The God Who Sees El Roi in the Bible
The name "El Roi" translates to "God Who Sees" and appears in Genesis 16:13, where Hagar uses it to refer to the Lord after He speaks to her in the wilderness [10]. This encounter occurs after Hagar, pregnant with Ishmael, flees from Sarai's harsh treatment [10]. The angel of the Lord finds her and instructs her to return, promising that her offspring will be too numerous to count [10]. In response, Hagar names the Lord "El Roi," acknowledging His awareness of her distress [10]. The well where this event took place is subsequently named Beer-lahai-roi, meaning "well of the Living One who sees me" [10].
The concept of God as one who sees is a recurring theme throughout the biblical narrative. For instance, the Lord looks down from heaven and sees all humanity [5, 7]. He specifically sees the "sons of Israel" and knows their condition [6]. The Hebrew term El, often translated as "God," can allude to God's power and ability to act [12]. Abraham Ibn Ezra suggests that "a God of seeing" (El Roi) can be understood as a God who appears in visions [8]. He also interprets instances where individuals "saw the God of Israel" as referring to prophetic visions [9].
Other biblical names and phrases also reflect this idea of divine sight. For example, "Hazael" means "that sees God" [1], "Jahaziel" means "seeing God" [3], and "Reaiah" means "vision of the Lord" [4]. The phrase "El-elohe-Israel" means "God, the God of Israel" [2, 13], further emphasizing God's specific relationship and observation of His people. The Lord's seeing is not merely passive observation; it implies active oversight and knowledge [11]. This divine attribute underscores God's attentiveness to the circumstances of individuals and nations, whether in affliction or in seeking Him [7, 10].
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Hazael — that sees God”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: El-elohe-Israel — God, the God of Israel”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jahaziel — seeing God”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Reaiah — vision of the Lord”
- Psalms “Psalms 33:13 (NASB) — The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men;”
- Exodus “Exodus 2:25 (YLT) — and God seeth the sons of Israel, and God knoweth.”
- Psalms “Psalms 14:2 (BSB) — The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 16:13: A GOD OF SEEING. Ro’ i (seeing) follows the paradigm of oni (affliction). 20 Ro’ i, like oni , is a noun (Krinsky) and both are vocalized with a chataf kamatz beneath the first letter. Compare, I am the man that hath seen affliction (oni) (Lam. 3:1). The meaning of a God of seeing is a God who appears in visions.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Exodus 24:10: AND THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL. In a prophetic vision. It is similar to I saw the Lord sitting on His throne (I Kings 22:19; II Chron. 18:18).”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 16:14: 16:14-15 The names Beer-lahai-roi, which means “well of the Living One who sees me,” and Ishmael (see 16:11) were a message and a rebuke for Abram and Sarai. God sees affliction and hears the cries of those in need. Sarai and Abram should have prayed rather than taking the fulfillment of the promise into their own hands by following social custom (cp. 25:21). Giving children to the barren woman is God’s work (Ps 113:9; cp. 1 Sam 1:1-28; Luke 1:1-25); impossible difficulties cannot be resolved by human intervention. The Lord hears the afflicted, sees them in thei”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Psalms 33:14: He oversees He looks.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Numbers 12:13: O GOD. You who hold the power in Your hands, 61 The term used for God in our verse is El . According to I.E. this name alludes to God’s power. heal her now. God therefore answered him as follows: If her father was angry at her and spat in her face, would she not hide in shame from seeing his face for seven days?”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 33:20: [AND CALLED IT EL-ELOHE-ISRAEL.] 43 God, the God of Israel. Saadiah explained that and called it El-elohe-Israel means, He called to the Lord, “El-elohe-Israel.” 44 The word lo can mean either it or him. Saadiah had difficulty in accepting that Jacob called the altar God, the God of Israel. Hence he did not interpret lo as meaning it, i.e., the altar, but rather as Him, i.e., God. He interprets our verse as: And called to Him, God, God of Israel (Krinsky). For a slightly different interpretation see Cherez. However, the correct interpretation is that he calle”