chaza · see, look

What it means

chaza (חָזָה) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “see, look”.

Closely; used above all for what a prophet sees in a vision. Also look for and choose (Exodus 18:21).

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. To fix one's gaze on something or someone, behold it.
2. To see in a vision from God.
3. To look around to choose.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

To see, to look attentively; it is above all the verb of what the prophet sees in a vision. From it come חָזוֹן, ‘vision’, and חֹזֶה, ‘seer’. In Exodus 18:21 it means to look carefully in order to choose.

• What the prophet “saw” Isaiah 1:1Amos 1:1Habakkuk 1:1
• The false prophets who “have seen emptiness” Ezekiel 13:6Isaiah 30:10
• Seeing God, seeing his face Exodus 24:11Job 19:26Psalms 17:15
• Gazing on YHWH and his works Psalms 27:4Psalms 63:2Psalms 46:8
• Choosing capable men Exodus 18:21

How we translate it

“See” in most cases (“see” 18 times, “seen” 8, “saw” 6, “sees” 5), and “gaze on” or “look upon” when the text asks for a lingering look (“gaze on the works of YHWH”, Psalm 46:8; “I have gazed on you”, 63:2). In the titles of the prophets, “which he saw” (Isaiah 1:1; Amos 1:1). In Exodus 18:21 it is rendered “you shall look for”.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• see ×18
• seen ×8
• saw ×6
• gaze on ×5
• sees ×5
• I have gazed on you ×1
• I looked ×1
• catch sight of him ×1
• has gazed ×1
• look upon ×1
• others ×4

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Exodus×2
• Numbers×2
• Job×9
• Psalms×9
• Proverbs×3
• Song of Songs×2
• Isaiah×11
• Lamentations×2
• Ezekiel×6
• Amos×1
• Micah×2
• Habakkuk×1
• Zechariah×1

• Exodus 18:21

  And you shall look for, from all the people, capable men, who fear Elohim, men of truth, who hate unjust gain; and place them over them as chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.

• Exodus 24:11

  But against the leaders of the sons of Israel he did not stretch out his hand; they beheld Elohim, and they ate and drank.

• Numbers 24:4

  the oracle of him who hears the words of El, who sees the vision of Shaddai, fallen down and with eyes uncovered:

• Numbers 24:16

  the oracle of him who hears the words of El, and knows the knowledge of Elyon, who sees the vision of Shaddai, fallen down and with eyes uncovered:

• Job 8:17

  Over a heap of stones his roots are entwined; he sees a house of stones.

• Job 15:17

  I will declare it to you, listen to me; and what I have seen I will recount,

• Job 19:26

  And after this my skin has been destroyed, from my flesh I will see Eloah;

• Job 19:27

  whom I will see for myself, and my eyes will look on him, and not a stranger. My kidneys are consumed within my bosom.

• Job 23:9

  north, when he works, and I do not catch sight of him; he hides himself in the south, and I do not see him.

• Job 24:1

  Why are times not stored up by Shaddai, and why do those who know him not see his days?

• Job 27:12

  Look, all of you have seen it; why, then, do you become vain with a vain thing?

• Job 34:32

  what is beyond what I see, you teach me; if injustice I have done, I will not do it again’?

• Job 36:25

  Every human being has gazed on it; the mortal looks at it from afar.

• Psalms 11:4

  YHWH is in his holy temple; YHWH, in the heavens is his throne; his eyes see, his eyelids test human beings.

• Psalms 11:7

  For YHWH is righteous; he loves acts of righteousness; the upright will see his face.

• Psalms 17:2

  From before you let my judgment come forth; let your eyes see uprightness.

• Psalms 17:15

  As for me, in righteousness I will see your face; I will be satisfied, when I awake, with your form.

• Psalms 27:4

  One thing I have asked of YHWH, that I will seek: to dwell in the house of YHWH all the days of my life, to look upon the sweetness of YHWH and to inquire in his temple.

• Psalms 46:8

  Come, gaze on the works of YHWH, who has set desolations in the earth.

• Psalms 58:8

  Like a snail that melts away as it goes, like the stillborn of a woman, let them not see the sun.

• Psalms 58:10

  The righteous will be glad when he sees vengeance; his feet he will wash in the blood of the wicked.

• Psalms 63:2

  So in the holy place I have gazed on you, to see your strength and your glory.

• Proverbs 22:29

  Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

• Proverbs 24:32

  And I looked; I set my heart to it; I saw; I received correction.

• Proverbs 29:20

  Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a senseless man than for him.

• Song of Songs 6:13

  Return, return, Shulammite; return, return, that we may gaze on you. What will you gaze at in the Shulammite? Like the dance of the two camps!

• Isaiah 1:1

  The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

• Isaiah 2:1

  The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

• Isaiah 13:1

  The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah son of Amoz saw.

• Isaiah 26:11

  YHWH, your hand is lifted up; they do not see it. They will see and be ashamed at your zeal for the people; yes, the fire of your adversaries will devour them.

• Isaiah 30:10

  who say to those who see, “Do not see,” and to the seers, “Do not see visions for us of what is right; speak to us smooth things, see visions of deceptions;

• Isaiah 33:17

  A king in his beauty your eyes will gaze on; they will see a land of far distances.

• Isaiah 33:20

  Gaze on Zion, the town of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, and none of its cords will be broken.

• Isaiah 48:6

  You have heard; see all of it; and you, will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from now on, and things kept in store, and you did not know them.

• Isaiah 57:8

  And behind the door and the doorpost you have set your memorial; for away from me you uncovered yourself, and went up, you widened your bed; and you made a covenant for yourself with them; you loved their bed; their hand you gazed on.

• Lamentations 2:14

  Your prophets have seen for you what is empty and insipid, and they have not exposed your iniquity to bring back your captivity; they have seen for you burdens that are empty and deceptions.

• Ezekiel 12:27

  “Son of man, look, the house of Israel says, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days, and for distant times he prophesies.’

• Ezekiel 13:6

  They have seen emptiness and lying divination, those who say, “Declares YHWH,” and YHWH has not sent them, and they expect him to confirm the word.

• Ezekiel 13:7

  Have you not seen an empty vision, and spoken a lying divination, when you say, “Declares YHWH,” though I have not spoken?

• Ezekiel 13:8

  Therefore thus says Adonai YHWH: Because you have spoken emptiness and seen lies, therefore, look, I am against you, declares Adonai YHWH.

And 11 more times.