### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʼâṭam**, represented by `{{H331}}`, is a primitive root meaning to **close**, **shut**, or **stop**. It is also used in an architectural sense to mean **narrow**. According to usage statistics, it appears **8 times** across **8 unique verses** in the Bible, carrying both literal and figurative weight.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word `{{H331}}` is used in two primary contexts. Figuratively, it describes the deliberate act of closing one's senses to outside influence. This can be a righteous act, as in the case of the man who "stoppeth `{{H331}}` his ears from hearing of blood" [[Isaiah 33:15]], or a foolish one, such as when one "stoppeth `{{H331}}` his ears at the cry of the poor" [[Proverbs 21:13]]. The word is also used to describe a wise person who "shutteth `{{H331}}` his lips" [[Proverbs 17:28]]. Literally, it is used to describe the "narrow `{{H331}}` windows" of Solomon's temple [[1 Kings 6:4]] and the visionary temple in Ezekiel's prophecy [[Ezekiel 40:16]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help to clarify the meaning of `{{H331}}` by highlighting what is being closed or the action being avoided:
* `{{H241}}` **ʼôzen** (the ear): This is the most common body part associated with `{{H331}}`, as seen in verses where one "stoppeth `{{H331}}` his ears `{{H241}}`" [[Proverbs 21:13]]. It is the organ of hearing that is deliberately shut off.
* `{{H6105}}` **ʻâtsam** (close, shut): This word is used in parallel with `{{H331}}` to describe a comprehensive rejection of evil, where a righteous person "stoppeth `{{H331}}` his ears... and shutteth `{{H6105}}` his eyes" [[Isaiah 33:15]].
* `{{H2790}}` **chârash** (to be silent, hold peace): This action is presented as a sign of wisdom when a fool "holdeth his peace `{{H2790}}`," which is conceptually similar to one who "shutteth `{{H331}}` his lips" [[Proverbs 17:28]].
* `{{H8085}}` **shâmaʻ** (to hear intelligently): This is the action that is blocked by using `{{H331}}`. The righteous man stops his ears "from hearing `{{H8085}}` of blood," indicating a refusal to intelligently process or pay attention to evil [[Isaiah 33:15]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H331}}` is centered on the moral and spiritual implications of selective hearing and engagement.
* **Moral Discernment:** The word highlights the critical difference between shutting out evil and shutting out good. A righteous person actively closes his ears to wickedness [[Isaiah 33:15]], while an unrighteous person closes his ears to the needs of the poor, resulting in his own cry not being heard [[Proverbs 21:13]].
* **Willful Rejection of Truth:** The wicked are compared to a "deaf adder that stoppeth `{{H331}}` her ear" [[Psalms 58:4]]. This illustrates a stubborn and deliberate refusal to hearken to wisdom or divine instruction, a form of spiritual deafness.
* **Sanctity and Controlled Access:** In its architectural usage, the "narrow `{{H331}}` windows" in the temple ([[1 Kings 6:4]], [[Ezekiel 41:16]]) suggest that access to and vision of the holy is limited and focused, not open to all in the same way. It implies a sacred separation from the outside world.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H331}}` is a versatile word that conveys the idea of closing or narrowing. Whether applied metaphorically to the ears and lips or literally to temple windows, it speaks to the crucial act of controlling what is allowed in. It serves as a powerful biblical illustration of wisdom, righteousness, and the separation between the holy and the profane, all centered on the simple but profound act of shutting something out.
TRV