Seer

Occurrences in Scripture

The term is defined in 1 Samuel 9:9: "Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer." In other words, the person now called a prophet was formerly called a seer. In the same chapter, Saul seeks out the seer Samuel while searching for lost donkeys.

Those called seers include the following:

• Samuel: 1 Samuel 9; 1 Chronicles 9:22; 29:29
• Gad: Called "David's seer" (2 Samuel 24:11; 1 Chronicles 21:9). First Chronicles 29:29 records that the acts of David are written "in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer."
• Iddo: Presented as one who left records of the reigns of Solomon and Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 9:29; 12:15).
• Hanani and his son Jehu: They rebuked King Asa and King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 16:7; 19:2).
• Heman, Asaph, and Jeduthun: These leaders of temple music were also called "the king's seer" (1 Chronicles 25:5; 2 Chronicles 29:30; 35:15).

The word also appears in the prophetic books. Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, addressed Amos as "O thou seer" and told him to go back to the land of Judah (Amos 7:12). Isaiah 30:10 and Micah 3:7 mention seers whom the people refuse to hear or who are put to shame.

Meaning and Background of the Term

Two Hebrew words are rendered "seer" (seongyeonja) in the New Korean Revised Version: ro'eh and hozeh. Both derive from verbs meaning "to see" and denote "one who sees." Another common term is nabi, which is translated "prophet."

This "seeing" refers to receiving dreams, visions, or insight that God grants. The Chinese characters 先見 mean "to see ahead," which can easily lead to the misunderstanding that a seer is someone who predicts the future. The original Hebrew, however, places its emphasis not on foreknowledge of the future but on seeing what God has revealed.

Significance in the Whole of Scripture

A seer is one who receives God's will and conveys it to the king and the people. The role is the same as that of a prophet, and the books of Chronicles use the two titles interchangeably. The Law forbids divination and consulting familiar spirits (Deuteronomy 18:10–11). By contrast, the seer is portrayed as one who inquires of God and delivers God's word.

The word "seer" does not appear in the New Testament, which uses "prophet" instead. At Pentecost, however, Peter quotes the prophecy of Joel, saying, "your young men shall see visions" (Acts 2:16–21). This passage is interpreted to mean that "seeing" is extended to the whole community that has received the Holy Spirit.

Interpretation and Points of Debate

• The difference between ro'eh and hozeh: Scholars have debated whether usage of the two words differed by period or region. Many regard them as nearly synonymous, and no clear consensus has been reached.
• The nature of 1 Samuel 9:9: This verse is understood as an explanatory note clarifying an older term for later readers.
• Seers today: Some charismatic streams and the New Apostolic Reformation call people who see visions "seers." Opinion on this is divided between those who hold that such offices ceased with the completion of Scripture and those who hold that the gift of prophecy continues today. This debate is connected to cessationism and continuationism.

In the Korean Church

Sermons sometimes take 1 Samuel 9 as their text to speak of a "seer's mission": seeing the times rightly and discerning the will of God. In this usage, "seer" does not denote an office but serves as a metaphor for spiritual insight.