The term "incline" in the Bible often refers to the act of bending or turning one's ear, heart, or mind towards something, typically in the context of listening, obedience, or prayer. It is a metaphorical expression that signifies attentiveness, willingness, and submission to God's will or instruction.

Biblical Usage and Context

1. Incline the Ear: The phrase "incline your ear" is frequently used in the Scriptures to denote the act of listening intently and with purpose. In Proverbs 2:2, it is written, "making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding." This suggests a deliberate effort to seek wisdom and understanding, emphasizing the importance of being receptive to divine instruction.

2. Incline the Heart: The heart, in biblical terms, is often seen as the center of one's will and emotions. To incline the heart towards God is to align one's desires and intentions with His commandments. In Joshua 24:23, Joshua instructs the Israelites, "Now, therefore, put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel." This call to action underscores the necessity of wholehearted devotion and the rejection of idolatry.

3. Incline in Prayer: The psalmists frequently use the term "incline" in their prayers, expressing a desire for God to listen and respond. Psalm 17:6 states, "I call on You, O God, for You will answer me. Incline Your ear to me; hear my words." Here, the psalmist appeals to God's attentiveness and readiness to hear the cries of His people, reflecting a deep trust in God's responsiveness.

4. God's Inclination: The Bible also speaks of God inclining His ear towards His people, indicating His willingness to listen and act on their behalf. In Psalm 116:2, the psalmist declares, "Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live." This portrays a reciprocal relationship where God's attentiveness encourages continual prayer and reliance on Him.

Theological Implications

The concept of inclining one's ear or heart is deeply rooted in the covenant relationship between God and His people. It signifies a posture of humility and readiness to receive divine guidance. The act of inclining is not passive but requires active engagement and a conscious decision to prioritize God's voice over other influences.

In the broader biblical narrative, the failure to incline one's heart or ear to God often leads to disobedience and spiritual decline. Conversely, those who incline themselves towards God are often depicted as wise, blessed, and in right standing with Him.

Practical Application

For believers, the call to incline one's ear and heart to God is a daily exercise of faith and discipline. It involves regular engagement with Scripture, prayer, and a willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit. By inclining towards God, Christians demonstrate their commitment to living according to His will and purpose, fostering a deeper relationship with Him.1. (v. i.) To deviate from a line, direction, or course, toward an object; to lean; to tend; as, converging lines incline toward each other; a road inclines to the north or south.

2. (v. i.) Fig.: To lean or tend, in an intellectual or moral sense; to favor an opinion, a course of conduct, or a person; to have a propensity or inclination; to be disposed.

3. (v. i.) To bow; to incline the head.

4. (v. t.) To cause to deviate from a line, position, or direction; to give a leaning, bend, or slope to; as, incline the column or post to the east; incline your head to the right.

5. (v. t.) To impart a tendency or propensity to, as to the will or affections; to turn; to dispose; to influence.

6. (v. t.) To bend; to cause to stoop or bow; as, to incline the head or the body in acts of reverence or civility.

7. (n.) An inclined plane; an ascent o/ descent; a grade or gradient; a slope.

2827. klino -- to cause to bend
... klino Phonetic Spelling: (klee'-no) Short Definition: I rest, recline, make to yield
Definition: trans: I rest, recline; I bend, incline; I cause to give ground ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2827.htm - 6k

4346. prosklisis -- to cause to lean against
... 4346 (from 4314 , "towards" and 2827 , "incline") -- properly, the direction a
balance-scale because tipped one way; (figuratively) pre-inclination, , (undue ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4346.htm - 6k

7181. qashab -- to incline (ears), attend
... 7180, 7181. qashab. 7182 . to incline (ears), attend. Transliteration: qashab
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-shab') Short Definition: listen. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/7181.htm - 6k

5186. natah -- to stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
... 5185, 5186. natah. 5187 . to stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend.
Transliteration: natah Phonetic Spelling: (naw-taw') Short Definition: stretched ...
/hebrew/5186.htm - 7k

6808. tsaah -- to stoop, bend, incline
... 6807b, 6808. tsaah. 6809 . to stoop, bend, incline. Transliteration: tsaah
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-aw') Short Definition: exile. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/6808.htm - 6k

183. avah -- to incline, desire
... 182, 183. avah. 184 . to incline, desire. Transliteration: avah Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-vaw') Short Definition: desire. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/183.htm - 6k

8388a. taar -- probably to incline
... probably to incline. Transliteration: taar Short Definition: curved. ... root Definition
probably to incline NASB Word Usage curved (3), extended (2), stretches (1). ...
/hebrew/8388a.htm - 5k

8388. ta'ar -- probably to incline
ta'ar. 8387, 8388. ta'ar. 8388a . probably to incline. Transliteration:
ta'ar Phonetic Spelling: (taw-ar') Short Definition: Taanath-shiloh. Taanath-shiloh ...
/hebrew/8388.htm - 5k

