Exodus 2:25

KJV

And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto [them].

KJV (with Strong's)

And God {H430} looked {H7200} upon the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, and God {H430} had respect {H3045} unto them.

Complete Jewish Bible

God saw the people of Isra'el, and God acknowledged them.

Berean Standard Bible

God saw the Israelites and took notice.

American Standard Version

And God saw the children of Israel, and God took knowledge of them.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
[Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary") marks a pivotal moment, revealing God's active and compassionate engagement with the suffering of the Israelites. Following decades of severe oppression, this verse signifies God's deep awareness of their plight and His intimate knowledge of their condition, setting the stage for His dramatic deliverance rooted in covenant faithfulness.

### CONTEXT
[Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary") serves as the divine culmination of the events described in [Exodus 2:23-24](/exodus/2-23 "Israel's groaning and God's remembrance of the covenant in Exodus 2:23-24"). These preceding verses detail the intensified suffering of the children of Israel under Egyptian bondage, their desperate cries ascending to God, and God's subsequent remembrance of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thus, [Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary") explicitly states God's direct perception and compassionate acknowledgment of their plight, laying the groundwork for His imminent intervention.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
[Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary") describes God's active and intimate engagement with the suffering of the Israelites. The phrase "And God looked upon the children of Israel" uses the Hebrew verb *ra'ah* (רָאָה), here *vayyar'*, which signifies more than a casual glance. It denotes a thorough observation, a deep and understanding gaze that perceives the full extent of their oppression and suffering. This is God's divine awareness, His omniscience actively engaged with the human condition. It underscores that no pain or struggle of His people goes unnoticed by the Almighty.

Following this active perception, the text states, "and God had respect unto them." The Hebrew verb *yada'* (יָדַע), here *vayyeda'*, translated as "had respect unto" (KJV) or "knew" (ESV, NIV), conveys a profound, intimate, and relational knowledge, far beyond mere intellectual awareness. This is the same kind of knowing that God speaks of when He declares, "Before I formed you in the womb I [knew](/jeremiah/1-5 "God's foreknowledge in Jeremiah 1:5") you" ([Jeremiah 1:5](/jeremiah/1-5 "God's foreknowledge in Jeremiah 1:5")), or when Paul affirms that "The Lord [knows](/2_timothy/2-19 "God knows those who are His in 2 Timothy 2:19") those who are His" ([2 Timothy 2:19](/2_timothy/2-19 "God knows those who are His in 2 Timothy 2:19")). For God to "know" or "have respect unto" His people in this context implies a deep empathy, a personal engagement with their suffering, and a valuing of their lives despite their enslaved state. This compassionate knowing is the divine precursor to action, signaling that deliverance is at hand.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
* **Divine Omniscience and Active Awareness:** God is not a distant, disengaged deity but one who intimately perceives and understands the suffering of His people. His "looking upon" signifies a comprehensive and empathetic gaze, ensuring that no aspect of their plight is hidden from Him.
* **God's Compassionate Knowledge (_Yada'_):** The Hebrew *yada'* implies a deep, relational knowing that moves God to action. It is a profound empathy and personal engagement with human suffering, demonstrating God's inherent goodness and His valuing of His creation, even in their most vulnerable state.
* **Covenant Faithfulness as the Basis for Intervention:** While [Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary") itself focuses on God's perception, the preceding verse ([Exodus 2:24](/exodus/2-24 "God remembers His covenant in Exodus 2:24")) explicitly links God's response to His remembrance of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This highlights God's unwavering loyalty to His promises, which serves as the foundational motive for His redemptive acts.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary") offers profound comfort and assurance to believers today. It powerfully reminds us that God is never unaware of our struggles, pain, or oppression. Our cries do not go unheard, and our suffering is not unnoticed by Him. Just as God actively perceived and intimately knew the plight of Israel, preparing for their deliverance rooted in His covenant faithfulness, so too does He remain faithful to His promises to us. This verse is a powerful affirmation of God's active presence, His deep compassion, and His readiness to intervene on behalf of those who are His, always in accordance with His perfect timing and sovereign plan.

### FAQ
**What is the significance of God "looking upon" the children of Israel?**

Answer: The phrase "God looked upon" (Hebrew: *vayyar'*) signifies more than a casual observation. It implies a deep, comprehensive, and empathetic perception. It means God thoroughly observed and understood their suffering, indicating His active awareness and omniscience regarding their plight. It's a gaze that precedes action.

**What does "God had respect unto them" truly mean?**

Answer: The Hebrew verb *yada'* (here *vayyeda'*), translated as "had respect unto" or "knew," denotes an intimate, relational, and active knowledge, not merely intellectual awareness. It signifies God's profound empathy, personal engagement, and valuing of His people, even in their enslaved state. This "knowing" implies a compassionate recognition that leads to intervention and deliverance.

**How does Exodus 2:25 relate to God's covenant with Israel?**

Answer: While [Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary") directly describes God's perception and knowledge, it is the culmination of the preceding verses, particularly [Exodus 2:24](/exodus/2-24 "God remembers His covenant in Exodus 2:24"), which explicitly states that God "remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and Jacob." Therefore, God's active awareness and compassionate response in [Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary") are rooted in His unwavering faithfulness to His ancient promises, serving as the foundation for the impending deliverance.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[Exodus 2:25](/exodus/2-25 "Exodus 2:25 KJV Commentary"), depicting God's compassionate "looking upon" and "knowing" His suffering people, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. In the Incarnation, God did not merely look upon humanity's plight from a distance, but personally entered into it, "taking the form of a servant" ([Philippians 2:7](/philippians/2-7 "Christ's humility in Philippians 2:7")). Jesus, as Emmanuel, "God with us," intimately knew human suffering, temptation, and sorrow, even to the point of death on the cross. His redemptive work is the supreme act of God's compassionate intervention, providing not merely physical deliverance from oppression but spiritual deliverance from sin and death, fulfilling God's covenant promises in a new and greater way for all who believe.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Exodus 4:31

And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Exodus 3:7

¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

Exodus 3:8

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Psalms 55:22

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalms 1:6

For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Matthew 7:23

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

2 Samuel 16:12

It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.