A COMPARISON OF THE USAGE OF ∆AKOUW

AND ∆AKOUW-COMPOUNDS IN THE

SEPTUAGINT AND NEW TESTAMENT
PAUL DANOVE

This study characterizes all occurrences of ajkouvw and seven related

verbs (ajntakouvw, diakouvw, eijsakouvw, ejnakouvw, ejpakouvw, parakouvw,
and uJpakouvw) in the Septuagint and New Testament according to their
semantic and syntactic properties, develops a single set of rules to describe
the distribution of noun phrase objects of these verbs, and then compares
the patterns of usage of these verbs in the Septuagint and New Testament.
A preliminary discussion identifies the semantic and syntactic properties
necessary to describe all biblical occurrences of ajkouvw and proposes a set
of descriptive rules that govern the syntactic case of its noun phrase
objects. Further investigation then indicates that this same set of rules
with only one minor modification also is adequate to describe the syntac-
tic case of noun phrase objects of the noted ajkouvw-compounds. The dis-
cussion concludes by comparing the distribution of noun phrase objects
in particular syntactic cases within the Septuagint and New Testament 1.

1. akj ouw
v
1.1. Preliminary Observations about ajkouvw
The verb, ajkouvw, requires two arguments to express its meaning, an
experiencer of perception and an object of perception. It may express
direct perception («hear,» «listen to») or indirect perception («hear
about,» «hear of,» «hear that»). In the active voice, the subject designates
the experiencer of the perception, and the object designates either what /

1
The analysis uses A. Rahlfs, ed., Septuaginta (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft,
1935) and K. Aland et al., eds., The Greek New Testament (Stuttgart: Deutsche
Bibelgesellschaft, 1993). Codex Vaticanus [B] serves as the basic text for the LXX; and
contributions from other manuscripts [Sinaiticus (S), A, R, V, Syro-hexaplaris (Sy)] are
noted when they diverge from B. The discussion omits ajkouvw or one of its compounds
when coordinated with another verb or participle with which it shares a single object:
Exod 19:8; 24:3; 24:7 [with poihvsomen]; 1 Kgs 3:9 [with diakrivnw]; Job 13:1 [with
oJravw]; Isa 43:9 [with eijpavtwsan]; 64:3 [with ei\don]; Sus 53 [with ejpiferouvsa~].
This study builds on earlier work in P. Danove, «The Theory of Construction Grammar
and its Application to New Testament Greek,» in Biblical Greek Grammar and
Linguistics: Open Questions in Current Research, S. E. Porter and D. A. Carlson, eds.
(JSNTSS 80; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993), pp. 119-151, and idem, «Verbs
of Experience: Toward a Lexicon Detailing the Argument Structure Assigned by Verbs,»
in Linguistics and the New Testament: Critical Junctures, S. E. Porter and D. A. Carson,
eds. (JSNTSS 168; SNTG 5; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999), pp. 144-205.

Filología Neotestamentaria - Vol. XIV - 2001, pp. 65-85

Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de Córdoba (España)
66 Paul Danove

who is heard (direct perception) or the topic of the perception (indirect

perception) 2:
1. direct: o{te oiJ nekroi; ajkouvsousin th`" fwnh`" tou` uiJou` tou` qeou`
when the dead will hear the voice of the son of God (John 5:25).
2. indirect: oJ de; Ij wavnnh" ajkouvsa" ejn tw/` desmwthrivw/ ta; e[rga tou`
Cristou`
but John in prison hearing about the works of Jesus (Matt 11:2).

The former example indicates that the dead will hear the voice direct-
ly, whereas the latter indicates that John, who is in prison and not at the
scene of Jesus’ activity, does not hear the actual works of Jesus as they are
accomplished but only a report about them. These modes of perception
yield two distinct constructions in the active voice:
direct perception indirect perception
ajkouvw Explanation ajkouvw
syntactic 1 [2] || 1 = sub., 2=obj., [] =def. null complement || 1 [2]
semantic Exp Con || Exp(eriencer), Con(tent), Top(ic) || Exp Top
lexical N N/V+ || N = noun phrase, V+ = clause || N N/V+

These representations recognize that the subject, ‘1,’ of ajkouvw in the

active voice is realized by a noun phrase (noun or pronoun) or is indicat-
ed by the verbal ending and that the object, ‘2,’ is realized by either a
noun phrase or a clause. The brackets, [], indicate that the second argu-
ment (object) may be definite and null, that is, that the object may be
omitted (null) only if the linguistic context provides a definite indication
of the nature of the omitted argument 3:
kai; ajkouvsante~ oiJ devka h[rxanto ajganaktei'n peri; Ij akwvbou kai;
Ij wavnnou
And hearing [that James and John had asked to sit, one at Jesus’ right
hand and one at his left, in his glory (10:37)], the ten began to be angry
with James and John (Mark 10:41).
Definite null objects account for all active voice intransitive uses of ajkouvw.
In the passive voice, ajkouvw continues to require two arguments; but
the subject, ‘1,’ now designates the content (direct perception) or topic
(indirect perception), and the second argument, ‘2,’ designates the expe-
riencer. This experiencer usually is indefinite and null:

2
The discussion avoids the use of multiple examples of each noted usage and pro-
vides examples only from the NT when these are available. Otherwise examples are from
the LXX.
3
A detailed account of definite null complements appears in C. J. Fillmore, «‘U’-
semantics, Second Round,» Quaderni di Semantica 7 (1986) 49-58.
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 67

1. direct: ajnqæ w|n o{sa ejn th'/ skotiva/ ei[pate ejn tw'/ fwti; ajkousqhvsetai
therefore whatever you said in the dark will be heard in the light
(Luke 12:3a).
2. indirect: ejk tou' aijwn' o~ oujk hjkouvsqh o{ti hjnevwxevn ti~ ojfqalmou;~
tuflou' gegennhmevnou
that anyone opened [the] eyes of one born blind was never heard
(John 9:32).

These modes of perception yield two distinct constructions in the pas-

sive voice:
direct perception indirect perception
ajkouvw Explanation ajkouvw
syntactic 1 [2] || 1 = sub., 2 = sec. argu., () = indef. null comp. || 1 (2)
semantic Con Exp || Con(tent), Top(ic), Exp(eriencer) || Top Exp
lexical N/V+ P || N = noun phrase, V+ = clause, P = prep. phrase || N/V+ N

These representations recognize that the subject, ‘1,’ of ajkouvw in the

passive voice is realized by a noun phrase or clause or is indicated by the
verbal ending and that the second argument, ‘2,’ is realized by either a
noun phrase (only in 2 Esdr 16:1) or a prepositional phrase (only in 1
Macc 14:43). The parentheses, (), indicate that the second argument may
be indefinite and null, that is, omitted (null) even without a definite con-
textual indication of the nature of the experiencer (indefinite). In such
cases the general connotation, «someone» or «anyone,» must be supplied.
Under certain circumstances, objects denoting speakers (that is, a
human being, God, or another being attributed with speech) receive dif-
ferent syntactic (case) realization than those denoting non-speakers.
Within the analysis, objects designating speakers are deemed to be char-
acterized by the semantic feature, «+ speaker,» and all other objects by the
feature, «– speaker.»

1.2. Indirect Perception (Topic Construction) [265 occurrences]

1.2.1. Noun Phrase Objects [56 occurrences]
Noun phrase objects of the topic construction consistently utilize the
accusative case 4:
4
Object noun phrases (active, indirect): Exod 2:15; 18:1; Num 30:5, 6; Deut 4:6;
1 Sam 2:23; 3:11; 2 Sam 13:21; 1 Kgs 3:28; 8:42; 10:1; 2 Chr 9:1; Esth 1:18; Jdt 4:1;
11:8, 9; Tob 14:15; 1 Macc 8:12; 10:15, 22, 88; 2 Macc 11:24; 14:15; 3 Macc 4:12; Ps
131:6; Job 2:11; Wis 11:13; Isa 16:6; 33:15; 48:7; 66:19; Jer 26:12; 40:9; 43:3; 48:11;
Matt 11:2; 24:6; Mark 13:7; Luke 9:7; 21:9; Acts 5:11b; 7:12; 17:32a; 23:16; 28:15;
Gal 1:13; Eph 1:15; 3:2; 4:21; Phil 1:27; Col 1:4; 2 Thess 3:11; Phlm 5; Jas 5:11; 1 Jn
4:3; 3 Jn 4. The case of the subject depends on its function in its own verb phrase.
68 Paul Danove

o{tan de; ajkouvshte polevmou~ kai; ajkoa;~ polevmwn, mh; qroei`sqe

when you hear about wars and reports of wars, don’t be alarmed (Mark
13:7).

In this usage both speaker and non-speaker objects [± speaker] appear

in the accusative, and the verb usually is translated «hear about» or «hear
of» but may have the translation, «hear that,» when a noun phrase object
is modified by a participle 5:
i{na ajkouvw ta; ejma; tevkna ejn th`/ ajlhqeiva/ peripatou`nta
so that I may hear that my children are walking in the truth (3 John 4).

1.2.2. Clausal Objects [121 occurrences]

The topic construction also appears with four types of clausal objects:
o{ti clauses, infinitive with subject accusative phrases, relative or correla-
tive clauses, and the eij interrogative clause. The object o{ti clause has 109
occurrences 6:
h[kousen Ij hsou~ o{ti ejxevbalon aujto;n e[xw...
Jesus heard that they threw him out.... (John 9:35a).

