### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **raʼăvâh**, represented by `{{H7207}}`, is defined as **sight, i.e. satisfaction; behold**. This term is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. Its singular use provides a focused and specific meaning related to the visual appreciation of possessions.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H7207}}` is in [[Ecclesiastes 5:11]], a verse that questions the true value of accumulating wealth. The passage observes that as goods `{{H2896}}` increase, so do the people who consume them. It then poses a rhetorical question about the ultimate advantage for the owner, concluding that the only benefit is the mere **beholding** of the riches with one's eyes `{{H5869}}`. In this context, **raʼăvâh** signifies a limited, superficial satisfaction derived purely from sight, not from substantive use or lasting fulfillment.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in [[Ecclesiastes 5:11]] help construct the meaning of `{{H7207}}`:
* `{{H2896}}` **ṭôwb** (goods): This term refers to the material possessions that are being increased. As a noun, it can mean "goods or good things," setting the stage for the discussion on wealth.
* `{{H1167}}` **baʻal** (owners): This word identifies the master or **owner** of the wealth. The verse highlights the owner's passive role, suggesting that their claim to ownership provides little more than a visual spectacle.
* `{{H3788}}` **kishrôwn** (good): This word for "good" is used to question the ultimate advantage or **success** gained from riches. The verse implies that the only "good" is the sight of them, a minimal return.
* `{{H5869}}` **ʻayin** (eyes): This is the literal instrument for the "beholding." The verse specifies that the owner's interaction with their wealth is limited to what their **eye** can see, emphasizing the physical but shallow nature of this benefit.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7207}}` is tied directly to the wisdom literature of Ecclesiastes and its critique of materialism.
* **The Vanity of Wealth:** The word's use in [[Ecclesiastes 5:11]] serves as a powerful illustration of vanity. It argues that amassing possessions yields a benefit no deeper than sight, a fleeting experience that fails to provide true satisfaction or advantage `{{H3788}}`.
* **Sight Versus Substance:** **Raʼăvâh** draws a sharp contrast between seeing and possessing in a meaningful way. The owner `{{H1167}}` of the goods `{{H2896}}` is reduced to a spectator of their own fortune, which is consumed by others.
* **A Warning Against Materialism:** By confining the benefit of wealth to the act of "beholding," the term functions as a caution. It suggests that a life devoted to accumulation results in a hollow victory, where the only prize is looking at what one cannot fully enjoy.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7207}}` **raʼăvâh** is a highly specific term whose meaning is entirely shaped by its single appearance in scripture. It encapsulates the limited and ultimately unsatisfying nature of material wealth when viewed as an end in itself. In [[Ecclesiastes 5:11]], it powerfully conveys that the only "good" for the owner of ever-increasing riches is the fleeting satisfaction of seeing them, a stark commentary on the search for meaning in earthly possessions.
TRV