EARS. I will uncover thine Ear; this is an Hebraism, whereby is meant, I will 1 Sam. xx. 13. 1 Sam. iii. 11.reveal something to thee. The servant who renounced the privilege of being freed from servitude in the sabbatical year, had 2 Sam. vii. his Ear pierced with an awl: this was performed 27. Exod. xxi. 6. Deut. xv. 17.in the presence of the Judges, and his Ear was bored at his master’s door. This was an ignominious mark of his bondage. When any one would describe such a misfortune as would astonish all those who should be informed of it, he says, It will be such as will make the Ears of all who hear it tingle; the sound will stun them, and pierce their ears. The 2 Kings xxi. 12.Psalmist speaking in the person of the Messiah, says to God, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but mine Ears hast thou Ps. xl. 6. אזנים כרית ליopened. The Hebrew reads, Thou hast dug my Ears; thou hast opened them, and made them attentive; or otherwise, thou hast pierced them, as those servants are used, who chuse to remain with their masters after the sabbatical year. St. Paul read, But a Body hast thou prepared me; and thus the Septuagint, Hebr. x. 6. σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι. Ita LXX. & P. P. Græci. Ps. xxxix. 13. Is. vi. 10.and generality of the antient Fathers read this passage. All which may be easily explained of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.
To hear with one’s Ears, to incline one’s Ear to hear, are expressions which we meet with very frequently in the Sacred Writers; they would be very irksome in our language. Hear my tears, or rather hear my cries, which are accompanied with tears. To have heavy Ears, is said of natural as well as voluntary deafness; the Lord says to Isaiah, Make the Ears of this people heavy; that is to say, tell them that I will suffer them to harden their hearts, and stop their Ears against my word. The Scripture sometimes says, that the Prophets do what they foretell only. In other places the same Prophet, speaking of himself, says, that the Lord had opened his Ears, Dominus aperuit mihi aurem, ego autem non contradico: He has given me his orders, and I obey without contradiction. And, speaking to the Jews, Non audisti ea, Is. l. 5.neque aperta est auris tua: Thou hast never heard any mention made of what I am going Is. xlviii. 8. Jer. vi. 10.to tell thee. Uncircumcised Ears in Jeremiah, are Ears deaf to the words of God. What ye hear with the Ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops. This is a proverb; Declare Matth. x. 27. Matth. xiii. 43.that every where, and publickly, which I have revealed to you in private. He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear; let every one that can hear, give their attention, and hearken carefully.