7743. shuach -- to sink down
... bow down, incline, humble. A primitive root; to sink, literally or figuratively --
bow down, incline, humble. 7742, 7743. shuach. 7744 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7743.htm - 6k

2654. chaphets -- to delight in
... A primitive root; properly, to incline to; by implication (literally but rarely)
to bend; figuratively, to be pleased with, desire -- X any at all, (have, take ...
/hebrew/2654.htm - 5k

7925. shakam -- to start or rise early
... A primitive root; properly, to incline (the shoulder to a burden); but used only
as denominative from shkem; literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast ...
/hebrew/7925.htm - 6k

2583. chanah -- to decline, bend down, encamp
... A primitive root (compare chanan); properly, to incline; by implication, to decline
(of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch a tent; gen. ...
/hebrew/2583.htm - 6k

God Operates on Men's Hearts to Incline their Wills Whithersoever ...
... A Treatise on grace and free will, Chapter 43."God Operates on Men's Hearts
to Incline Their Wills Whithersoever He Pleases. From ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 43 god operates on mens.htm

Concerning Apolinarius: Father and Son of that Name. vitalianus ...
... of that Name. Vitalianus, the Presbyter. On being dislodged from One Kind of
Heresy, they incline to Others. About this period, Apolinarius ...
/.../chapter xxv concerning apolinarius father and.htm

Whether the virtue of Truth Inclines Rather to that which is Less?
... Objection 1: It seems that the virtue of truth does not incline to that which is
less. ... Therefore truth does not more incline to that which is less. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the virtue of truth.htm

A Chime of Gospel Bells.
... COME AND HEAR! "Incline your ear, and come unto ... I like to see that. This is the figure
that the prophet uses when he says on God's behalf, "Incline your ear.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sovereign grace/chapter viii a chime of.htm

Psalm LXXVIII.
... "Incline ye your ear unto the words of My mouth." "Hearken ye," is the same as,
"Incline your ear:" and what He saith there, "My law," this He saith here in ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxviii.htm

Old Testament Testimonies.
... And so do they suppose that God inclines the wills of those whom He pleases to the
attainment of earthly kingdoms, but does not incline them to the attainment ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 42 old testament testimonies.htm

Whether to Believe is to Think with Assent?
... But some acts of the intellect have unformed thought devoid of a firm assent, whether
they incline to neither side, as in one who "doubts"; or incline to one ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether to believe is to.htm

Christ the Best Husband: or an Earnest Invitation to Young Women ...
... of men to be his spouse; and is exceeding desirous of their beauty; who, forgetting
their people and father's house, do hearken, consider and incline to his ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/christ the best husband or.htm

The King 'Blessing' his People
... That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His
commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the king blessing his people.htm

Psalm LXXI.
... In Thee I have hoped, O Lord, I shall not be confounded for everlasting: in Thine
own righteousness," not in mine, "deliver me, and save me." "Incline unto me ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxi.htm

Incline (38 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To deviate from a line, direction, or course, toward an object; to lean;
to tend; as, converging lines incline toward each other; a road inclines to ...
/i/incline.htm - 18k

Nod (2 Occurrences)
... It lay on the east of Eden. Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (vi) To bend or incline
the upper part, with a quick motion; as, nodding plumes. ...
/n/nod.htm - 8k

Lean (22 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position
thus inclining or deviating; as, she leaned out at the window; a leaning ...
/l/lean.htm - 14k

Bow (248 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend,
figuratively; to turn; to incline. 3. (vt) To bend or incline...
/b/bow.htm - 42k

Attentive (18 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Proverbs 2:2 So that thou make thine
ear attend unto wisdom, and thy heart incline to discernment; (See NAS RSV). ...
/a/attentive.htm - 12k

Slope (29 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To form with a slope; to give an oblique or slanting direction to; to direct
obliquely; to incline; to slant; as, to slope the ground in a garden; to ...
/s/slope.htm - 16k

Warp (9 Occurrences)
... otherwise. 3. (vt) To turn aside from the true direction; to cause to bend
or incline; to pervert. 4. (vt) To weave; to fabricate. ...
/w/warp.htm - 12k

Recline (14 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To cause or permit to lean, incline, rest; to
place in a recumbent position; as, to recline the head on the hand. ...
/r/recline.htm - 10k

Apply (19 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To fix closely; to engage and employ diligently, or with attention;
to attach; to incline. 5. (vt) To direct or address. ...
/a/apply.htm - 13k

Sennach'erib (13 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 19:16 Incline Thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open Thine eyes, O LORD, and
see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, wherewith he hath sent him to taunt the ...
/s/sennach'erib.htm - 10k

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