The object infinitive with subject accusative phrase appears three times
and receives the translation, «hear that» or «hear about 7:»
dia; tou'to uJphnthsen aujtw'/ oJ o[clo", o{ti h[kousan tou'to aujto;n
pepoihkevnai to; shmei'on
Therefore the crowd met him because they heard that he had done this
sign. (John 12:18).

5
Object noun phrases [+ speaker] (active, indirect): 2 Macc 11:24; 3 Macc 4:12;
Wis 11:13]; Eph 4:21; 2 Thess 3:11; and 3 John 4.
6
Object o{ti clauses (indirect): Gen 14:14; 29:33; 34:5; 39:15, 18; 42:2; 43:25;
Num 14:13, 14; 22:36; Josh 2:10; 5:1; 9:16; 10:1; Judg 20:3; Ruth 1:6; 1 Sam 7:7;
14:22; 22:6; 23:10; 25:4; 25:7, 39 [A]; 2 Sam 4:1; 5:17; 8:9; 11:26; 16:21; 1 Kgs 1:11;
5:1; 11:21; 12:20, 24d; 20:16; 2 Kgs 3:21; 5:8; 19:8; 20:12; 25:23; 1 Chr 14:8; 18:9; 2
Chr 20:29; 2 Esdr 4:1; 13:33; 14:1, 9; Esth 4:17m; Tob 7:7; 1 Macc 3:13; 5:1; 6:1, 55;
9:1; 10:8, 19; 11:63; 12:24, 28, 34; 13:1; 14:2, 16, 17, 40; 4 Macc 4:22; Zech 8:23; Isa
37:8, 9; 39:1; Jer 45:7, 25; 47:7, 11; Lam 1:21; Dan 5:14, 16; Matt 2:22; 4:12; 5:21,
27, 33, 38, 43; 20:30; 22:34; Mark 6:55; 10:47; 16:11; Luke 1:58; John 4:1, 47; 9:35a;
11:6, 20; 12:12, 34; 14:28; 21:7; Acts 8:14; 9:38; 11:1; 15:24; 16:38; 19:26; 21:22;
22:2; Gal 1:23; Phil 2:26; 1 John 2:18.
7
Object infinitive with subject accusative phrases (active, indirect): Tob 6:14; John
12:18; 1 Cor 11:18). R. W. Funk, A Beginning-Intermediate Grammar of Hellenistic
Greek (Missoula: University of Montana Press, 1973), 462-463, considers such phrases
to be the semantic equivalents of a subordinate clause introduced by o{ti.
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 69

The object (cor)relative clause has eight occurrences and is translated

«hear about 8:»
plh`qo~ polu; ajkouvonte~ o{sa ejpoivei h\lqon pro;~ aujtovn
A great crowd, hearing about the things that he was doing, came to him
(Mark 3:8b).

The object eij interrogative clause appears only in Acts 19:2b and is
translated «hear whether:»
oiJ de; [ei\pon] pro;~ aujtovn, A
j llæ oujdæ eij pneu`ma a{gion e[stin hjkouv-
samen
But they [said] to him, «We did not even hear whether [/that] there is
a holy spirit.»

1.2.3. Intransitive Usages [88 occurrences]

Intransitive occurrences of the topic construction of ajkouvw may be
either active or passive voice. In the active, the object denoting the topic
is definite and null. In the passive, the experiencer is indefinite and null.
Examination reveals 79 active intransitive occurrences 9:
ajkouvsa~ de; oJ Ij hsou'~ ajnecwvrhsen ejkei'qen ejn ploivw/ eij~ e[rhmon
tovpon katæ ijdivan: kai; ajkouvsante~ oiJ o[cloi hjkolouvqhsan aujtw'/ pezh'/
ajpo; tw'n povlewn
But hearing [about John’s death (14:1-12)] Jesus went away from there
in a boat to a deserted place by himself; and hearing [about Jesus going
away from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself] the crowds followed
him on foot from the towns (Matt 14:13).

There are two passive voice topic usages of ajkouvw, with the subject
either a noun phrase or a o{ti clause. The subject noun phrase has five
occurrences 10:

8
Object (cor)relative clauses (active, indirect): 1 Sam 2:22; 31:11; 1 Macc 5:56; Isa
33:13; 37:11; Mark 3:8; Luke 4:23; Acts 28:22
9
Object definite and null (surface intransitive, active, indirect): Gen 21:26; 34:7;
35:22; 47:5; Exod 15:14; Num 21:1; 30:8a, 8b, 9, 12, 15, 16; 33:40; Deut 4:32; 17:13;
19:20; 21:21; 30:12; Josh 2:11; 7:9; 9:1; 11:1; Judg 9:46; 1 Sam 14:27; 16:2; 22:1;
23:25; 25:39; 2 Sam 3:28; 5:18; 10:7; 17:9a, 9b; 19:3; 1 Kgs 11:43; 15:21; 2 Kgs 9:30;
19:25 [A]; 21:12; 1 Chr 14:8; 19:8; 2 Chr 10:2; 16:5; 2 Esdr 12:10, 19; 16:16; Jdt 4:6;
8:1; 15:1, 5; 1 Macc 4:3; 9:43; 10:2, 10 [A], 26, 68; 11:15, 22; 2 Macc 14:18; Ps 91:12
[A, R]; Job 29:11; Wis 8:15; Sir 22:26; Isa 37:1; Bel 28; Matt 14:13a, 13b; Mark 3:21;
6:14, 29; 10:41; 11:18; Acts 5:5b; 14:14; Rom 10:14b; 15:21; Phil 1:30; Col 1:9.
10
Subject noun phrases (passive, indirect): 2 Chr 26:15; Nah 2:14; Isa 60:18; Matt
28:14; 1 Cor 5:1.
70 Paul Danove

o{lw~ ajkouvetai ejn uJmi`n porneiva

Immorality among you is widely heard about (1 Cor 5:1a).

The subject o{ti clause has five occurrences:11

kai; eijselqw;n pavlin eij~ Kafarnaou;m diæ hJmerw'n h[kouvsqh o{ti ejn
oi[kw/ ejstivn
And entering again into Capernaum after [a few] days, it was heard
that he is at home (Mark 2:1).

1.3. Direct Perception (Content Construction) [1209 occurrences]

1.3.1. Noun Phrase Objects [815 occurrences]
Noun phrase objects of the content construction appear in the geni-
tive, accusative, and dative cases. All but one of the 188 objects denoting
speakers appear in the genitive case:12
A
j grivppa~ de; pro;~ to;n Fh'ston, Ej boulovmhn kai; aujto;~ tou' ajn-
qrwvpou ajkou'sai. Au[rion, fhsivn, ajkouvsh/ aujtou`
Agrippa [said] to Festus, «I also wanted to hear the man.» He said,
«Tomorrow you will hear him» (Acts 25:22).

The one example of a [+speaker] noun phrase object in the accusative

(Rev 5:13) is deemed an anomaly by most commentators and is treated as
such in this analysis 13.

11
Subject o{ti clauses (passive, indirect): 2 Esdr 16:1, 6; 1 Macc 14:16; Mark 2:1;
John 9:32.
12
Object noun phrase [+ speaker] (genitive, direct): Gen 23:5, 8, 11, 13, 16; 27:5,
6, 8; 28:7; 37:17; 41:15; 49:2; Exod 18:19; 19:9; Num 11:10; 20:10; Deut 1:17; 10:10;
13:12; 18:14, 15; Josh 1:17a, 17b; Judg 9:7; 19:25; 1 Sam 8:19; 13:4; 2 Sam 18:5;
22:45; 1Kgs 12:15, 16; 15:20; 16:16; 2 Kgs 16:9; 17:14 [A]; 1 Chr 28:2; 2 Chr 10:15,
16; 15:2; 16:4; 20:20; 28:11; 1 Es 5:63, 66; Jdt 8:11, 32; 14:1; Tob 6:12a, 12b [S], 13,
16; 1 Macc 2:19, 65; 5:61; 8:16; 4 Macc 10:18; Ps 33:12; 80:8, 14; Prov 1:33; 5:7; 7:24;
8:32; 23:22; Eccl 7:21; Cant 2:8 [S]; Job 15:17; 29:21; 30:20; 31:35; 32:10, 11; 33:31
[A], 33; 34:2, 10; 42:4, 5; Sir 3:1; 16:24; 19:9; 31:22; 33:19; Zech 3:8; Isa 36:16; 46:3;
48:12; 49:1; 51:1, 4a, 4b, 7, 21; 55:2 [A, S, R]; Jer 7:13, 24, 26; 13:11 [A, S]; 17:23,
24 [A], 27 [R]; 25:7; 33:4, 5, 7; 34:9; 41:14, 17; 42:16; 44:14 [A, S]; 45:15; 51:5, 16;
Bar 2:30; Ezek 2:2, 8; Dan 6:23 [Sy]; 8:13; 9:6 [Sy]; 10:9 ; 12:7; Matt 2:9; 17:5; 18:15;
Mark 6:11, 20a, 20b; 7:14; 9:7; 12:28, 37; 14:58; Luke 2:46, 47; 6:18; 9:35; 10:16a,
16b; 15:1; 16:29, 31; 18:36; 19:48; 21:38; John 1:37; 3:29; 7:32; 9:31a, 31b; 10:8, 20;
11:41, 42; Acts 2:6, 11; 3:22, 23; 4:19; 6:11, 14; 8:30; 10:46; 14:9; 15:12, 13; 17:32;
18:26; 22:22; 24:4, 24; 25:22a, 22b; 26:3, 29; Rom 10:14; 1 Tim 4:16; 1 John 4:5, 6a,
6b; 5:14, 15; 6:1, 3, 5; 8:13; 16:5, 7.
13
In Rev 5:13 ([kai; pa'n ktivsma... h[kousa levgonta"] «and every creature...I heard
them saying»), the noun, ktivsma, which originally need not refer to speakers and may
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 71

