רֳאִי
𐤓𐤀𐤉
rŏʼîy
H7210 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A visual appearance or phenomenon, especially one seen or perceived; a vision, spectacle, or something visible. This noun refers both to the act or faculty of seeing (sight, looking) and to the thing perceived or observed, such as an apparition or noteworthy sight either ordinary or extraordinary. It can indicate a visible manifestation that draws attention, or the faculty/act of seeing in both literal and occasionally figurative contexts.
Semantic Range
appearance, visible phenomenon, vision, spectacle, act of seeing, object seen, notable appearance, that which is gazed upon
Root / Etymology
From the root רָאָה (to see, perceive, observe). רֳאִי is a noun formation, likely with a nominalizing ending, conveying the sense of the result of seeing, or that which is seen. The form is related to but distinct from other derivatives of רָאָה that connote 'appearance' or 'vision.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
רֳאִי is a relatively rare noun in Biblical Hebrew, appearing in poetic or elevated contexts. Its use conveys both the ordinary act of sight as well as visionary experiences. In later periods, the word's usage decreased, with related nouns (such as מַרְאֶה or חָזוֹן) becoming more prominent for specific senses like 'vision' or 'appearance.' English translations often render רֳאִי according to immediate context, sometimes as 'vision,' 'appearance,' or 'sight,' but these renderings may overlook its broader semantic range that includes both the act/process of seeing and the object/event seen. Unlike the more technical term חָזוֹן (vision, as in prophetic revelation), רֳאִי is more general and can be used for everyday as well as extraordinary visual experiences. Its nuance is seen especially in poetic writings, where the term can carry an elevated or metaphorical significance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָאָה; sight, whether abstractly (vision) or concretely (a spectacle); gazingstock, look to, (that) see(-th).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ראה (r-ʾ-h) — to see, perceive, observe
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1254 | בָּרָא | and he saw |
| H3372 | יָרֵא | he sees |
| H4179 | מוֹרִיָּה | the Seen-of-Yah |
| H4758 | מַרְאֶה | in the appearance |
| H4759 | מַרְאָה | in the visible-manifestation |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7210-03 |
רֳאִ֑י | roi | HNcmsa |
appearance | visible appearance | 3 |
H7210-02 |
מֵ/רֹ֑אִי | meroi | HR/Ncmsa |
from sight | visible appearance | 1 |
H7210-01 |
כְּ/רֹֽאִי | keroi | HR/Ncmsa |
as a gazingstock | visible spectacle | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7210-03 |
Genesis 16:13 | רֳאִ֑י | roi | HNcmsa |
who sees me | visible appearance |
H7210-03 |
1 Samuel 16:12 | רֹ֑אִי | roi | HNcmsa |
appearance | visible appearance |
H7210-01 |
Nahum 3:6 | כְּ/רֹֽאִי | keroi | HR/Ncmsa |
as a gazingstock | visible spectacle |
H7210-03 |
Job 7:8 | רֹ֑אִי | roi | HVqrmsa |
of him who sees me | visible appearance |
H7210-02 |
Job 33:21 | מֵ/רֹ֑אִי | meroi | HR/Ncmsa |
from sight | visible appearance |