Pastor Deborah
RA’AH רָאָה) ) is to generically SEE.
The Hebrew verb ראה (rāʾāh) means "to see."
In its most basic sense, ראה (rāʾāh) conveys the physical activity of seeing as seen in
GENESIS 48:11 KJV
And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see ראה) ) thy face: and, lo, God hath showedראה) ) me also thy seed (זרע)
H7200
Original: ראה
Transliteration: râ'âh
Phonetic: raw-aw'
to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
However, as in English, the phrase "seeing" can be used more broadly to convey different forms of internal perception.
Translations of ראה (rāʾāh) often assume a reader's ability to understand and draw upon these implied distinctions to differentiate between uses of ראה (rāʾāh) within a passage.
For example, Exodus 3:4 states: "When the LORD saw (וירא, lit.: "perceived") that he had turned aside to see (לראות, lit.: "view"), God called to him out of the bush, 'Moses, Moses!'
And he said, 'Here I am'."
The experience of seeing is connected with the idea of understanding in the Hebrew Bible, and passages will often parallel the two concepts for emphasis, as occurs in Isaiah 6:9: "Go and say to this people: 'Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep lookingראו) ) but do not understand’.”
Isa 6:9 KJV
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not;
and SEE ye indeed, but perceive not.
The verbראה (RĀʾĀH ) has a related noun form, ראה (roʾeh), that means "SEER."
According to 1 Samuel 9:9, ראה (roʾeh) was an older title for prophets in ancient Israel; the text states:
"Formerly in Israel, anyone who went to inquire of God would say, 'Come, let us go to the SEER הרא));’ for the one who is now called a prophet was formerly called a SEER הרא)). "
ECCLESIASTES 7:14:
“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity CONSIDER הרא) ) : God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.”
H7451
Original: רעה רע
Transliteration: ra‛ râ‛âh
Phonetic: rah
Strong's Definition: From H7489; bad or evil:- adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (-ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome,
+ not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra'ah; as adjective or noun.]
ECCLESIASTES 7:14 EASY
If your life is good, you should be happy.
But if you have trouble, THINK about this: God causes both joy and trouble in our lives.
We do not know what will happen next.
ECCLESIASTES 7:14 NLT
Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike,
REALIZE that both come from God.
Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
PSALMS 23:1 KJV
A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
PSALMS 23:1 TPT
Yahweh is my best friend and my shepherd.
I always have more than enough.
H7462 shepherd
Original: רעה
Transliteration: RÂ‛ÂH
Phonetic: raw-aw'
BDB Definition:
to pasture, tend, graze, feed
shepherd, shepherdess
to associate with, be a friend of
to be companions
to be a special friend
Strong's Definition:
to tend a flock, that is, pasture it; to graze; to rule; to associate with (as a friend):- X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep [sheep] (-er), pastor, + shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.
Prepare the spiritual food properly. Do they need baby food or stronger food?
Learn how to see
This was written by the wisest and possibly the smartest man who lived, King Solomon, so it is not surprising we have such a clever play on words.
It is believed in Rabbinic literature that Solomon wrote this in his old age.
So, he not only had the wisdom of God but the wisdom of years of experience.
What he is saying in Ecclesiastes 7:14 is that during the day of prosperity, enjoy it, soak it up for all it’s worth but you will have your down days and when the bad days come – CONSIDER.
WHAT do you consider?
Consider that God also sends the days of adversity, they work word hand in hand with the days of prosperity.
The reason for God sending adversity is that you will REALIZE that God is in complete control and you need to live your life the way your Creator meant for you to live it.
Good lesson, but Solomon in his wisdom buried something even more in this verse.
The word prosperity is tovah (טוב ṭôb).
For one thing, the word GOOD, TOV means TO BE in HARMONY with GOD.
It would mean to be in harmony with the nature of God, his loving, caring, compassionate merciful and nurturing nature.
When we are in harmony, God's nature, it is different
God is here and we want to give our lives to Jesus
The new nature of God is in our spirit
The word for joyful is also the word tov, batov to be exact or
in harmony.
Why does he repeat the word tov.
