Lexical Summary roi: Seeing, vision, sight Original Word: רֱאִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gazingstock, look to, that seeth From ra'ah; sight, whether abstractly (vision) or concretely (a spectacle) -- gazingstock, look to, (that) see(-th). see HEBREW ra'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom raah Definition looking, seeing, sight NASB Translation appearance (1), seeing (1), seen (1), sees (1), sight (1), spectacle (1), who (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs רֳאִי noun [masculine] looking, seeing, sight; — 1 seeing, ׳אֵל ר Genesis 16:13 a a God of seeing ( =who sees). 2 appearance ( =מַרְאֶה), טוֺב רֹ֑אִי 1 Samuel 16:12; מֵרֹ֑אִי Job 33:21 without (healthy, fair) appearance. 3 sight, (warning-) spectacle, כְּרֹ֑אִי Nahum 3:6. — ׳ר Genesis 16:13b Job 7:8 is Qal Participle suffix Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope רֱאִי speaks of sight, appearance, or spectacle, whether the focus is upon God who beholds, humankind who observes, or an object that becomes the focus of attention. The five inspired occurrences join to present a rich tapestry of divine perception, human limitation, and public exposure under judgment. Occurrences and Contexts 1. Genesis 16:13 – theophanic encounter with Hagar. The God Who Sees (Genesis 16:13) Hagar, marginalized and alone, confesses, “You are the God who sees me”. Her declaration is the Bible’s earliest personal naming of the LORD since the patriarchal promises, and רֱאִי conveys the comforting truth that no circumstance clouds His vision. The wilderness setting heightens the theological point: divine sight is not confined to covenant land or favored lineage. By recognizing the One who “looks after me,” Hagar foreshadows the Shepherd imagery later fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who likewise assures that not one sparrow falls unnoticed (Matthew 10:29-31). External Appearance and Divine Selection (1 Samuel 16:12) David is introduced as “ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance”. רֱאִי here records what people saw, immediately followed by God’s reminder, “man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Thus the same term that commends David’s looks simultaneously warns against trusting what is merely visible. The canonical interplay emphasizes that external רֱאִי cannot substitute for inward righteousness; only God’s omniscient gaze discerns suitability for leadership. The Frailty of Human Visibility (Job 7:8; Job 33:21) Job laments, “The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more” (Job 7:8). Human recognition is temporary; soon the sufferer disappears from earthly sight. Later, Elihu describes a diseased man whose “bones once hidden now stick out” (Job 33:21), a stark picture of diminishing רֱאִי. Both texts underscore mortality and the inadequacy of human vision to fathom suffering’s purpose apart from divine revelation. They invite trust in the God who not only sees but ultimately vindicates. Divine Judgment as Public Spectacle (Nahum 3:6) Against arrogant Nineveh the LORD declares, “I will make you a spectacle”. Judgment becomes visible, unmistakable רֱאִי before the nations, reversing the city’s former grandeur. What was hidden behind walls of power is dragged into open view, illustrating that no empire can conceal its sin from the Judge of all the earth. The prophecy anticipates final eschatological exposure when every deed is brought to light (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Theological Synthesis 1. Omniscience and Compassion – Genesis 16 proves that God’s sight is personal, pursuing the afflicted. Combined, these threads teach that what is seen by the eye is never the ultimate metric; true reality lies in the gaze of the LORD, whose evaluation is perfect, comprehensive, and final. Ministry Implications • Shepherds of God’s people must cultivate inner integrity, trusting that hidden faithfulness matters more than visible acclaim. Christological Fulfillment and Eschatological Hope Jesus Christ embodies both divine sight and perfect visibility. He “needed no one to testify about man, for He knew what was in a man” (John 2:25), fulfilling the omniscient aspect of רֱאִי. At His return every eye will see Him (Revelation 1:7), reversing the Jobian lament of vanishing presence. The believer’s ultimate confidence rests in being “revealed with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4), a final and joyous spectacle before which all lesser appearances fade. Practical Applications • Cultivate transparency before God in prayer, since He already sees the heart. Thus רֱאִי summons the reader to live coram Deo—before the face of God—resting in His watchful care and walking in integrity until the day when faith is replaced by sight. Forms and Transliterations כְּרֹֽאִי׃ כראי׃ מֵרֹ֑אִי מראי רֳאִ֑י רֹ֑אִי ראי kə·rō·’î kərō’î keRoi mê·rō·’î mêrō’î meRoi ro’î rō’î ro·’î rō·’î roILinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 16:13 HEB: אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה NAS: to her, You are a God who sees; KJV: unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, INT: you God who for said 1 Samuel 16:12 Job 7:8 Job 33:21 Nahum 3:6 5 Occurrences |
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