The 625 non-speaker noun phrase objects of ajkouvw divide into three
groups: 183 genitive objects, 441 accusative objects, and three dative
objects 14. In 181 of the 183 occurrences of genitive non-speaker objects,
the subject of ajkouvw reappears in the immediate context as the subject of
another verb that presents a response to the «hearing 15.»
The nature of the «response» under discussion admits to four qualifi-
cations. First, it may be real (usually indicative), potential (usually sub-
junctive), or only desired (usually imperative):
oJ ou\n Pila`to~ ajkouvsa~ tw`n lovgwn touvtwn h[gagen e[xw to;n
Ij hsou`n
then Pilate, hearing these words, brought [indicative] Jesus outside
(John 19:13)
shvmeron, ejan; th~ fwnh~ aujtou` ajkouvshte, mh; sklhruvnhte ta;~
kardiva"
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden [subjunctive] your hearts
(Heb 3:7; cf. Ps 94:7d-8a).
h[kousan fwnh~ megavlh~ ejk tou` oujranou` legouvsh~ aujtoi`",
A
j navbate w|de
They heard a great voice from heaven saying to them, «Come up
[imperative] here» (Rev 11:12).
Second, the response may be positive or negative:

appear in the accusative case, later is made to denote speakers through the choice of the
gender (masculine/ animate) of the participle, levgonta". Here the use of the accusative
case may reflect a desire to establish at least tenuous syntactic continuity between the
noun and participle. This option receives the support of the NRSV and of M. Zerwick,
Analysis Philologica Novi Testamenti Graeci (Rome: Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici,
1966), p. 575.
14
The genitive relative pronoun (w|n) in 1 Sam 15:14 [A] expresses an adverbial tem-
poral relationship, indicating that in this occurrence ajkouvw is intransitive.
15
The response sometimes is expressed within the same content through an infinitive
phrase: (1) [+speaker] (genitive) Jer 17:27; 33:4; 41:17; (2) [–speaker, +response] (gen-
itive) Deut 13:19; 28:45 [A]; 2 Chr 34:21; 1 Macc 2:2; Jer 42:8 (pro;~ to; +); 50:4; Bar
1:18; 2:10; 2:22; 2:24; Dan 9:10 [Sy]; (3) [–speaker, +response] (accusative) Deut
11:13(M) [A,R]; 11:22(M); Jer 42:18. Once (1 Sam 4:19) the response immediately
follows the o{ti clause. These occurrences may indicate the presence of a third con-
struction, translated by «respond [concerning what is heard] to [the speaker] by [infini-
tive phrase] / that [o{ti clause],» that is characterized by three required arguments, agent
(Agt) or doer of an action, experiencer (Exp) of the response, and content (Con) [what
is responded]:
ajkouvw
1 2 3
Agt Exp Con
N N V-i1, V+o{ti
72 Paul Danove

1. positive h[kousa de; kai; fwnh~ legouvsh~ moi, A j nastav", Pevtre,

qu`son kai; favge
And I heard a voice saying to me, «Peter, rising, slaughter and eat.»
(Acts 11:7).
2. negative: kai; ejanv tiv~ mou ajkouvsh/ tw`n rJhmavtwn kai; mh; fulavxh/
and if someone hears my words and does not keep them
(John 12:47).

Third, the response may be to something «not heard» when this con-
notes a refusal to hear:
kaqa; kai; ta; loipa; e[qnh, o{sa kuvrio~ ajpolluvei pro; proswvpou
uJmw`n, ou{tw~ ajpolei`sqe, ajnqæ w|n oujk hjkouvsate th'~ fwnh'~ kurivou
tou` qeou` uJmw`n.
And like the other nations which [the Lord] destroyed before your
face, so too will you be destroyed because you did not listen to the voice of
[the] Lord your God (Deut 8:20).

Fourth, the response may precede ajkouvw when actions appear out of
chronological sequence 16:
kai; uJpevstreyan oiJ poimevne~ doxavzonte~ kai; aijnou`nte~ to;n qeo;n
ejpi; pa`sin oi|~ h[kousan kai; ei\don kaqw;~ ejlalhvqh pro;~ aujtouv"
And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things
that they heard and saw, just as it was told to them (Luke 2:20).

Within this analysis, subjects that register a response to hearing are

deemed to be characterized by the semantic feature, «+ response,» with all
other subjects receiving the feature, «– response 17.» The genitive in 181
of 183 transitive occurrences of ajkouvw (direct perception) indicates the
feature [+ response] 18. Of the two remaining examples of the genitive,

16
In 1 Sam 15:22 the response appears in the infinitive in 15:23, whose subject ref-
erent is the same as that of ajkouvw.
17
The appeal to semantic considerations in contexts of extension greater than a clause
or verb phrase is similar to that required for the analysis of anaphora: cf. C. J. Fillmore,
«Pragmatically controlled zero anaphora,» in Papers from the Twelfth Annual Meeting of
the Berkeley Linguistics Society, (1986) 95-107.
18
Object noun phrase [+ response, - speaker] (genitive, direct): Gen 3:8, 10, 17;
4:23; 21:12; 24:52; 27:43; 37:6; Exod 3:7; 15:26; 18:24; 19:5; 23:22a, 22b; 32:17;
Num 12:6; Deut 4:1; 8:20; 13:4, 5, 19; 21:20 [A]; 28:1, 2, 9, 13, 45 [A], 49; Josh 1:18;
6:20; 24:24; Judg 5:16; 11:28; 20:13; 1 Sam 2:25; 4:6; 8:7, 9, 22; 12:1, 14, 15; 15:1,
19, 20, 22, 24; 19:6; 24:10; 25:24 [R], 35; 28:18, 21, 22, 23; 2 Sam 13:14, 16; 1 Kgs
[5:14a, 14b], 21; 8:28; 9:3; 10:24; 12:24, 24z; 13:4; 21:25, 36; 2 Kgs 18:12; 19:6; 20:5;
22:13; 2 Chr 6:20, 21, 35, 39; 7:12; 9:23; 34:21; 35:22; 1 Esdr 5:62; 9:40, 50; 2 Esdr
19:16; 1 Macc 2:22; 6:41; 10:74; 13:7; 14:25; 2 Macc 7:30; 3 Macc 6:23; Ps 6:9 [A, S];
17:7; 80:12; 94:7; 101:21 [R]; 102:20; 118:149; Prov 1:5; Job 21:2; Jonah 2:3; Hag
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 73

Col 1:23, which has no explicitly noted response, represents an occasion

of the attraction of the relative (ou|) to the case of its antecedent (eujagge-
livou) 19. Finally, although Rev 16:1 [h[kousa...legouvsh», «I heard a great
voice...saying»] presents no explicit response, this statement is in parallel
with two other statements (Rev 16:5, 7) that have genitive objects with a
modifying participle of levgw. Here the genitive may be attributed to nar-
rative concerns overruling grammatical expectations 20.
This indicates that noun phrase objects of ajkouvw that do not produce
a response by the subject [– response] consistently exhibit objects in the
accusative case. Examination reveals that 134 of the accusative occur-
rences in fact are characterized by the feature [– response] 21:
oiJ de; su;n ejmoi; o[nte~ to; me;n fw'~ ejqeavsanto th;n de; fwnh;n oujk
h[kousan
Those with me saw the light but didn’t hear the voice (Acts 22:9).

