I have tried to list all places in the Bible in which listening and hearing play a part in the relationship between God and humankind. This includes references to God listening and hearing people, God speaking to people, people hearing God, and people asking God to hear them.
God Hears His People
Assurances that God will hear or has heard
Neh. 9:9 Neh. 9:27 Ps. 4:3 Ps. 5:3
Ps. 6:9 Ps. 10:17 Ps. 17:6 Ps. 18:6
Ps. 22:24 Ps. 28:6 Ps. 31:22 Ps. 34:6
Ps. 40:1 Ps. 55:16,17 Ps. 61:5 Ps. 65:2
Ps. 69:33 Ps. 102:17 Ps. 116:1 Ps. 145:19
Prov. 15:29 Jer. 31:18 Isa. 19:20,22
Isaiah 49:8 (2Cor. 6:2) Lam. 3:55-61 Ezek. 36:37
Dan. 10:12 Micah 7:7 Jonah 2:2 John 11:41
Acts 10:31 Hebr. 5:7 1John 5:14
Ps. 34:17 He hears the righteous and delivers them from all their troubles
Ps. 116:2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
Does he who implanted the ear not hear?
Ps. 94:9 Isa. 59:1
Isa. 30:18,19,21 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. … Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isa. 65:24 In the new heaven and new earth “before they call I will answer”
Ezek. 35:12 – he hears of our unrighteousness too
John 9:31 He listens to the godly man who does his will.
Pleas for God to hear
Deut. 33:7 2Kgs. 19:16 Neh. 1:6,11 Neh. 4:4
Ps. 4:1 Ps. 17:1,6 Ps. 27:7
Ps. 28:1,2 Ps. 30:10 Ps. 31:2 Ps. 39:12
Ps. 54:2 Ps. 55:1,2 Ps. 61:1 Ps. 64:1
Ps. 71:2 Ps. 77:1 Ps. 80:1 Ps. 84:8
Ps. 86:1,6 Ps. 88:2 Ps. 102:1,2 Ps. 119:149
Ps. 130:2 Ps. 140:6 Ps. 141:1 Ps. 143:1
Jer. 18:19 Jer. 22:29 Dan. 9:3 2Cor. 12:8
Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the Temple in1Kgs. 8:27-53 (2 Chron 6:19-40) and God’s reply in 1Kgs. 9:3 (2 Chron 7:12-16 which includes the famous “If my people …” verse)
“How long will you not listen to us?” Hab. 1:2
Dan. 9:17-19 Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.
“I cried to the Lord and he heard me” and similar
2Sam. 22:7 (David) Ps. 18:6
Luke 18:1-8 – a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up
Examples of God hearing
God hears individuals’ requests –
Gen. 16:11
Gen. 17:20
Gen. 30:6,17,22 (Leah and Rachel)
Deut. 9:19
Deut. 10:10
Josh. 10:12-14 (The sun stands still for Joshua)
Judg. 13:8,9 (Manoah – Samson’s father)
1 Kings 17:21,22 (Elijah prayers for a boy’s life)
1 Kings 18:36-38 (Elijah gets his altar burnt)
Hezekiah prays in 2 Kings 19:15-19 (Isa. 37:17) and God sends an answer via Isaiah in 19:20-34 and then God acts in response to the prayer in 19:35-37
2 Kings 20:5,6 (Isa. 38:5) (God adds 15 years to Hezekiah’s life)
Hezekiah prays for forgiveness for the people and God complies (2 Chron 30:18-20) and after a celebration God hears the Levites’ blessing on the people (v27)
2Chr. 33:12,13
In Is 63 and 64 Isaiah asks questions which God answers in Is 65
Dan 9,10 (God sends Gabriel to answer Dan’s prayer)
Luke 1:13 (Zechariah’s prayer for a son)
God hears individuals’ needs
Gen. 21:17 Gen. 29:33 Job 34:28
God hears the distress of his people
Exod. 2:24 Exod. 3:7 (Acts 7:34) Exod. 6:5
Num. 20:15-16 Num. 21:3 Deut. 26:7 2Kgs. 13:4
Ps. 102:19,20 Ps. 106:44 Isa. 5:7
God hears people’s tears
2Kgs. 20:5 2 Kings 22:19 (2Chr. 34:27) Ps. 6:8
Isa. 38:5
God hears his people’s enemies
Ps. 55:19 Zeph. 2:8
God hears his people’s sin
Ps. 78:59
The Israelites grumble about food and God responds by giving them manna, but they still don’t follow his intructions – Exod. 16:1-28
The Israelites grumble about manna and God responds by giving them quail – Num11:4-34
The Israelites grumble and God sends fire – Num. 11:1
Other grumbles
Num 12:2 Num. 14:26-35 Deut. 1:34
Ex 17:1-7 (Ps. 78:21)
God protects widows and orphans and the needy – “when they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate” Ex 22:22-27
Deut. 5:28 Mal. 3:16 Ezra 8:23
Times when God does not listen
Deut. 1:45 Deut 3:23-28 2Sam. 12:16 Job 35:9-15
Isa. 1:15 Isa. 59:2 Jer. 7:16 Jer. 11:11,14
Jer 14:12 Ezek. 8:18 Zech. 7:13 Amos 5:23
Ps. 66:18,19 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened
Isa. 58 True fasting (esp. v4,9)
God Speaks
At least 1295 verses (1263 OT, 32 NT) use phrases like “… says the Lord”, “hear the word of the Lord …”, “God says …”, “… declares the Lord” etc.
Exod. 19:9 The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.
