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God Saw, God Knew

Just three words but they speak volumes:  “and God knew”.

Double that number and you get the six words that immediately precede those three:  “God saw the people of Israel”.  Those also speak volumes!

In putting them together, as they are found in the ESV, we read:  “God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.”  (Ex 2:25)

The context for those nine words is that the people of Israel were in slavery in Egypt and they were groaning because of it.  They cried out to be rescued and their cry came up to God and He saw and He knew.

The words not only speak volumes about God but they also ushered in God’s calling of Moses to bring the Jewish people out of slavery.  And Moses responded to that calling and led the Jewish people out of Egypt and out of slavery!  We call it the Exodus.

But let’s take a deeper look at the six words (God saw the people of Israel).  From what I can gather, “God saw” suggests that God actively sees His people’s distress and, in His compassion, moves to fulfill His promises.

From a deeper look at the three words (and God knew), evidently the Hebrew word used for “know” can also mean to acknowledge or to understand.  Its use here suggests a compassionate awareness that leads to involvement.

So God sees:  He actively sees and that seeing is filled with compassion and it moves Him to fulfill His promises.

And God knows:  He not only understands but He has a compassionate awareness that moves Him to be involved.

The Bible Hub web site summaries Exodus 2:25 in this way:  “His sight is compassionate.  His knowledge is personal and His response is certain, anchoring our faith that He remains attentive and faithful in every generation”.

I don’t know about you, but I think that kind of anchoring would do me good!

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