Why not use ‘avar, simka, or barauk, all words for joyful.
Why the word for GOOD.
“In times of good, be in good.”
Or, “When there is harmony with God’s loving, caring compassionate, and nurturing nature, then live in a loving, caring, and compassionate way.”
ROMANS 8:28 TPT
So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.
8:28 The Aramaic is "harmony" God works all things together harmoniously.
Now we find even another wordplay.
“In the day of ADVERSITY CONSIDER …”
The word for adversity is ra’ah and the word for consider is ra’ah.
However the first ra’ah is spelled RESH AYIN HEI and the second ra’ah is spelled RESH, ALEPH HEI.
Both sound exactly alike.
Only someone whose native language is Hebrew, not me,
would be able to detect the slight, subtle difference in sound.
Again, why use two words that are so similar.
There are many other words in Hebrew that could express the idea of adversity.
The only reason I can see to us such similar words is to make a play on these words.
The word for adversity is an odd one.
It can mean evil and trouble but it also can mean a shepherd or friend.
See by look more, observe, study, examine, consider
Look more
The word ra’ah with the Aleph is your standard word for seeing, looking, observing, studying, examining, and considering.
Hence, I believe the wordplay here is that Solomon is saying that in times of trouble, examine and study that trouble or adversity.
Help us to realise that God is in control
The ra’ah with the Ayin is your word for adversity.
The Ayin is even telling you to have some insight.
For you see ra’ah with the Ayin can mean evil or adversity but it could also mean a friend.
You may find your adversity is really a friend.
Thus, when you are in harmony with God treat others and live a life like one who is in harmony with God, His love, compassion, caring, and nurturing.
When God brings you into ra’ah with the Ayin, adversity and it is from God, then stop, consider ra’ah and the fact that this adversity when it comes from God can also mean it is a friend.
For those who never heard the story of David Roever, you can find his story and his picture on the internet.
Briefly, during the Viet Nam war David Roever was a member of the swift boats, a very elite group trained by Navy Seals.
They also suffered a very high casualty rate.
At one point during a battle, David Roever attempted to throw a phosphorous grenade when a bullet pierce his hand and ignited the grenade setting him on fire.
He suffered massive burns over his body and face.
He miraculously survived but he was permanently disfigured.
This happened over forty-five years ago and he has spent his life facing the stares and comments of people.
He prayed intensively that God would remove his scars, he had many people pray for him and he honestly, truly believed God would remove his scars so he would have a great testimony and ministry of healing.
Instead, God had chosen to let him live with his scars.
As David Roever said: “God didn’t do this to me, but God is an opportunist.
Be that as it may, God did use the opportunity to open doors for David Roever where doors would never have opened had he been healed He has spent the last forty-five years speaking about God and leading people to a saving knowledge of Jesus in places other evangelists could never hope to enter, this includes public schools, athletic events, veteran meetings, hospitals, and government organizations.
However, David Roever said that it was not until he was well into his 30’s, many years after his injury, that he could actually thank God for his scars.
Once he fully realized the gift God gave him, realized the countless lives of teenagers and adults that have been changed because of his scars was he truly grateful for the privilege to serve God is such a special capacity.
I cannot think of a better illustration of Solomon’s wordplay on ra’ah ra’ah.
Consider your adversity for it may very well by your friend.
RAAH - רָאָה
RESH ALEPH HEY:
Wisdom - to SEE, consider, find and not lose sight of GOD'S DIRECTION
in our lives whether in both good or seemingly bad times
RESH AYIN HEY - רעה
Wisdom - to SEE, consider, find and not lose sight of GOD'S TENDER LOVING CARE
for us like a Shepherd for his sheep in both good and seemingly bad times.
Your spiritman sees the good thing that God is doing even in adversities
PSALMS 34:8 NKJV
O taste (PERCEIVE) and SEE (RAAH ראה ) that the LORD is GOOD:
BLESSED is the man who TRUST in HIM!
PSALMS 34:8 TPT
DRINK DEEPLY of the pleasures of this God.
Experience for yourself the joyous mercies he gives to all who turn to hide themselves in him.
Let's not lose sight of God's lovingkindness in our lives
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