Original Word: מִשְׁמָע
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mishma`
Pronunciation: mish-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (mish-maw')
KJV: hearing
NASB: What his ears
Word Origin: [from H8085 (שָׁמַע - heard)]

1. a report

hearing

From shama'; a report -- hearing.

see HEBREW shama'

Word Origin
from shama
Definition
something heard
NASB Translation
what...hear (1).

I. [מִשְׁמָע] noun [masculine] thing heard; — construct לאלְֿמַשְׁמַע אָוְנָיו Isaiah 11:3 not according to what his ears hear, not superficially ("" לְֹמַרְאֵה עֵינָיו).

Canonical Context

The single appearance of מִשְׁמָע in Isaiah 11:3 anchors it to the well-known portrait of the coming Branch from the stump of Jesse. The word describes the Messiah’s unique capacity to “delight in the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:3) in a way that transcends ordinary sensory perception: “He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear.” Within the immediate passage (Isaiah 11:1-5) seven facets of the Spirit rest upon the Anointed One, culminating in a kind of spiritual “scent” or intuition that enables perfect, righteous judgment.

Messianic Insight

1. Spiritual Discernment. The verse emphasizes that the Messiah’s decisions are rooted in reverent intimacy with the Father rather than external evidence alone. New Testament parallels confirm this supernatural insight: Jesus “knew what was in a man” (John 2:25) and “did not need anyone to testify about man” (John 2:24-25).
2. Perfect Justice. Because His discernment is anchored in the fear of the LORD, His verdicts are utterly impartial (Isaiah 11:4). This foretells Christ’s future role as Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42).
3. Restoration of Creation. The earlier description of paradisiacal peace (Isaiah 11:6-9) flows from the same Spirit-empowered rule. The Messiah’s mִשְׁמָע inaugurates the renewal anticipated in Romans 8:19-22.

The Sense Beyond Senses

Ancient interpreters noticed the metaphor of “smell” embedded in the term. Just as a keen nose can detect what the eye and ear miss, the Messiah intuitively perceives moral and spiritual realities. This imagery accents:

• Infallibility – A sense that cannot be deceived by appearances.
• Immediacy – Discernment that functions without lengthy investigation.
• Intimacy – Fellowship with the Father so close that righteousness becomes instinctive.

Intertextual Themes

• Divine Sight vs. Human Sight: 1 Samuel 16:7 contrasts superficial vision with God’s heart-knowledge, echoing Isaiah 11:3.
• Fear of the LORD: Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10 present this fear as the source of wisdom, matching the Messiah’s delight.
• Righteous Judgment: Psalm 72:1-4, a royal psalm, anticipates the just reign fulfilled in the Branch.

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Cultivating Godly Fear. Believers are called to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). The Messiah’s model transforms fear from dread into joyful, discerning obedience.
2. Spiritual Discernment. Church leaders must rely on Spirit-given insight (1 Corinthians 2:15-16), not merely observable data, when shepherding God’s people.
3. Impartial Justice. James 2:1-9 warns against judging by appearances; Isaiah 11:3 supplies the positive standard—judgment shaped by reverence for the LORD.

Eschatological Outlook

Revelation 19:11-16 pictures Christ returning to judge and wage war “in righteousness.” The same discerning “scent” that characterized His first advent ensures flawless justice at His second. The confidence that history moves toward such righteous adjudication fortifies the church’s hope and perseverance (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Summary

מִשְׁמָע encapsulates the Messiah’s Spirit-empowered capability to perceive, judge, and restore in perfect accord with the fear of the LORD. For the believer, it calls forth worship of the One whose intuitive righteousness secures redemption and establishes a kingdom where “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

לְמִשְׁמַ֥ע למשמע lə·miš·ma‘ lemishMa ləmišma‘Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts