H8159 H8159
To gaze, regard with favor or attention; also to look away, be dismayed, or (of eyes) grow dim—centering on the act of directed sight.
At its heart this verb describes a purposeful, evaluative gaze—not a casual glance but a look that conveys judgment or favor. God 'regarded' Abel's offering but did not 'regard' Cain's (Gen 4:4–5), establishing the verb's theological weight from its first appearance. Isaiah uses it for looking toward the Holy One of Israel in trust (Isa 17:7) or averting one's gaze in grief (Isa 22:4). In Job, the sufferer begs God to 'look away' and grant respite (Job 7:19; 14:6). The related Hitpael form in Isaiah 41:10, 23 extends the meaning to inner dismay—looking about in panic. Spanish translations reveal the range: 'mirar' (look/regard) versus 'apartar' (turn away).
Senses
1. look at, regard — Look at or regard with attention: The primary sense—directing one's gaze with evaluative intent. God 'looked upon' Abel and his offering with favor (Gen 4:4) but did not 'look upon' Cain's (Gen 4:5). Pharaoh commands the Israelites not to 'regard' idle words (Exod 5:9). Spanish 'mirar/miraron' and German 'blickte' both preserve the intentional, evaluative quality of this gaze. The Psalmist in 119:117 will 'regard' God's statutes continually. 8×
AR["وَ-أَنْظُرُ", "وَ-الْتَفَتَ", "يَصْرُخُونَ", "يَلْتَفِتُ", "يَلْتَفِتُوا", "يَلْتَفِتْ", "يَنْظُرُوا"]·ben["এবং-তাকালেন", "ও-আমি-দেখব", "তাকাবে", "তাকালেন", "তারা-ডাকবে", "তারা-তাকিয়েছে", "মনোযোগ-দেবে"]·DE["[ישעה]", "[שעו]", "blickte-er", "ihnen-schauen", "sie-look", "und-blickte", "und-ich-wird-regard"]·EN["and-I-will-regard", "and-looked", "he-looked", "them-look", "they-look", "to", "will-he-look", "will-look"]·FR["et-regarda", "et-regarder", "eux-regarder", "il-regarda", "ils-regarde", "regarder"]·heb["ו-אשעה", "ו-ישע", "ישעה", "ישעו", "שעה", "שעו"]·HI["और-देखा", "देखते-हैं", "देखा", "देखेंगे-वे", "देखेगा", "सुनें"]·ID["Ia-memperhatikan", "akan-memandang", "dan-aku-memandang", "dan-memperhatikan", "mereka-berteriak", "mereka-memandang", "mereka-memperhatikan"]·IT["e-guardo'", "e-guardò", "egli-guardò", "essi-guarda", "loro-guardare", "volgere-lo-sguardo"]·jav["Piyambakipun-sambat", "lan-kula-mandeng", "lan-mirsani", "mirsani", "sami-migatosaken", "sami-mirsani"]·KO["그들이-돌아보게", "그리고-돌아보셨다", "그리고-바라보리라", "돌아보셨다", "바라보리라", "바라보았다", "바라본다"]·PT["Olham", "atendam", "e-olharei", "e-olhou", "olharam", "olhará", "olhou"]·RU["взирают", "и-буду-взирать", "и-призрел", "обратится", "обращают-внимания", "призрел"]·ES["Miran", "miraron", "mirará", "miró", "presten-atención", "y-miraré", "y-miró"]·SW["angalia", "ataangalia", "hakuikubali", "na-akamkubali", "nami-nitazingatia", "sikilize", "walitazama"]·TR["bakacak", "bakmayacak", "baktlar", "baktı", "bakındılar", "kulak-versinler", "ve-bakayım", "ve-baktı"]·urd["اور-توجہ-کی", "اور-دیکھوں-گا", "توجہ-دیں", "توجہ-کی", "نظر-کرے-گا", "نظر-کی", "وہ-چلائے"]
2. look away, avert gaze (Qal) — Look away or avert one's gaze: Used in pleas for relief from divine scrutiny. Job begs God to 'look away from me' so he can have a moment's rest (Job 7:19; 14:6). Isaiah cries 'look away from me' in overwhelming grief over Jerusalem's destruction (Isa 22:4). Spanish 'apartar la mirada' (avert the gaze) and the Hebrew construction with 'min' (away from) mark this as the opposite direction of sense 1—withdrawal rather than engagement. 3×