God speaks to Israel out of the fire on Mt Sinai to give them the 10 Commandments (Ex 19:18,19, Deut. 4:12, Deut 5:23) so that they may know that he is God (Deut 4:32-40)
Belief that you will die if you hear God speaking
Ex 20:19 Deut 5:23-27 Deut. 18:16
God speaks to Solomon in his dreams in 1 Kings 3:5-15 (2 Chron 1:7-12) and 1 Kings 9:3 (2 Chron 7:11-22)
Isa. 30:30 The Lord will force all people to hear him
Jer 11:9-15 Jer 13:1-7 Jer 14:11-12 Jer 14:14 Jer 15:1
Jer 17:19 Jer 18:1-11
Luke 2:47 Everyone who heard [Jesus] was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Jesus only does what the Father says
John 5:30 John 8:38 John 12:49,50 John 14:24
…and the Spirit does the same
John 16:13
Sometimes God doesn’t speak
Amos 8:11 “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land– not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.
1Sam. 14:37 1Sam. 28:6 2Sam. 22:42 Job 30:20
Ps. 18:41 Ps. 22:2 Prov. 1:28 Micah 3:4,7
God Wants us to Listen
“He who has ears, let him hear” (or similar phrases used to emphasis a point)
Isa. 28:23 Isa. 51:1,4,7,21 Jer. 13:15 Ezek. 3:27
Micah 1:2 Micah 3:9 Matt. 15:10 Mark 7:14
Luke 6:27 Matt. 11:15 Matt. 13:9 Matt. 13:43
Mark 4:9 Mark 4:23 Luke 8:8 Luke 14:35
Rev. 2:7 Rev. 2:11 Rev. 2:17 Rev. 2:29
Rev. 3:6 Rev. 3:13 Rev. 3:22 Rev. 13:9
Exod. 15:26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”
Deut. 30:19-20 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Assemble the people (and the nations) to listen
Deut. 31:12 Deut. 4:10 Josh. 3:9 Ps. 50:5-7
Isa. 34:1 Jer. 11:6
Eccl. 5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
Deut. 6:3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.
Ps. 95:7,8 (Hebr. 3:7,15; 4:7) Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts
Isa. 55:2,3 Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.
Ezek. 37:4 – even dry bones can hear!
Matt 13:3-23 (Mark 4:3-20, Luke 8:5-15) – Parable of the Sower, which talks of hearing and responding to the gospel
Luke 11:28 Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.
John 18:37 Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.
Also – Ps. 81:13-16 Isa. 33:13 Ezek. 44:5
God speaks but people didn’t listen
Deut. 3:26
2Chr. 24:19 Ps. 81:11 Isa. 1:15
Isa. 65:12 Jer. 6:17 Jer. 7:13,24,26 Jer. 11:8
Jer. 17:23 Jer. 22:21 Jer. 25:7 Jer. 32:33
Jer. 34:14 Jer. 35:17 Jer. 44:5 Ezek. 20:8
Zech. 1:4 Zech. 7:12,13 1Cor. 14:21
1Cor. 14:21 In the Law it is written: “Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,” says the Lord.
People hear but can’t understand
Deut. 29:4 Isa. 6:9 Isa. 42:18-20 Jer. 5:21
Ezek. 12:2 Mark 8:18 Acts 28:26,27 Rom. 11:8
But one day the deaf (even the dead!) will hear and the blind see
Isa. 29:18 Isa. 32:3 John 5:25,28
…and even those who haven’t heard will understand
Isaiah 52:15 (Rom. 15:21)
Jesus explains why he uses parables (Matt. 13:13-17, Mark 4:11,12, Luke 8:10) and how fortunate the disciples are. Many before have longed to see and hear the coming of the Messiah (Matt. 13:17, Luke 10:24)
Consequences of not listening to God
Lev. 26:14-39 Deut. 18:19 Judges 2:20,21 2Kgs. 18:9-12
2Chr. 33:10,11 Isa. 65:11,12 Jer. 6:19 Jer. 12:17
Jer. 19:15 Jer. 25:7-14 Jer. 26:4-6 Jer. 29:17-19
Jer. 35:15-17 Jer. 36:30,31 John 12:47,48 Acts 3:23
Jer. 13:17 But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive.
Mal. 2:2 If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor me.
Matt. 7:24 (Luke 6:46-49) Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.
John 8:47 He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.
Rev. 3:3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
People Hear God
Moses – Num. 7:89
Deut. 5:27 The people want Moses to do the listening!
Unlike other prophets, Moses speaks face-to-face with God – Num 12:6-8
Balaam – Num 22-24
1 Samuel 3
Isaiah 6 (Here am I, send me)
Ezek. 2&3
Dan. 8:13 Dan. 10:9
Paul
Acts 9:4 Acts 22:7 Acts 26:14
Faith (and the Spirit) comes from hearing, not from the Law
Rom. 10:17 Gal 3:2,5 Eph. 1:13
Hearing must be combined with faith
Hebr. 4:2
…and with obedience
Rom. 2:13 James 1:22-24
Rom. 10:18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Quoting Ps 19:1-4)
Peter
Acts 11:7 2Pet. 1:17,18
John
Rev. 1:10 Rev. 4:1
Responding to what we hear
John 6:45 It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
Rev. 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
On prophets who speak in God’s name
Deut 18:14-22
Isa. 50:4,5 The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.
Ezek. 3:7 But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel are hardened and obstinate.
Passing one what we hear
Ezek. 40:4 Matt. 10:27 (Luke 12:3) Acts 4:20
Acts 22:15 1Ths. 2:13 1John 1:1,3,5
Rom. 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Luke 10:16 “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”