1:12; Isa 6:8; 28:23; 32:9; 37:6; 38:5; 42:24; 48:18; 50:10 [A]; Jer 3:13, 25 [A]; 5:15;
6:17; 7:23, 28; 9:12; 11:3, 4, 10; 18:10; 20:16; 22:21; 23:22; 33:10 [A], 13; 34:16;
39:23; 42:8; 47:3; 49:6, 13, 21; 50:4, 7; 51:23; Bar 1:18, 19, 21; 2:5, 10, 22, 24, 29;
3:4a, 4b; Ezek 35:12; Dan 3:5, 7, 10, 15, 29; 9:10 [Sy], 11, 14; Mark 14:64; Luke 6:47;
15:25; John 5:25, 28; 7:40; 10:3, 16, 27; 12:47; 18:37; 19:13; Acts 7:34; 9:7b; 11:7;
22:1, 7; 2 Tim 1:13; Heb 3:7, 15; 4:7; 12:19; Rev 3:20; 11:12; 14:13; 16:1; 21:3. These
observations assume a continuity in the referents of subjects between «you [s.]» to «your
[s.] eyes» (1 Kgs 8:28). Although 1 Kgs 5:14a and 5:14b offer no explicit statement of
a response by those listening to Solomon’s wisdom, the context links Solomon’s recep-
tion of gifts (5:41b) with the action of hearing his wisdom by others. These occurrences
establish the possibility of fulfilling the requirement of a response by the context. The
parallel passage in 2 Chr 9:23 explicitly recognizes the hearers’ response in giving gifts
(9:24).
19
Attraction of the relative pronoun to the case of its antecedent is well-attested in
the LXX and NT: cf. F. Blass, A. Debrunner, and R. W. Funk, A Greek Grammar of the
New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1961), p. 153-154.
20
An alternative explanation would be that the narrator’s action in reporting the exe-
cution of the command given by the voice itself constitutes a response to hearing: that
is, the narrator hears the voice; and its response is the narration of the events instigated
by the voice.
21
Object noun phrase [– response, – speaker] (accusative, direct): Num 7:89; 24:16;
Deut 4:12, 33; 11:27; 32:1; Josh 6:10; 1 Sam 15:14; 2 Sam 19:36; 1 Kgs 10:6, 7, 8;
22:19; 1 Chr 17:20; 2 Chr 9:7; Jdt 5:5; 11:16; Tob 3:7 [S], 13, 15; 5:10 [S]; 10:12; Ps
61:12; 80:5; 140:6; Prov 16:21; Eccl 7:5a, 5b; Job 3:18; 4:16; 5:27; 13:17; 15:8; 27:9
[A]; 28:22; 31:30; 33:8; 37:2; 42:5; Sir 6:35; 16:5; 17:13; 29:23; Hos 4:1; Amos 3:1;
8:4; Mic 1:2; 3:1, 9; 6:2; Joel 1:2; Obad 1; Zeph 2:8; Isa 21:10b; 28:22, 23; 29:18; 30:9;
37:26; 41:26; 48:1, 16; 66:19; Jer 2:4, 31; 4:31; 8:16; 9:9; 11:2, 6; 18:13, 18; 19:3;
23:16; 27:45; 30:8; 42:13; 49:14; Ezek 1:24; 2:1; 3:12; 6:3; 21:3; 34:7; 36:1, 4; Matt
10:14; 11:4; 12:19, 42; 13:17, 18, 22; 21:33; Mark 4:18, 24; Luke 5:1; 7:22a; 10:24b,
39; 11:31; 19:11; John 8:43, 47a; 14:24; Acts 2:22, 33; 10:22, 33; 13:7, 44; 17:21;
19:10; 22:9; 1 Cor 2:9; 2 Cor 12:6; Gal 4:21; 2 Pet 1:18; 1 John 2:7, 24a; Rev 5:11, 13;
6:6; 7:4; 9:13, 16, 20; 12:10; 14:2a, 2b; 18:4; 19:1, 6; 22:8a.
74 Paul Danove

To these must be added the previously noted example, Col 1:23,

whose object, a relative pronoun, appears in the genitive case through
attraction to the case of its antecedent.
The remaining 307 accusative objects and three dative objects, which
arise through the attraction of relatives to the case of their antecedents, are
characterized by the feature [+ response] 22. The presence of uses of
ajkouvw characterized by the features [+ response, – speaker] with objects
in both the genitive and accusative indicates that a one-to-one correspon-
dence between feature and object case is not possible. This is apparent in
comparisons of minimally paired verb phrases characterized by the fea-
tures [+ response, – speaker]:

22
Object noun phrase [+ response, – speaker] (accusative, direct): Gen 3:8 [A], 10
[A]; 11:7; 24:30; 27:34; 29:13; 31:1; 39:19; Exod 32:17 [A], 18; 33:4; 41:15; Lev 5:1;
Num 14:27; Deut 1:17 [A, R], 34; 2:25; 4:10, 36; 5:1, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28a, 28b; 7:12;
11:13 [A, R], 22, 28; 18:16; 29:18; Josh 3:9; 6:20; 9:3, 9; 14:12; 22:2, 30; 24:27;
Judg 3:4; 7:15; 9:30; 14:13; 1 Sam 2:24; 4:6 [A], 14, 19; 8:21; 9:27; 11:6; 17:11;
25:24; 26:19; 2 Sam 5:24; 7:22; 14:17; 15:10, 35, 36; 20:17; 1 Kgs 1:41, 45; 2:41
[A]; 14:6; 2 Kgs 6:30; 7:1; 11:13; 19:4, 6, 7, 11, 16; 20:16; 22:11, 18; 1 Chr 10:11;
14:15; 2 Chr 9:5; 15:8; 18:18; 23:12; 24:19 [A, R]; 34:26, 27; 1 Esdr 8:68; 2 Esdr
9:3; 11:4, 6; 14:14; 15:6; 18:9; 19:9; 23:3; Esth 1:1n; 4:4; Jdt 7:9; 8:9a, 9b; 10:14;
13:12; 14:7, 19; Tob 3:6, 10a, 10b [S]; 6:19; 7:10 [S]; 1 Macc 2:22; 3:27, 41; 4:27
[A]; 5:16; 6:8; 10:46; 3 Macc 5:35, 48; 4 Macc 8:15; 9:27; 10:17; 14:9a, 9b; Ps 25:7;
30:14; 48:2; 77:3; 101:21; 137:1, 4; Prov 1:8; 4:1; 5:13; 8:33; 19:20; 22:17; Job 13:6,
17b; 16:2; 20:3; 26:14; 32:11 [V]; 33:1; 34:16, 34; 37:4; 39:7; 40:4; 42:11; Wis 18:1;
Sir 19:10; 21:15; 23:7; 29:25; 48:7; Hos 5:1; Amos 4:1; 5:1, 23; 7:16; 8:11; Mic 6:1;
Nah 3:19; Zech 8:9; Isa 1:10; 24:16; 28:14; 30:21; 32:9; 36:13; 37:4, 7; 39:5; 47:8;
48:6; 66:5; Jer 4:19, 21; 5:21; 6:10 [A, S], 24 ; 7:2; 9:19; 10:1; 17:20; 18:2, 10 [A];
19:3; 20:10; 21:11; 22:2, 29; 27:43; 28:51; 30:14, 29; 31:5; 33:10, 12, 21; 35:7;
37:5; 38:10, 18; 41:4; 42:18; 43:11, 13, 16, 24; 44:2, 5; 45:1, 20; 49:6, 15; 51:24,
26; Bar 3:9; Lam 1:21; 3:56, 61; Ezek 3:6, 17; 13:2; 16:35; 25:3; 33:4, 5, 7, 30, 31,
32; 37:4; 44:5; Sus 26; Dan 4:9, 28, 31 [Sy]; 6:15; 8:16; 10:9; Matt 7:24, 26; 10:27;
11:4; 13:19, 20, 23; 14:1; 15:12; 19:22; 21:45; 26:65; Mark 4:16, 20, 24; Luke 1:41;
2:20b (dative); 4:23b, 28; 8:15, 21; 9:7, 9; 11:28; 14:15; 16:14; 18:23; John 3:8, 32b;
5:24, 37; 8:26, 38b, 40b; 9:40; 15:15b; 16:13b; 19:8; Acts 1:4; 4:4, 20; 5:5a, 24;
7:54; 9:4; 10:44; 15:7; 17:8; 21:12; 22:14; 26:14; 2 Cor 12:4; Eph 1:13; Phil 4:9; 2
Tim 2:2; 1 John 1:1, 3, 5; 2:24b; 3:11; Rev 1:3, 10; 4:1; 6:7; 9:16; 10:4, 8; 22:18.
These observations assume a continuity in the referents of subjects even though the
explicitly stated subject changes in some cases: 2 Sam 7:22 («we» to «they»); Sir 23:7
(«you [pl.]» to «he»); Isa 24:16 («we» to «they»); 30:22 («your [s.] hands» to «you [s.]»;
Jer 6:24 («we» to «our hands»); 27:43 («you [s.]» to «your [s.] hands»); 45:20 («you
[s.]» to «your [s.] hands»); Bar 3:9 («Israel» to «you [pl.]»); 1 John 3:11 («you [pl.]» to
«we»). They also include examples in which the notice of the response precedes that
of the hearing: 2 Sam 15:36b [15:36a]; 1 Kgs 1:45 [1:41]; 2 Kgs 19:20b [19:20a]; Ps
137:4b [137:4a]; Jer 28:51b [28:51a]; 43:13b [43:13a]; 43:24b [43:24a]; Luke 2:20b
[2:20a]; 4:23b [4:23a]; John 3:32b [3:32a]; 8:38b [8:38a]; 8:40b [8:40a]; 15:15b
[15:15a]; 16:13b [16:13a]. In Amos 8:11 [8:12], the permissibly omitted subject of
an infinitive relates the response to the hearing. Finally, in Ps 137:1 [137:4] the notice
of the response is separated from the notice of the hearing by an intervening verb
which relates activity prior to the hearing.
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 75

tiv e[ti creivan e[comen marturw`n...hjkouvsate th;n blasfhmivan...oiJ

de; ajpokriqevnte~ ei\pan (Matt 26:65b-66)
tiv e[ti creivan e[comen marturw`n...hjkouvsate th~ blasfhmiva"...pavnte~
katevkrinan aujto;n (Mark 14:63-64)
«What further need do we have of witnesses. You heard the blasphe-
my»...and responding they said.../...all condemned him.
kai; h[kousa fwnh;n ejk tou' oujranou' levgousan, Sfravgison (Rev 10:4)
kai; h[kousa fwnh'~ ejk tou' oujranou' legouvsh", Gravyon (Rev 14:13)
«and I heard a voice from heaven saying,» «Seal/Write.»

1.3.2. Clausal Objects [26 occurrences]

The content construction also appears with two types of clausal
objects: (cor)relative and interrogative pronoun clauses. The object
(cor)relative clause has 10 occurrences 23:
tovte levgei aujtw`/ oJ Pila`to", Oujk ajkouvei~ povsa sou katamar-
turou`sin… kai; oujk ajpekrivqh
Then Pilate says to him, «Don’t you hear how many things they are tes-
tifying against you? And he didn’t respond (Matt 27:13-14a).

Object interrogative pronoun clauses have 16 occurrences 24:

kai; ei\pan aujtw`,/ A
j kouvei~ tiv ou|toi levgousin… oJ de; Ij hsou'~ levgei
aujtoi`", Naiv
And they said to him, «Do you hear what they are saying?» Jesus says
to them, «Yes.» (Matt 21:16a).

