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).
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 more senses below
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"]
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"]
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, +…