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מַחֲזֶה

𐤌𐤇𐤆𐤄

machăzeh

H4236 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חזה to see, behold, perceive (often with prophetic insight)

Definition

A visual phenomenon or appearance, most often referring to a supernatural revelation or prophetic experience involving sight, such as a divinely given vision. Used predominantly to denote a particular kind of revelation that is received visually, as opposed to other modes of prophetic communication like dreams or auditory speech. While it often connotes clarity and immediacy, it can refer to both the event of seeing and the content seen.

Semantic Range

supernatural vision, prophetic revelation by sight, a manifestation seen by a seer, the event or content of visual revelation, appearance of divine agency

Root / Etymology

From the root חָזָה (ḥ-z-h), meaning 'to see, perceive, behold (often with prophetic insight)'. מַחֲזֶה is a noun form meaning 'vision' or 'sight', specifically one that is the result of seeing (typically in a prophetic sense).

Historical & Contextual Notes

מַחֲזֶה occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Genesis 15:1, Numbers 24:4, 16, Ezekiel 13:7), always in contexts of prophetic revelation. While English translations often render it simply as 'vision,' this may obscure its more specific function as a technical term for visual forms of revelation experienced by prophets, distinct from חלום (ḥalôm, 'dream') or דָּבָר (dābār, 'word' or message). In Genesis 15:1, it describes YHWH's communication to Abram as a 'vision,' emphasizing the visual and possibly extraordinary nature of the event. In contrast to other terms like מַרְאָה (marʾeh, 'appearance') or חָזוֹן (ḥāzôn, 'vision' in a more general prophetic sense), מַחֲזֶה has a narrower usage, usually signaling a specific overpowering visual experience of divine origin. The nuance between מַחֲזֶה and חָזוֹן/מַרְאָה is debated among scholars, but מַחֲזֶה typically signifies a more dramatic, direct supernatural disclosure. Translation traditions sometimes use 'vision' or, especially in Christian contexts, 'prophetic vision,' but these may not capture the technical distinction operative in ancient Israelite religion. Its use remains consistent across the monarchic and early exilic periods; later periods prefer other terms such as חָזוֹן, expanding the range or generality of prophetic revelation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָזָה; a vision; vision.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חזה (ḥ-z-h) — see, behold, perceive (with prophetic insight)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2306 חֲדִי his breast
H2335 חוֹזַי Visionary-One
H2370 חֲזָא he beheld
H2371 חֲזָאֵל El-has-seen
H2372 חָזָה in visionary seeing

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4236-02 מַחֲזֵ֤ה machazeh HNcmsc vision vision-of 3
H4236-01 בַּֽ/מַּחֲזֶ֖ה bamachazeh HRd/Ncmsa in a vision in the prophetic vision 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4236-01 Genesis 15:1 בַּֽ/מַּחֲזֶ֖ה bamachazeh HRd/Ncmsa in a vision in the prophetic vision
H4236-02 Numbers 24:4 מַחֲזֵ֤ה machazeh HNcmsc the vision of vision-of
H4236-02 Numbers 24:16 מַחֲזֵ֤ה machazeh HNcmsc vision vision-of
H4236-02 Ezekiel 13:7 מַֽחֲזֵה machazeh HNcmsc vision vision-of
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