H7212 H7212
seeing, sight, looking (what the eyes see)
This feminine noun denotes the act of seeing or what is seen by the eyes. It appears only in Ecclesiastes 5:11 (5:10 English) in the phrase 'the seeing of his eyes'—referring to visual observation or enjoyment of possessions. The Qere/Ketiv variation shows textual uncertainty about the exact form. The context discusses wealth's inability to satisfy: increased goods bring increased consumers, leaving the owner only the sight of his riches with no real benefit. Seeing becomes a hollow substitute for actual enjoyment or security.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The glosses reflect both the textual variant and semantic understanding: Spanish 'ver,' English 'seeing,' French 'murmure' (suggesting a different interpretation). The doubled form in Ecclesiastes 5:11 likely represents Qere/Ketiv readings of the same word. Qoheleth's point is that visual possession—merely looking at accumulated wealth—provides no real advantage when others consume it, reducing ownership to mere spectatorship of one's own goods. 2×
AR["لِلْغَنِيِّ", "وَالشِّبَعُ"]·ben["[দেখা]", "দেখা"]·DE["[(ראות)]", "[[ראית]]"]·EN["[ketiv]", "seeing-of"]·FR["murmure"]·heb["ראות", "ראית"]·HI["देखना"]·ID["[Q]", "pemandangan"]·IT["[ketiv]", "seeing-of"]·jav["mirsani"]·KO["보는-것", "보는-것-다면"]·PT["(ver)", "[ver]"]·RU["[ктив:видеть]", "смотреть"]·ES["(ver)", "[ver]"]·SW["[kuona]", "kuona"]·TR["gorusu"]·urd["[دیکھنا]", "دیکھنا"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† רְאוּת n.f. look;—cstr. רְאוּת עֵינָיו Ec 5:10 Qr (Kt ראית).