Nâbaṭ (נָבַט, Strong's #5027), “to look, regard, behold.” This verb is found in both ancient and modern Hebrew. It occurs approximately 70 times in the Old Testament. The first use of this term is in Gen. 15:5, where it is used in the sense of “take a good look,” as God commands Abraham: “Look now toward heaven, and [number] the stars.…”

While nâbaṭ is commonly used of physical “looking” (Exod. 3:6), the word is frequently used in a figurative sense to mean a spiritual and inner apprehension. Thus, Samuel is told by God: “Look not on his countenance …” (1 Sam. 16:7) as he searched for a king among Jesse’s sons. The sense of “consider” (with insight) is expressed in Isa. 51:1-2: “… Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn.… Look unto Abraham your father.…” “Pay attention to” seems to be the meaning in Isa. 5:12: “… they regard not the work of the Lord.…”