The Synonymous Words for
"See", "Look", "Behold", etc.
This Is
Appendix 133 From The Companion Bible.
The
following twenty-three words are to be thus distinguished and understood
:-
- SEE.
- eidon
= to see: implying not the mere act of looking, but the actual
perception of the object: thus differing from blepo
(No. 5, below).
- idou
is the Imperative Aorist Middle of eidon (see No. 1,
above) = See ! Behold ! calling attention to something external to
one's self.
- ide
is the Imperative Active of the Second Aorist eidon
(No. 1, above), as calling attention to something present.
- oida
= to know intuitively, without effort or experience; to have
perceived or apprehended. Compare the verb ginosko,
which means to get to know, by effort, experience, or
revelation. See the two verbs in the same verse (John 8:55;
13:7.
1
John 5:20),
and Appendix
132. I. 1.
- blepo
= to have the power of seeing, to use the eyes, to look at; used of
the act of looking, even though nothing be seen. Hence, to observe
accurately and with desire; used of mental vision, and implying more
contemplation than horao (See No. 8, below).
- anablepo.
This is blepo (No. 5 above), with the Preposition ana
prefixed (see Appendix
104. i) = to look up (e.g. Mark 8:24),
to look again; hence, to recover sight (e.g. Matthew 11:5).
- emblepo
= to look in or into, fix the eyes upon, or look intently. It is blepo
(No. 5 above) with the Preposition en (Appendix
104. viii) prefixed, and denotes a looking or regarding fixedly.
Hence, to know by inspection (e.g. Matthew 19:26.
Mark 8:25.
Acts 22:11).
- horao
= to perceive with the eyes. It is used to bodily sight, and with
special reference to the thought as to the object looked at. It thus
differs from No. 5, above, in the same way as No. 1 does, and from
No. 1 in that it has regard to the object while No. 1
refers to the subject.
(a).
opsomai is used as the Future of horao
(No. 8 above), and has regard to the object presented to the eye,
and to the subject which perceives, at the same time. It denotes,
not so much the act of seeing (like Nos. 5 and 8 above), but the
state and condition of the one to whose eye the object is
presented. Hence, to truly comprehend.
- aphorao
= to look away from others at one who is regarded earnestly (e.g.
Hebrews 12:2,
where alone it occurs). It is No. 8, with apo (Appendix 104. iv)
prefixed.
- optanomai
= to behold, and in Passive, to appear or be seen. It is a rare form
of the Present, formed from No. 8, as above. Occurs only in Acts 1:3.
- theoreo
= to be a spectator of, to gaze at, or on, as a spectacle. Our
English word "theatre" is from the same
root. Hence, it is used of bodily sight, and assumes the actual
presence of the object on which the gaze is fixed, and that it is a
continued and prolonged gaze. It differs from No. 8 above, as that
may be only the act of an instant.
- theaomai
is, in meaning, like No. 11 above, but differing from it in that No.
11 has regard to the object gazed upon, while this has
regard to the subject who gazes. Hence, it is used of
gazing with a purpose; to see with desire, or regard with
admiration.
- historeo
= to inquire : that is to say; to have an interview with a person
with a view to becoming personally acquainted through conversation.
Occ. only in Galatians 1:18.
- BEHOLD.
- epeidon.
This is No. I. 1, with epi = upon (Appendix
104. ix) prefixed; to look upon. It is the second Aorist of ephorao
(No. I. 8), with epi = upon (Appendix
104. ix) prefixed. It occurs only in Luke 1:25
and Acts 4:29.
- epopteuo
= to look over, overlook, watch, and thus be an eyewitness of. Occ.
only in 1
Peter 2:12;
3:2.
It is derived from No. I. 8, above, with epi (Appendix
104. ix) prefixed.
- anatheoreo.
It is No. I. 11, with ana (Appendix
104. i) prefixed. Hence it = to gaze on with purpose and
attention. Occ. only in Acts 17:23
and Hebrews 13:7.
- katanoeo
= to perceive with the senses, referring to the object
of observation rather than to the act of getting to know (as with ginosko,
Appendix 132. I. ii).
It has regard to the conscious action of the mind in getting to see
or understand.
- LOOK.
- anablepo.
See No. I. 6, above.
- parakupto
= to stoop down beside (para. Appendix
104. xii) anything in order to look at it more closely.
- prosdokao
= to watch for (pros. Appendix
104. xv) anything, expect and thus look or wait for.
- epiblepo.
This is No. I. 5, above, with epi = upon (Appendix
104. ix) prefixed.
- episkeptomai
= to look upon (Appendix
104. ix), as though to select; to look out, so as to select.
- atenizo
= to fix the eyes intently upon.
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