Vision

Vision (some derivative of חָזָה, to behold, ὁράω; or of רָאָה, to see, ὄπτομαι), a supernatural presentation of certain scenery or circumstances to the mind of a person while awake. SEE DREAM. When Aaron and Miriam murmured against Moses (Nu 12:6-8), the Lord said, "Hear now my words if there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold." The false prophet Balaam, whose heart was perverted by covetousness; says of himself, that he hath seen the visions of the Almighty (Nu 24:1,16). In the time of the high priest Eli, it is said (1Sa 3:1), "The wonder of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision;" literally, "the vision did not break forth;" that is, there was no public and recognized revelation of the divine will. With this we may compare the passage in Pr 29:18, "There is no vision, the people perish." SEE URIM. Vision is also sometimes used to signify the ecstatic state of the prophets when they were favored with communications, from Jehovah. SEE PROPHET.