The three verbs raah, hibbit, and ḥazah, which denote “he perceived
with the eye,” are also used figuratively in the sense of intellectual
perception. As regards the first of these verbs this is well known,
e.g., “And he looked (va-yar) and behold a well in the field” (Gen.
xxix. 2): here it signifies ocular perception; “yea, my heart has seen
(raah) much of wisdom and of knowledge” (Eccles. i. 16); in this
passage it refers to the intellectual perception.
In this figurative sense the verb is to be understood, when applied to
God; e.g., “I saw (raïti) the Lord” (1 Kings xxii. 19); “And the Lord
appeared (va-yera) unto him” (Gen. xviii. 1); “And God saw (va-yar)
that it was good” (Gen. i. 10); “I beseech thee, show me (hareni) thy
glory” (Exod. xxxiii. 18); “And they saw (va-yirü) the God of Israel”
(Exod. xxiv. 10). All these instances refer to intellectual perception,
and by no means to perception with the eye as in its literal meaning:
for, on the one hand, the eye can only perceive a corporeal object, and
in connection with it certain accidents, as colour, shape, etc.; and,
on the other hand, God does not perceive by means of a corporeal organ,
as will be explained.
In the same manner the Hebrew hibbit signifies “he viewed” with the
eye; comp. “Look (tabbit) not behind thee” (Gen. xix. 17); “But his
wife looked (va-tabbet) back from him” (Gen. xix. 26); “And if one look
(ve-nibbat) unto the land” (Isa. v. 30); and figuratively, “to view and
observe” with the intellect, “to contemplate” a thing till it be
understood. In this sense the verb is used in passages like the
following: “He hath not beheld (hibbit) iniquity in Jacob” (Num. xxiii.
21); for “iniquity” cannot be seen with the eye. The words, “And they
looked (ve-hibbitu) after Moses” (Exod. xxxiii. 8)—in addition to the
literal understanding of the phrase—were explained by our Sages in a
figurative sense. According to them, these words mean that the
Israelites examined and criticised the actions and sayings of Moses.
Compare also “Contemplate (habbet), I pray thee, the heaven” (Gen. xv.
5); for this took place in a prophetic vision. This verb, when applied
to God, is employed in this figurative sense; e.g., “to look
(me-habbit) upon God” (Exod. iii. 6); “And the similitude of the Lord
shall he behold” (yabbit) (Num. xii. 8); “And thou canst not look
(habbet) on iniquity” (Hab. i. 13).
The same explanation applies to ḥazah. It denotes to view with the eye,
as: “And let our eye look (ve-taḥaz) upon Zion” (Mic. iv. 11); and also
figuratively, to perceive mentally: “which he saw (ḥazah) concerning
Judah and Jerusalem” (Isa. i. 1); “The word of the Lord came unto
Abraham in a vision” (maḥazeh) (Gen. xv. 1): in this sense ḥazah is
used in the phrase, “Also they saw (va-yeḥezu) God” (Exod. xxiv. 11).
Note this well.