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# hearken

verb (hearken, hearkens, hearkened, hearkening); also spelled harken

«hearken» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (old-fashioned) To listen carefully. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#m1)
2. (hearken back to) To go back to or remind people of something from the past. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#m2)

### In the lessons

An old, poetic word found in the Bible, old stories and songs: «Hearken unto me». Kipling's Just So Stories use the old storyteller's style («Hear and attend and listen»), close to «hearken». Today «hark back» or «hearken back» means to recall the past.

### Examples

- «Hearken, children, to my tale,» said the old storyteller. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#x1)
- The Bible says, «Hearken unto me, O my people.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#x2)
- The design hearkens back to the old Victorian style. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#x3)
- They would not hearken to the warning and the boat sank. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#x4)
- The song «Hark! the herald angels sing» uses the short form «hark». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#x5)
- Hearken to the wind in the trees. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#x6)
- "Well, then, hearken now!" cried the Tsar. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/#x7)

### Note

Old-fashioned; today say «listen». Pronounced HAR-kun (the e is silent). US spelling «harken» also used. «Hark!» is a shorter old word meaning «Listen!» «Hearken unto» = listen to (old Bible English).

## In Jewish tradition

In the Torah it means to listen and also to obey. It is used for people listening to God and for God listening to prayer.

**Interpretation.** The rabbis stress that true listening means doing what is heard. Israel's reply "we will do, and obey" is seen as the model.

### Examples

- And they shall hearken to thy voice. (Torah EXO.3.18, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hearken/#x1)
- But the LORD hearkened unto me that time also. (Torah DEU.9.19, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hearken/#x2)
- And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. (Torah GEN.30.22, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hearken/#x3)
- Then the king hearkened unto them. (Writings 2CH.24.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hearken/#x4)
- Dost thou hearken in the council of God? (Writings JOB.15.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hearken/#x5)
- To-day, if ye would but hearken to His voice! (Writings PSA.95.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hearken/#x6)

### Note

Old-fashioned; today say «listen». Pronounced HAR-kun (the e is silent). US spelling «harken» also used. «Hark!» is a shorter old word meaning «Listen!» «Hearken unto» = listen to (old Bible English).

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

to listen carefully; in the Torah it means to obey. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/H/hearken/#m1)

### Then and now

Today it is old-fashioned for listen; the obey sense in the first sentence is also old.

### Examples

- And they shall hearken to thy voice. (Torah EXO.3.18, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/H/hearken/#x1)
- "Well, then, hearken now!" cried the Tsar. (Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/H/hearken/#x2)
- But the LORD hearkened unto me that time also. (Torah DEU.9.19, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/H/hearken/#x3)

### Note

Today: listen, obey.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «hearken» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/hearken/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«hearken» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/hearken.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «hearken» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/hearken/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«hearken» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/hearken.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «hearken» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/H/hearken/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«hearken» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/hearken.html) on Mova free.