1.3.3. Intransitive Usages [368 occurrences]

Intransitive occurrences of the content construction of ajkouvw may be
in either active or passive voice. In the active, the object denoting the
content is definite and null; and in the passive, the experiencer generally
is indefinite and null. Examination reveals 318 active voice intransitive
occurrences with noun phrase subjects 25:

23
Object (cor)relative clauses (active, direct): Deut 5:27; 18:19; 2 Kgs 19:20; 22:9;
Isa 21:10a; 37:21; Jer 23:25; Matt 13:17; 27:13; Luke 10:24a.
24
Object interrogative pronoun clauses (active, direct): Num 9:8; Deut 9:2; Judg
7:10; 2 Sam 17:5; Ps 84:9; Matt 21:16; Luke 16:2; 18:6; John 18:21; Rev 2:7, 11, 17,
29; 3:6, 13, 22.
25
Object definite and null (active, direct): Gen 18:10; 21:6; 23:10, 15, 16 [A];
37:21, 27; 42:23; 45:2; 49:2; Lev 10:20; Num 11:1; 12:2; 16:4; 23:18; Deut 4:28, 33;
5:27; 6:3, 4; 9:1; 13:11; 19:9; 20:3; 27:9; 29:4; 31:12a, 12b, 13; Judg 5:3; 11:10, 17;
Ruth 2:8; 1 Sam 3:9, 10; 13:3; 17:23, 28, 31; 22:7; 23:10, 11; 2 Sam 15:3; 20:16, 17;
76 Paul Danove

tivne~ ga;r ajkouvsante~ parepivkranan… ajllæ ouj pavnte~ oiJ ejxelqovnte~

ejx Aijguvptou dia; Mwu>sevw"…
For who, upon hearing [the Lord’s voice (3:15)], rebelled? But [was]n’t
it all those leaving Egypt with Moses? (Heb 3:16a).

There are two passive voice content usages of ajkouvw, the subject cor-
relative clause which appears only in Luke 12:3 (cited above) and the sub-
ject noun phrase which has 49 occurrences 26:
hjkouvsqh de; oJ lovgo~ eij~ ta; w\ta th'~ ejkklhsiva~ th'~ ou[sh~ ejn
Ij erousalh;m peri; aujtw'n kai; ejxapevsteilan Barnaba'n ªdielqei'nº e{w~
A j ntioceiva"
And the report about them was heard in the ears of the church in
Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas [to go] to Antioch (Acts 11:22).

1.4. General Descriptive Rules Concerning the Case of Noun Phrase Objects
These results permit a reconsideration of traditional distribution-
al rules that attempt to explain the presence of genitive and accusa-
tive case noun phrase objects. Such rules, generally rendered in three

1 Kgs 1:41; 5:8; 12:24n; 13:26; 17:22 [A]; 19:13; 20:15; 21:8; 22:28 [A]; 2 Kgs 9:13;
14:11; 17:14, 40 [A]; 18:12, 26, 31, 32; 19:1, 9, 16; 21:12; 22:19; 2 Ch 6:21; 13:4;
18:27; 20:9, 15; 24:19 [A]; 25:20; 29:5; 33:10 [A]; 34:27; 1 Es 5:62; 2 Esdr 13:36;
19:27, 29a, 29b; Esth 1:20; 1 Macc 4:27; 6:28; 16:22; 2 Macc 10:13; 14:37; 4 Macc
15:21; Ps 25:3; 29:11; 33:3; 37:14, 15; 44:11; 47:9; 49:7; 58:8; 65:16; 77:21, 59; 80:8;
93:9; 96:8; 113:14; 134:17 [A]; Prov 4:10; 18:13; 20:12; 23:19; 29:24; Eccl 4:17; Job
1:20 [A]; 13:17a; 21:2; 29:10; 36:11, 31; Wis 6:1; 15:15; Sir 6:23, 33; 11:8; 21:15;
25:9, 18; Amos 3:13; Mic 6:9; Mal 2:2; Isa 1:2; 6:9, 10a, 10b; 7:13; 21:3, 10a; 28:12,
19; 30:15; 32:3, 4; 33:19a, 19b; 34:1a, 1b; 35:5; 36:11; 40:28; 42:18, 20; 44:1, 8; 46:8,
12; 48:14; 50:4; 52:15; 66:8; Jer 6:10a, 10b, 18, 19; 8:6; 13:15, 17; 17:23; 20:1; 22:21;
23:18; 33:3, 11; 36:8; 38:7 [S], 42:14, 15; 43:31; 49:4; Bar 2:16, 31; 3:2, 4:9; Lam
1:18; Ezek 2:5, 7; 3:10, 11, 27a, 27b; 9:5; 10:13; 12:2a, 2b; 18:25; 19:4; 33:4; 35:13;
40:4; Sus 52a [Sy]; 52b [Sy]; Dan 9:18, 19; 12:8; Matt 2:3; 8:10; 9:12; 11:5, 15; 12:24;
13:9, 13,14, 15a, 15b, 16, 17, 43; 15:10; 17:6; 18:16; 19:25; 20:24; 22:22, 33; 27:47;
Mark 2:17; 4:3, 9a, 9b, 12a, 12b, 15, 23a, 23b, 33; 6:2, 16; 7:16a, 16b, 37; 8:18; 11:14;
14:11; 15:35; Luke 1:66; 2:18; 5:15; 6:27, 49; 7:22b, 29; 8:8a, 8b, 10, 12, 14, 18, 50;
10:24c; 14:35a, 35b; 18:22, 26; 20:16, 45; 22:71; 23:6; John 1:40; 4:42; 5:25b, 30;
6:45, 60; 7:51; 8:9, 47b; 9:27a, 27b; 11:4, 29; 12:29; Acts 2:8, 37; 4:24; 5:21, 33; 7:2;
8:6; 9:21; 13:16, 48; 16:14; 18:8; 19:5, 28; 21:20; 22:26; 28:26, 27a, 27b, 28; Rom
10:18; 11:8; 1 Cor 14:2; Eph 4:29; Col 1:6; 2 Tim 2:14; 4:17; Heb 2:3; 3:16; 4:2; Jas
1:19; 2:5; 2 Jn 6; Rev 3:3; 13:9; 22:8b, 17.
26
Subject noun phrases (passive, direct): Exod 23:13; Judg 18:25; 1 Sam 1:13; 1 Kgs
6:7; 1 Chr 15:9; 2 Esdr 3:13; 22:42, 43; Esth 1:20; 2:8; 1 Macc 5:63; 14:43; Ps 18:3;
Prov 16:21; Eccl 9:16 [A, S], 17; 12:13; Cant 2:12; Sir 33:4; Isa 5:9; 15:4; 42:2; 58:4;
65:19; Jer 3:21; 4:5, 15; 5:21; 6:7; 9:18; 27:46; 29:21; 30:15; 38:15; 40:10; 45:27; Bar
3:22; Ezek 10:15; 19:9; 26:13; 36:15; Dan 10:12; Matt 2:18; Acts 11:22; Heb 2:1; Rev
18:22a, 22b, 23.
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 77

parts, cite classical rules and then describe divergences in LXX and
NT usage 27:
1. that of or about which one hears is in the accusative,
2. the person speaking appears in the genitive,
3. the sound which one hears is in the genitive, unless it is a speech,
lovgo", which may be in either the genitive or the accusative.
Attempts to adapt these rules for the study of the LXX and NT are of
limited use 28:
Rule #1: that of or about which one hears is in the accusative.
The analysis of sec. 1.2.1. revealed that the accusative case requirement
of the topic construction extends to all objects, including those charac-

27
Many grammarians cite these or similar classical rules before qualifying their appli-
cability to the NT: H. W. Smyth, Greek Series for Colleges and Schools (New York:
American Book Company, 1916), p. 322; F. Blass, A. Debrunner, and R. W. Funk, A
Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1961), p. 95; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek Illustrated by
Examples, trans. Joseph Smith (Rome: Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici, 1963), p. 24;
N. Turner, A Grammar of New Testament Greek, Vol. III: Syntax (Edinburgh: T. & T.
Clark, 1963), pp. 233-234; R. Kühner and B. Gerth, Ausführliche Grammatik der
Griechische Sprache, Vol. 2 (Munich: Max Hueber, 1963), pp. 357-359; H. W. Smyth,
Greek Grammar (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1966), pp. 324-325; and S. E.
Porter, Idioms of the Greek New Testament (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1992),
p. 97; cf. A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of
Historical Research (New York: Hodder & Stoughton, 1914), pp. 448-449.
28
The lack of rigor in accounting for the distribution of the syntactic case of objects
has led to various approaches to the problem. Turner accepts a semantic distinction
between the genitive and accusative objects in John (the genitive with the meaning,
«obey,» [John 5:25, 28; 10:3, 6; etc.] and the accusative with the meaning, «hear,» else-
where in John) and a possible distinction in the similar occurrences in Acts 9:7 and 22:9
but finds no semantic basis for a general distinction in case usage [Syntax, pp. 233-234].
Mueller suggests that there is no real difference in meaning between the two cases and
that «the different usages could be due to dialectal influences or represent the speaking
habits of different socio-economic groups» [New Testament Greek: A Case Grammar
Approach (Fort Wayne, Indiana: Concordia Theological Seminary Press, 1978), p. 46].
This proposal, however, fails to address the fact that both structures can appear in the
same author and on the lips of the same character (Acts 22:7, 9). Joseph Smith offers
rules patterned on the classical rules which highlight semantic considerations associated
with the object: the accusative designates «what is directly grasped by the hearing
(sound, news, what is said)» (e.g., John 3:8; 5:37; Rev 19:1); and the genitive designates
«the source of what is heard, whether the person speaking or a voice conceived not as a
sound but as speaking,» (e.g., John 5:25; 10:3; 18:37; Acts 11:7; 22:7; Rev 11:12) [in
Zerwick, Biblical Greek, p. 24]; cf. Blass, Debrunner, Funk, Greek Grammar, p. 95].
These rules do not account for apparent examples (1) of the genitive relating that which
is said (Luke 6:18; John 7:40; 12:47) or (2) of the accusative referring to a speaking voice
(Acts 9:4; 26:14). H. R. Moehring adds a new dimension to the discussion by citing
classical examples which do not conform to the proposed classical rules [«The Verb
AKOYEIN in Acts IX 7 and XXII 19,» Novum Testamentum 3:1-2 (1959) 87-88].
78 Paul Danove

