates, in contempt of heathen gods, swore by an oak, a goat, a dog; as holding these better gods than those. Varro saith, they that first brought in pictures to be worshipped, Ii civitatibus suis et metum dempserunt, et errorem addiderunt, took away fear, and brought in error (Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. iv. cap. 31.) Noses have they, but they smell not] As the painter may paint a flower with fresh…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 115 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4-8) This passage cannot compare with the magnificent irony of Isa 44:9-20, but there is still a noticeable vein of sarcasm running through it, visible even more in the original than in the English. (Comp. Psalms 135:15-18.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 115 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4–8. Do the heathen taunt us with the impotence of our God? What are their own gods? Nothing but their own handiwork, destitute of ordinary human senses, though represented with organs of sense. For similar sarcastic descriptions of idols and the contrast between them and the living God, see Isaiah 44:9-20; Jeremiah 10:1-16 Deuteronomy 4:28; Isaiah 2:20; Habakkuk 2:18-19; Wis 15:15. The passage recurs in Psalms 135:15-18. Observe how completely the Psalmist identifies the god with the image: it has no separate existence.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 115 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell;
They have ears, but they don’t hear. They have noses, but they don’t smell.
they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell;
ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell,
Tyndale line
They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
They have ears, but they hear not; Noses have they, but they smell not;
They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not;
They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
They haue eares and heare not: they haue noses and smelll not.
Strictly literal
They have ears, and they hear not; a nose have they, and they smell not;
Ears they have, and they hear not, A nose they have, and they smell not,
They have ears, and they do not hear, || They have a nose, and they do not smell,
Ears they have, but hear not; a nose they have, but smell not.
they have ears, but they do not hear; they have noses, but they do not smell.
From the Latin
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Simplified
They have ears, but can't hear. They have noses, but can't smell.
They have ears, but no hearing; they have noses, but no sense of smell;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states, "אָזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ אַ֥ף לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יְרִיחֽוּן׃" which translates to "they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, as it also conveys the same concepts of ears and noses lacking the ability to hear and smell, respectively. Both the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls, where they survive, align with the Masoretic Text in this verse, confirming the consistency across these ancient witnesses.
אָזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ אַ֥ף לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יְרִיחֽוּן׃
8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 115:6
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word אֹ֫זֶן (*ozen*) means 'ear' and is derived from a root that suggests broadness. It refers to the physical ear as well as the organ of hearing, and can also imply the act of revealing or receiving divine revelation. The term appears in contexts such as Exodus 29:20.
אֹ֫זֶן 188 n.f. Ex 29:20 ear
ear, as part of body
especially as organ of hearing
open ears of, reveal to
base
H241 אֹ֫זֶן ear
241 'ozen o'-zen
from 238; broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form
in man):--+ advertise, audience, + displease, ear, hearing, +
show.
see HEBREW for 0238
אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear.
: ear
1) ear, as part of the body
2) ear, as organ of hearing
3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation
אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear: hearing.
: hearing
1) ear, as part of the body
2) ear, as organ of hearing
3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation
אֹ֫זֶן (o.zen) — ear: to ears.
: to[ears_of](PERSON)
1) ear, as part of the body
2) ear, as organ of hearing
3) (subjective) to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation
N-fd — Noun common · feminine dual absoluteHNcfda
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
subj. pers. hum.
י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound
be heard of
be regarded, obeyed
= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
of man
י׳ subj.
base
H8085 שָׁמַע hear
8085 shama` shaw-mah'
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with
implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to
tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X
carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,
declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make
to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)
obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,
regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,
understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.
: hear
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.
: obey
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
The Hebrew word אַף (aph) primarily means nostril or nose, but it also refers to the face and is often associated with anger. It can denote a person's countenance or expressions of ire. The entries highlight its connection to rapid breathing in passionate states, indicating its use in contexts of anger or wrath.
אַף 277 n.m. nostril, nose, face, anger
nostril, as organ of breathing
Dn. face
mostly anger
base
H639 אַף nostril, nose, face, anger
639 'aph af
from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and
occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in
passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, +
forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril,
snout, X worthy, wrath.
see HEBREW for 0599
אַף (aph) — face: anger.
: anger
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face: nose.
: nose
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face.
: face
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
DirObjM — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
Several expressions in Scripture grew out of the fact that anger often shows itself by distended nostrils, hard breathing, and in animals by snorting, 2Sa 22:9 Job 39:20 Ps 18:8. Gold rings hung in the cartilage of the nose, or the left nostril, were favorite ornaments of eastern women, Pr 11:22 Eze 16:12. Rings were inserted in the noses of animals, to guide and control them; and according to the recently discovered tablets at Nineveh, captives among the Assyrians were sometimes treated in the same way, 2Ki 19:28
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
רִיחַ (ruach) is a verb meaning to smell or perceive an odor. It can also imply acceptance or enjoyment, particularly in metaphorical contexts. The entries suggest it may derive from a root meaning to blow or breathe, though its primary use is related to the sense of smell.
[רִיחַ] vb. denom. Hiph.(?), smell, perceive odour
base
H7306 [רִיחַ] vb. denom. Hiph.(?), smell, perceive odour
7306 ruwach roo'-akh
a primitive root; properly, to blow, i.e. breathe; only
(literally) to smell or (by implication, perceive
(figuratively, to anticipate, enjoy):--accept, smell, X
touch, make of quick understanding.
רִיחַ (ru.ach) — to smell.
1) (Hiphil) to smell, scent, perceive odour, accept
1a) of horse
1b) of delight (metaph)
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine plural · suffixHVhi3mp/Sn
smel (Hebrew and Aramaic reach, as noun, "savor," "scent"; ruach, as verb, literally, "to breathe," "to inhale," thence "to smell"; osme, the "smell," "savor," euodia, "sweet smell" "fragrance" osphresis "the sense of smell"; verb osphrainomai): And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled (way-yarach) the smell (reach) of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell (reach) of my son is as the smell (reach) of a field which Yahweh hath blessed" (Ge 27:27). Idols are described as "gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell" (De 4:28). Acceptable sacrifices and pious conduct are called a "sweet smell" or "savor" (Ex 29:18;