ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA HEBREA
רָאָה (râʼâh) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) is the most common Hebrew verb for 'to see,' used literally and figuratively across the Old Testament.
Significado de la palabra
רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) is defined as 'to see,' covering literal sight, inspection, perception, and figurative uses such as experiencing, considering, or gaining understanding. The supplied lexicon entry describes it as direct and implied, transitive, intransitive, and causative.
The KJV usage list expands the range considerably: behold, look, gaze, perceive, discern, regard, consider, view, appear, provide, enjoy, have experience, meet, and others. Many of these are idiomatic extensions of the core sense 'to see.'
The entry also notes a proper-name reading, '(Lord will) Provide / cause to be seen,' which is an interpretive gloss of the root's causative nuance rather than a separate sense.
Uso en las Escrituras
רָאָה appears in 698 distinct verses (750 total occurrences) across the Hebrew Bible, making it the dominant verb for sight. The provided examples cluster in Genesis 1–6, where it structures the creation account: God repeatedly 'saw' that what he made was good (Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31).
Beyond evaluation, the verb is used for ordinary observation (the woman 'saw' the tree was desirable, Gen 3:6), for naming/inspection (the man 'to see' what he would call the creatures, Gen 2:19), and for moral assessment (Jehovah 'saw' the wickedness of man, Gen 6:5; the sons of God 'saw' the daughters of men, Gen 6:2). Genesis 1:9 uses a related form (תֵרָאֶ֖ה) glossed 'appear,' showing the root can express becoming visible as well as perceiving.
La palabra en detalle
- H7200 H7200 רָאָה (râʼâh): the primary Hebrew verb 'to see,' used literally and figuratively. KJV usage includes behold, look, perceive, discern, regard, consider, view, appear, provide, gaze, meet, have experience, enjoy, and related senses.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Genesis 1:4 God 'saw' the light was good — רָאָה here expresses evaluative sight, the paradigm of divine approval in the creation narrative.
- Genesis 1:9 The form תֵרָאֶ֖ה is glossed 'appear,' showing the root can express becoming visible rather than perceiving.
- Genesis 2:19 Man is asked 'to see' what he will name the creatures — רָאָה used for inspection prior to speech/decision.
- Genesis 6:5 Jehovah 'saw' the wickedness of man — רָאָה used for moral assessment of human condition.
Preguntas frecuentes
How many times does רָאָה occur in the Hebrew Bible?
According to the provided data, רָאָה (H7200) occurs 750 times in 698 distinct verses.
Is רָאָה only about physical sight?
No. The lexicon definition covers literal and figurative sight, and the KJV usage list extends to perceive, consider, regard, discern, enjoy, experience, and related senses. Example verses show it used both for physical observation (Gen 3:6) and for moral evaluation (Gen 6:5).
What is the basic meaning of רָאָה?
The basic meaning is 'to see.' It functions as a common verb for visual perception and is extended figuratively to inspection, evaluation, experience, and gaining understanding.