terized by [+ speaker], and to subjects characterized [+ response].29 Thus

the first classical rule is consistently valid in the LXX and NT.
Rule #2: the person speaking appears in the genitive.
The analysis revealed that the genitive case requirement is always valid
for the content construction with objects characterized by [+ speaker]
(sec. 1.3.1.), whether or not the subject registers a response [± response]
but is never valid for the topic construction (sec. 1.2.1.) 30. Thus the sec-
ond classical rule is not consistently valid as stated.
Rule #3: the sound which one hears is in the genitive, unless it is a
speech, lovgo", which may be in either the genitive or the
accusative.
The analysis of sec. 1.3.1. indicates that this rule is not consistently
valid for non-speaker objects of the content construction in the LXX and
NT. However, that analysis established a basis for reformulating the clas-

29
There are 44 (out of 55) occurrences of object noun phrases of indirect perception
characterized by the feature [+ response], 30 in the LXX and 14 in the NT: Exod 2:15;
18:1; Num 30:5; Deut 4:6; 1 Sam 2:23; 3:11; 2 Sam 13:21; 1 Kgs 3:28; 8:42; 10:1; 2
Chr 9:1; Esth 1:18; Jdt 4:1; Tob 14:15; 1 Macc 8:12; 10:15, 22, 88; 2 Macc 11:24; 14:15;
3 Macc 4:12; Ps 131:6; Job 2:11; Wis 11:13; Isa 16:6; 33:15; 48:7; Jer 40:9; 43:3; 48:11;
Matt 11:2; 24:6; Mark 13:7; Luke 9:7; 21:9; Acts 7:12; 17:32a; 23:16; 28:15; Eph 1:15;
4:21; Col 1:4; 2 Thess 3:11; Phlm 5. The remaining 11eleven occurrences (4 in the LXX
and 7 in the NT) are characterized by the feature [– response]: Jdt 11:8, 9; Isa 66:19;
Jer 26:12; Acts 5:11b; Gal 1:13; Eph 3:2; Phil 1:27; Jas 5:11; 1 Jn 4:3; 3 Jn 4.
30
There are 96 occurrences of object noun phrases of direct perception characterized
by the features [+ response, + speaker]: Gen 23:5, 8, 11, 13, 16; 27:5, 6, 8; 28:7; 37:17;
41:15; Exod 18:19; Num 11:10; Deut 10:10; 13:12; Judg 19:25; 1 Sam 8:19; 13:4; 2
Sam 22:45; 1Kgs 12:15, 16; 15:20; 16:16; 2 Kgs 16:9; 17:14 [A]; 1 Chr 28:2; 2 Chr
10:15; 15:2; 16:4; 20:20; 28:11; 1 Es 5:63, 66; Jdt 8:11, 32; 14:1; Tob 6:12a, 12b [S],
13, 16; 1 Macc 2:19, 65; 5:61; 4 Macc 10:18; Ps 33:12; 80:8, 14; Prov 1:33; 5:7; 7:24;
8:32; 23:22; Job 29:21; 30:20; 32:11; 33:31 [A], 33; 34:2; 42:4; Sir 3:1; 16:24; 19:9;
31:22; 33:19; Zech 3:8; Isa 36:16; 46:3; 51:1, 4a, 7, 21; 55:2 [A, S, R]; Jer 7:13, 24,
26; 13:11 [A, S]; 17:24 [A], 27 [R]; 25:7; 33:4, 5, 7; 34:9; 41:17; 42:16; 44:14 [A, S];
45:15; 51:5, 16; Bar 2:30; Ezek 2:2, 8; Dan 6:23 [Sy]; 8:13; 10:9 ; 12:7; Matt 2:9;
Mark 6:20a; 7:14; 12:28; 14:58; Luke 2:46, 47; 10:16a; 16:31; 18:36; John 1:37; 3:29;
6:60; 7:32; Acts 2:6, 11; 3:22, 23; 4:19; 6:11, 14; 8:30; 10:46; 14:9; 15:13; 17:32;
18:26; 22:22; 24:24; 25:22b; 26:29; Rev 6:1, 5. The remaining 59 occurrences (25 in
the LXX and 34 in the NT) are characterized by the features [– response, + speaker]:
Gen 49:2; Exod 19:9; Num 20:10; Deut 1:17; 18:14, 15; Josh 1:17a, 17b; Judg 9:7; 2
Sam 18:5; 2 Chr 10:16; 1 Macc 8:16; Eccl 7:21; Cant 2:8 [S]; Job 15:17; 31:35; 32:10;
33:31 [A], 33; 34:10; 42:5; Isa 48:12; 49:1; 51:4b; Jer 17:23; 41:14; Dan 9:6 [Sy];
Matt 17:5; 18:15; Mark 6:11, 20b; 9:7; 12:37; 14:58; Luke 6:18; 9:35; 10:16b; 15:1;
16:29; 19:48; 21:38; John 9:31a, 31b; 10:8, 20; 11:41, 42; Acts 15:12; 24:4; 25:22a;
26:3; Rom 10:14; 1 Tim 4:16; 1 John 4:5, 6a, 6b; 5:14, 15; Rev 5:13 [accusative]; 6:3;
8:13; 16:5, 7.
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 79

sical rules describing the distribution of object noun phrases of the con-
tent construction that appeals to two semantic features, one concerning
the subject [± response] and the other concerning the object [± speaker],
and that recognizes that the requirements of the topic construction and
the attraction of the relative to the case of its antecedent take precedence
over other grammatical considerations:

Reformulated Rules 31:

Except for occasions of attraction of a relative object to the case of its
antecedent and assuming a hierarchy of rules, the noun phrase object of
a transitive occurrence of ajkouvw appears in
1. the accusative case if the object relates the topic of perception (indi-
rect perception);
2. the genitive case if the object is characterized by the feature, [+
speaker] (direct perception);
3. the accusative case if the object is characterized by the feature [– speak-
er] and the subject is characterized by the feature [– response] (direct per-
ception);
4. the genitive or accusative case if object is characterized by the feature
[– speaker] and the subject is characterized by the feature [+ response]
(direct perception).
This detailed study of the content construction of ajkouvw and the
semantic considerations that govern its noun phrase objects serve as the
background for the discussion of the noun phrase objects of ajkouvw-com-
pounds.

2. anj takouw
v
The verb, ajntakouvw, is a hapax legomenon and is exceedingly rare in
non-biblical literature. It requires two arguments, an experiencer and a

31
These rules address suggestions by Turner (Syntax, p. 234, Blass, Debrunner, Funk
(Greek Grammar, p. 95) and Smyth (Greek Grammar, p. 323) that occurrences of ajkouvw
with genitive objects in John have the meanings, «obey,» «heed,» and «listen to.» These
translations find support in Reformulated Rule #4 which states that occurrences of
ajkouvw characterized by the features [+ response, – speaker] may have genitive case
objects. However, since they also may have accusative case objects, the translations,
«obey,» «heed,» or «listen to,» may be appropriate for noun phrase objects of direct
perception, genitive or accusative, whose verb is characterized by the features [+ response,
– speaker]. Also, since occurrences of ajkouvw characterized by the feature [+ speaker]
need not register a response, the suggested translations are appropriate only for occurrences
characterized by the features [+ response, + speaker]. Finally, the translation, «hear,» is
always appropriate for direct perception ([± response, ± speaker]).
80 Paul Danove

content (that is, its usage is characterized by the content construction). In

Job 11:2 it is used intransitively; and the context indicates that its trans-
lation is «hear in return/response.»