AR["الْتَفِتْ", "اِصْرِفُوا", "تَلْتَفِتُ"]·ben["তাকিয়ে-দিন", "তুমি-দৃষ্টি-ফেরাবে", "দূরে-তাকাও"]·DE["[שעה]", "[שעו]", "[תשעה]"]·EN["look-away", "will-You-look-away"]·FR["regarder", "שעה", "תשעה"]·heb["השעה", "שעו", "תשעה"]·HI["दृष्टि-फेर", "देखो", "मुड़ेगा-तू"]·ID["Berpalinglah", "Engkau-berpaling"]·IT["look-away", "volgere-lo-sguardo", "will-You-look-away"]·jav["Panjenengan-mirsani-tebih", "mugi-mirsani-tebih", "mungsurana-saking-kawula"]·KO["돌리실-것입니까-당신은", "돌아보라", "돌이키소서"]·PT["Desvia", "Olhai-para-longe", "olharás-para-longe"]·RU["отведи-взгляд", "отвернитесь", "отвратишься"]·ES["Aparta", "Apartaos", "apartarás-la-mirada"]·SW["Acheni", "hutatazama-mbali", "tazama-mbali"]·TR["bak", "bakin", "bakıyorsun"]·urd["رُکو", "نظر-ہٹا", "نظر-ہٹائے-گا"]
3. be dismayed, be alarmed — Be dismayed or alarmed (Hitpael): A reflexive-intensive extension where panicked 'looking about' becomes inner terror. Isaiah 41:10 reassures Israel: 'do not be dismayed,' and 41:23 challenges false gods to cause dismay if they can. Spanish 'desmayes/nos asombraremos' (be faint/we shall be astonished) shows the semantic leap from physical gazing to emotional disturbance—the eyes darting in fear become the heart gripped by dread. 2×
AR["تَرْتَعِبْ", "وَنَرْتَعِبْ"]·ben["এবং-হতাশ-হই", "হতাশ-হও"]·DE["[ונשתעה]", "[תשתע]"]·EN["be-dismayed", "do-evil"]·FR["et-regarder", "regarder"]·heb["ו-נשתעה", "תשתע"]·HI["और-घबराएंगे-हम", "घबरा"]·ID["cemas", "dan-kami-akan-tercengang"]·IT["e-volgere-lo-sguardo", "volgere-lo-sguardo"]·jav["sumelang", "supados-kita-ajrih"]·KO["그리고-놀라리라", "놀라라"]·PT["desanimes", "e-nos-espantaremos"]·RU["и-ужаснёмся", "озирайся"]·ES["desmayes", "y-nos-asombraremos"]·SW["na-tushangae", "tazame-huku-na-huku"]·TR["endiseleme", "ve-saskin-olalim"]·urd["اور-ہم-دہشتزدہ-ہوں", "دہشتزدہ-ہو"]
4. look away (Hifil causative) — Look away in the Hifil causative: To cause one's gaze to withdraw—an active, deliberate turning away. Psalm 39:13 (ET 39:12) pleads with God to 'look away from me' before death. The Hifil stem adds intentionality beyond the simple Qal: not merely ceasing to look but actively redirecting one's attention. Spanish 'aparta' (remove/turn aside) captures the volitional force. 1×
AR["أَعْرِضْ"]·ben["দৃষ্টি-ফেরাও"]·DE["look-weg"]·EN["look-away"]·FR["le-regarder"]·heb["השע"]·HI["दृष्टि-हटा"]·IT["guardo'"]·jav["Mugi-ningalaken"]·KO["돌이키소서"]·PT["Desvia"]·RU["отврати"]·ES["Aparta"]·SW["Niache"]·TR["Bak-başka-yana"]·urd["نظر-پھیر"]
5. grow dim, become closed — Grow dim or become closed (of eyes): A physical deterioration of sight. Isaiah 32:3 promises a future day when 'the eyes of those who see will not be dim'—using this verb for the closing or clouding of vision. The semantic connection to the root is clear: eyes that once 'gazed' now fail. Spanish 'se cerrarán' (they shall be closed) and the feminine plural form point to physical eyes as the subject. 1×
AR["تَشْخُصُ"]·ben["দৃষ্টিহীন-হবে"]·DE["[תשעינה]"]·EN["shall-be-closed"]·FR["regarder"]·heb["תשעינה"]·HI["अंधी-होंगी"]·ID["tertutup"]·IT["volgere-lo-sguardo"]·jav["peteng"]·KO["감겨지지"]·PT["se-fecharão"]·RU["закроются"]·ES["se-cerrarán"]·SW["funga"]·TR["kapanacak"]·urd["تاریک-ہوں-گی"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† שָׁעָה vb. gaze (steadily, with interest, etc.) (Assyrian šeʾû, behold, look for, aim at);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. שׁ׳ Gn 4:5, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִשְׁעֶה Is 17:7, 8, apoc. וַיִּ֫שַׁע Gn 4:4, 1 s. אֶשְׁעָה (Ges§ 751) ψ 119:117, etc.; Imv. ms. שְׁעֵה Jb 14:6; mpl. שְׁעוּ Is 22:4;—gaze at, regard (with favour), י׳ subj., c. אֶל Gn 4:4, 5 (J); c. מִן pers. = turn gaze away Is 22:4; Jb 7:19 Thes Ew Che, +…