3. diakouw
v
The verb, diakouvw, requires two arguments, an experiencer and a con-
tent of direct perception (content construction), always characterized by [+
speaker]. The content may be expressed by either a noun phrase [one
occurrence] or a prepositional phrase, ajna; mevson «between» [two occur-
rences] 32. The example of a noun phrase object follows the rule #2 estab-
lished for ajkouvw. The verb may be translated, «hear the side(s)/argument(s)
of» [– response] or «listen to the side(s)/argument(s) of» [+ response].
4. eis
j akouw
v
Eijsakouvw, requires two arguments, an experiencer and a content of
direct perception (content construction). It may be translated, «listen to»
or «heed.» The content, when present, is expressed only through a noun
phrase [239 occurrences] or a prepositional phrase [one occurrence: eij~
ta; ejpercovmena (Isa 42:23)]. Noun phrase objects follow the rules #2,
3, and 4 established for ajkouvw except for one occurrence of a dative
object characterized by [+ speaker] in 1 Chr 21:28:
1. [+ speaker, ± response]: in the genitive case [116 occurrences]33
2. [– speaker, + response]: in the genitive [99 occurrences]34
or in the accusative case [20 occurrences]35
3. [– speaker, – response]: in the accusative case [4 occurrences]36

32
Object noun phrase (gen) [+speaker]: Acts 23:35 [– response]; Object preposi-
tional phrase complement (ajna; mevson, «between»): Deut 1:16 [+ response]; Job 9:33
[A] [– response].
33
Object noun phrase [+speaker] (genitive): Gen 34:17; 34:24; 42:21; 42:22; Exod
6:9; 6:12a; 6:12b; 6:30; 7:4; 7:13; 7:22; 8:11; 8:15; 9:12; 11:9; 16:20; 22:26; 23:21;
Num 16:8; 27:20; Deut 1:43; 3:26; 9:19; 10:10 [A, R]; 13:9; 21:18; 23:6; 34:9; Judg
3:9 [A]; 19:25 [A]; Esth 1:12; Ps 3:4 [A]; 4:2a; 4:4; 12:4; 16:6a [A]; 17:42; 21:25; 26:7;
33:7; 33:18; 54:3; 54:17; 65:19; 68:17; 68:34; 85:1; 85:7; 90:15; 98:6 [A]; 101:3;
119:1; 140:1; 142:1b; 142:7; 151:3 [A]; Prov 1:28; 8:6; 8:33; Job 5:1 [A]; 9:14 [A];
9:15; 9:16b; 22:27; 27:10; 30:20 [A,S]; 33:26 [S]; 36:10; Sir 3:6; 4:15 [S]; 39:13; Hos
9:17; Mic 3:4; 3:7b; 7:7 [A]; Jon 2:3; Zech 1:4 [A]; 7:13a; Isa 1:15; 1:19; 1:20; 19:22;
55:3; 58:9; Jer 7:13; 7:24 [S]; 7:26 [A, R]; 11:11; 13:11 [A,S]; 17:23 [A]; 17:24; 17:27;
18:19a; 25:7 [A]; 33:5b; 36:12; 44:14; Bar 2:30 [A]; Ezek 3:6; 3:7a [A, R]; 3:7b [A, R];
8:18 [A]; 20:8; Dan 1:14; 9:6; 9:10; 1 Cor 14:21.
34
Object noun phrase [+response, –speaker] (genitive, direct): Gen 21:17; Exod
3:18; 4:1; 4:8; 4:9; 5:2; 22:22; Num 14:22; 20:16; 21:3; Deut 1:45; 4:30; 9:23; 13:19
[A]; 15:5; 27:10; 28:1 [A]; 28:2 [A]; 28:9 [A]; 28:15; 28:45; 28:62; 30:2; 30:8; 30:10;
30:20; 33:7; Josh 22:2; Judg 2:2; 2:17; 2:20; 5:16; 6:10b; 11:28; 13:9; 20:13; 1 Sam
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 81

The verb, eijsakouvw, has a significantly greater usage in contexts in

which a response is registered (>98% of occurrences) in comparison to
ajkouvw (approximately 60%) 37. The verb also is used intransitively [50
occurrences]38 and in the passive [4 occurrences] 39.

5. enj akouw
v
j nakouvw, requires two arguments, an experiencer and a content of
E
direct perception (content construction). It may be translated, «listen to»
or «obey.» The two active voice occurrences are characterized by [+
response] and follow rules #2 and 3 established for ajkouvw:
1.[+ speaker, + response]: in the genitive case (1 Esdr 4:10)
2.[– speaker, + response]: in the accusative case (1 Esdr 4:3)
It also appears in the passive (Nah 1:12).

6. ep
j akouw
v
j pakouvw, is characterized by two distinct constructions. The first, a
E
content construction, requires two arguments, an experiencer and a con-
12:15; 1 Kgs 8:29; 8:30a; 8:45; 2 Kgs 10:6; 2 Chr 34:21; Jdth 4:13; 8:17; 9:4; 9:12; 2
Mac 8:3; 3 Mac 2:10; 2:21; Ps 4:2b; 5:4; 6:9; 6:10; 16:1; 16:6b; 26:7; 27:2; 30:23;
38:13; 39:2; 53:4; 54:18; 60:2; 60:6; 63:2; 64:3; 83:9; 101:2; 105:25; 105:44; 114:1;
129:2; 142:1a; 144:19; Prov 12:15; 28:9; Sir 4:6 [S]; 34:24; 34:26; 36:16; Zeph 3:2;
Zech 6:15b; 7:12; Jer 11:10; 14:12; 18:19b; 19:15; 23:22; 33:5a; 42:8 [A] (introduced
by prov»); 47:3b [A]; 49:21 [A]; Bar 2:14; Sus 35; 44; Dan 9:10; 9:11 [A]; 9:14; 9:17.
35
Object noun phrase [+response, –speaker] (accusative, direct): Exod 2:24; 6:5;
16:7; 16:8b; 16:9; 16:12; 16:28; Deut 11:13 [A,R]; 11:28 [A]; 30:16; Judg 5:16 [A]; 2
Kgs 19:4; Esth 4:17z; Ps 9:38; 57:6; Job 34:28; Sir 35:13; Hab 3:2; Isa 32:9; 37:4.
36
Object noun phrase [–response, –speaker] (accusative, direct): 1 Kgs 3:11; Tob
3:15; Job 27:9; Ez 13:19.
37
As in the case of ajkouvw, this response may occur through an infinitive phrase in the
same clause and may indicate the presence of a third characteristic construction trans-
lated by «respond [concerning what is heard] to [the speaker] by [infinitive phrase]:
ejan; eijsakouvsh/~ th'~ fwnh'~ kurivou...fulavssein pavsa~ ta;~ ejntola;~ aujtou`
if you listen to the voice of [the] Lord...to keep all his commandments (Deut 13:19 [A])
It occurs with (1) [+speaker: Gen 34:17; Esth 1:12; Sir 3:6; Jer 17:24; Dan 9:10], (2)
[–speaker, genitive: Deut 13:19 [A]; 15:5(M); 28:1 [A]; 28:15; 28:45; 30:10; 2 Chr
34:21; Jer 17:27; 42:8 [A] (introduced by prov~); Dan 9:10], and (3) [–speaker, accusa-
tive: Deut 11:13 [A,R]; 30:16].
38
Object definite and null (active): Exod 7:16; 11:10; Deut 30:17; Judg 11:28a [A];
1Kgs 8:30b; 8:32; 8:36; 8:39; 8:42; 8:49; 2 Chr 6:21; 6:23; 6:25; 6:27; 6:30; 7:14; Neh
9:17; 9:28; Ps 21:3; 37:16; 54:20; 65:18; 91:12; 151:3; Prov 21:13; Job 9:16a [A];
35:12; 37:23; Mic 7:7; Hab 1:2; Zech 6:15a; 7:11; 7:13b; Mal 3:16; Isa 37:17; 42:23;
46:7; 59:1; Jer 6:10 [R]; 7:16; 7:24 [A]; 11:14; 25:4; 40:6; 42:14 [A]; 42:15 [A, R]; Bar
2:16 [A]; Dan 9:17.
39
Experiencer indefinite and null (passive): Tob 3:16; 2 Macc 1:18; Eccl 9:16; Sir
3:5; 51:11; Dan 10:12; Matt 6:7; Luke 1:13; Acts 10:31; Heb 5:7.
82 Paul Danove

tent of direct perception. It may be translated, «hear,» «listen to,» or «give

attention to.» The content, when present, is expressed only through a
noun phrase and follows rules #2, 3, and 4 established for ajkouvw:
1. [+ speaker, ± response]: in the genitive case [89 occurrences]40
2. [– speaker, + response]: in the genitive case [15 occurrences]41
3. [– speaker, – response]: in the accusative case [2 occurrences]42

It also is used intransitively [15 occurrences]43 and passively [2 Chr

30:27] and has a significantly greater usage in contexts in which a
response is registered (>86% ) than ajkouvw (60%).
The second construction of ejpakouvw requires two arguments, an
agent (Agt) or doer of an action and an experiencer to whom the response
is directed. Its distinct semantic properties (the presence of an agent)
make direct comparisons to the content construction of ajkouvw inappro-
priate. It may be translated «respond [concerning what is heard] to [the
speaker].» The experiencer, when present, is expressed by a dative case
noun phrase for both [+ speaker (11 occurrences)]44 and [– speaker (five
occurrences)] 45. It is used intransitively [3 occurrences]46 but never in the
passive.
7. parakouw
v
Parakouvw, requires two arguments, an experiencer of and a content
of direct perception (content construction). It may be translated as either
«refuse to listen (to)» or «overhear,» depending on the context: there are
no discernible grammatical markers to assist in translation. The verb fol-
lows rules #2 and 3 established for ajkouvw:
40
Object noun phrase [+ speaker] (genitive): Gen 16:11; 17:20; 25:21; 30:17 [A];
30:22; Josh 10:14; Judg 2:17; 1 Sam 7:9; 8:18; 28:15 [A]; 2 Sam 22:42 [R]; 1 Kgs
18:26a; 18:26b; 18:36a; 18:36b; 18:37a; 18:37b; 2 Kgs 13:4; 1 Chr 29:23; 2 Chr 32:24
[A]; 33:13a; 33:19; 1 Mac 10:38; Ps 3:5; 16:6; 17:45; 19:2; 19:7; 19:10; 21:25b; 33:5;
51:11b [S]; 59:7; 64:6; 68:14; 68:18; 80:8; 85:1 [A, S]; 85:7 [A]; 90:15 [A, S]; 98:6;
98:8; 107:7; 117:5; 117:21; 117:28; 118:26; 118:145; 142:1; Prov 21:13a; Cant 5:6;
Job 33:12; 38:34; Sir 46:5; 48:20; Mic 3:7 [A]; Isa 19:22 [A]; 30:19; 49:8; 55:3 [A, S];
65:24; Dan 9:18; 2 Cor 6:2.
41
Object noun phrase [+ response] (genitive): Gen 21:17; 27:13 [R]; 30:6; Deut
26:14a; Josh 22:2; Judg 13:9 [A]; 1 Sam 30:24 [A, R]; 2 Sam 22:7; 2 Chr 6:19; 11:4;
25:16; 33:13b; Esth 4:17h; 2 Macc 1:5; Ps 101:2 [S]; 144:19; Eccl 10:19; Job 8:6;
33:13; Sir 4:6; Isa 50:10 [S]; Jer 18:19; Sus 44; Dan 9:17.
42
Object noun phrase [– response] (accusative): Prov 29:12; Hos 2:24.
43
Object definite and null: Deut 26:14b; 2 Sam 21:14; 24:25; 2 Chr 33:10; Jdth
14:15; Prov 21:13b [S]; Cant 5:6 [A]; Job 37:23; Isa 8:9; 10:30a; 10:30b; 41:17; 45:1;
50:2 [S]; Dan 9:19.
44
Experiencer noun phrase [+ speaker]: Gen 30:33; 35:3 [A]; 1 Chr 5:20; 21:26;
21:28; 2 Chr 24:17; 32:24; 2 Esdr 8:23; Ps 17:45 [A]; Zech 10:6; 13:9.
45
Experiencer noun phrase [– speaker]: Prov 15:29; Hos 2:23a; 2:23b; 2:24a; 2:24b.
46
Experiencer definite and null: 1 Kgs 18:24; Hos 2:24a; Dan 6:22(M).
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 83

1. [+ speaker, ± response]: in the genitive case [3 occurrences]47

2. [– speaker, + response]: in the genitive case [2 occurrences]48
or in the accusative [2 occurrences]49

It may be used intransitively [3 occurrences]50 but never in the passive.

8. up
J akouw
v
J pakouvw, is characterized by two constructions. The first, a content
U
construction, requires two arguments, an experiencer and a content of
direct perception. When present, the content always is expressed by a
noun phrase that follows rules #2, 3, and 4 established for ajkouvw, with
the modification that 50% of the noun phrases characterized by [+speak-
er] appear in the dative and 13% characterized by [–speaker, +response]
appear in the dative. There are no contextual markers to distinguish
between genitive and dative noun phrase objects:
1.[+ speaker, ± response]: in the genitive case [24 occurrences]51
or in the dative case [24 occurrences]52
2.[– speaker, + response]: in the genitive case [21 occurrences]53
or in the dative case [3 occurrences]54
3.[– speaker, – response]: in the accusative case [1 occurrence:
Prov 29:12 [A, R]

47
Object noun phrase [+ speaker] (genitive): 1 Esdr 4:11; Matt 18:17a; 18:17b.
48
Object noun phrase [+ response] (genitive): Esth 3:8; Tob 3:4.
49
Object noun phrase [+ response] (accusative): Esth 3:3; Mark 5:36.
50
Object definite and null (active): Esth 4:14; 7:4; Isa 65:12.
51
Object noun phrase [+ speaker] (genitive): Lev 26:14; 26:18; 26:21; 26:27; Deut
17:12; Judg 2:17; 2 Sam 22:42; 22:45 [A]; 1 Chr 29:23 [A]; Esth 3:4; 1 Mac 10:38 [A,
R]; 13:43; Ps 17:45 [A]; Prov 21:13; Cant 3:1; 3:2; Job 9:14; 38:34; Sir 4:15; 24:22; Isa
65:24; 66:4; Jer 16:12.
52
Object noun phrase [+ speaker] (dative): Deut 20:12; 1 Mac 12:43; Ps 17:45; Prov
8:1; 15:23; 28:17 [R]; Job 5:1; 9:3; 13:22; Isa 29:24; 66:44 [S]; Bar 3:33; Matt 8:27;
Mark 1:27; 4:41; Luke 8:25; 17:6; Rom 6:16; Eph 6:1; 6:5; Col 3:20; 3:22; Heb 5:9; 1
Pet 3:6.
53
Object noun phrase [+ response] (genitive): Gen 16:2; 22:18; 26:5; 27:13 [A];
Deut 21:20; 26:14 [A, R]; 26:17; 30:2; Josh 22:2 [A]; Judg 2:20; 1 Sam 30:24; 2 Chr
11:14; 2 Mac 1:5; 7:30; Prov 2:2; 17:4; Isa 50:10; Jer 3:13; 3:25b; 11:10 [S]; 13:10.
54
Object noun phrase [+ response] (dative): Esth 3:4; Prov 15:29 [S]; Acts 6:7.
55
Object definite and null: Gen 41:40; Jdth 14:15; Prov 1:24; 29:19; Job 9:16;
19:16; Sir 42:23; Mal 2:2 [A]; Isa 11:14; 29:24; 50:2; 65:12; Dan 3:12; 7:27; Acts
12:13; Rom 6:17; Phil 2:12.
56
On both occasions it appears with an infinitive expressing the content of the
response and may indicate (as for ajkouvw and eijsakouvw) the presence of a construction
requiring three arguments that would be translated «respond [concerning what is heard]
to [the speaker] by [infinitive phrase].»
84 Paul Danove

It may be used intransitively [17 occurrences]55 but never in the pas-

sive; and it has a significantly greater usage in contexts in which a
response is registered (>98%) than ajkouvw (60%)
The second construction of uJpakouvw is similar to the second con-
struction of ejpakouvw in that it requires two arguments, an agent and an
experiencer. It may be translated «respond [concerning what was heard]
to [the speaker].» It appears only twice, once with a dative noun phrase
object [+speaker] (Gen 39:10) and once intransitively (Heb 11:8) 56.

9. Comparison of the Usage of akouw

v and akj ouw
v -compounds in the
LXX and NT:
The analysis indicates significant continuity in the patterns of usage
for ajkouvw and its compounds in the LXX and NT:
1. only ajkouvw may indicate indirect perception (topic construction)
and have arguments realized by verb phrases (topic and content con-
structions)
2. all of the noted verbs exhibit usages of the content construction
3. among verbs of multiple attestation, eijsakouvw, ejpakouvw (#1), and
uJpakouvw (#1) show a marked bias for use in contexts characterized by
[+response]: this may indicate a preference for these verbs over ajkouvw
when the presence of a response is to be stressed
4. genitive [–speaker] noun phrase objects of ajkouvw, eijsakouvw, ejpa-
kouvw (#1), parakouvw, and genitive and dative [–speaker] noun phrase
objects of uJpakouvw (#1) always are characterized by [+response]
5. [–speaker, + response] noun phrase objects of ajkouvw, eijsakouvw,
ejnakouvw, and parakouvw may appear in the accusative
6. [–speaker, –response] noun phrases objects of all the verbs always
are in the accusative: this is the only permitted use of the accusative with
ejnakouvw, ejpakouvw (#1), and uJpakouvw (#1)
These results indicate a very high degree of continuity in usage between
the LXX and NT. They also reveal differences in the distribution of usages
for ajkouvw in the NT: (1) an increased use of object interrogative pronoun
clauses and (2) the introduction of two new usages: the subject correlative
clause for the content construction (Luke 12:3) and the eij clause object
for the topic construction (Acts 19:2b). The differences in the distribution
of noun phrase objects of direct perception in which the subject indicates
a response is more pronounced: of the 397 such noun phrases objects in
the LXX , the accusative appears 1.56 times more frequently than the gen-
itive (242/155); whereas in the NT the accusative appears 2.62 times more
frequently than the genitive (68/26). The investigation also reveals that
the use of all ajkouvw-compounds except uJpakouvw is significantly curtailed
in the NT: the already rare ajntakouvw and ejnakouvw are absent from the
A Comparison of the Usage of ajkouvw and ajkouvw-Compounds 85

NT; diakouvw appears only in Acts 23:35; eijsakouvw is limited to passive

usage (Matt 6:7; Luke 1:3; Acts 10:31; Heb 5:7) except for one occurrence
in a citation of Scripture (1 Cor 14:21; cf. Isa 28:12); ejpakouvw appears
only in a citation of Scripture (2 Cor 6:2; cf. Isa 49:8); and parakouvw
appears only three times (Matt 18:17a,b; Mark 5:36). The only frequent-
ly occurring ajkouvw-compound in the NT, uJpakouvw, however, indicates
significant changes in the distribution of usages: whereas in the LXX it fol-
lows modified rules #2 and 3 that permit a dative (instead of genitive) case
noun phrase object in a minority of occurrences for both [+speaker] (12
dative, 24 genitive) and [+response, –speaker] (2 dative, 21 genitive); in
the NT it consistently uses the dative case for noun phrase objects for
[+speaker] (12 dative) and [+response, –speaker] (1 dative). These obser-
vations indicate that the syntactic case of noun phrase objects of ajkouvw
and ajkouvw-compounds for the content construction in the LXX and NT
(1) may be described according to a unitary set of rules but (2) differ sig-
nificantly in distribution for ajkouvw [+response, –speaker] and for
uJpakouvw #1 [+response, ±speaker).
Paul DANOVE
Villanova University
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085-1699 (U.S.A.)