After a prolonged period of divine silence, a profound turning point arrives in the response to the suffering of the Israelites. A sequence of divine actions reflects a gradual and harmonious escalation, culminating in the ultimate decision to intervene and bring salvation [קאסוטו]. Although the predetermined time for the exile had not yet ended, the sheer intensity of the people's cries and pain awakened God's mercy, prompting Him to bring forward their redemption [רמב״ן, טור הארוך, רלב״ג]. The era of divine concealment comes to an end as God turns His gaze toward the people with deep paternal love, watching over them with focused care [רש״י, ספורנו, בכור שור, קאסוטו, שטיינזלץ]. This divine observation is not passive; the very act of God looking upon a suffering person is an expression of mercy that actively begins to ease their sorrow [אור החיים].
God's attention extended far beyond their physical torment [מלבי״ם]. He looked deeply into their moral and psychological state, noticing the pure behavior and compassion the Israelites showed one another, such as helping their friends complete their daily brick quotas. These quiet acts of kindness made them truly worthy of mercy [שפתי כהן, חומת אנך]. At the same time, God witnessed the profound humiliation and cognitive damage inflicted upon them. The crushing labor was deliberately designed to suppress their intellect and natural wisdom. Even though the people did not know how to articulate or cry out about this deep psychological harm, it deeply stirred His compassion [העמק דבר].
As this divine involvement deepens, a fascinating distinction emerges between the visible and the hidden. The primary approach among commentators is that while God observed the open violence and public enslavement, He was equally aware of the secret tortures and hidden evils that only He could perceive [אבן עזרא, רבנו בחיי, חזקוני, אור החיים, נתינה לגר]. While the external bruises of oppression were plain to see, His awareness penetrated deeper to grasp their internal mental anguish [מלבי״ם]. He recognized the inner purity of the Israelites' hearts, knowing that their prayers were entirely sincere [ספורנו]. Furthermore, even though the people had fallen into the sin of idol worship in Egypt, God understood that these actions were driven by the madness and overwhelming coercion of slavery. He looked past their outward behavior to see that their true, core desire was to do His will [בית הלוי]. He also recognized a silent, hidden wave of repentance sweeping through the nation, where individuals privately mended their ways without anyone else knowing, yet God saw and accepted their repair [רבינו חננאל, מנחת עני, ברכת אשר, חומת אנך].
Beyond understanding their plight, this profound awareness represents a definitive, operational decision. God resolved exactly how to act, preparing His mercy and deciding to send miraculous wonders to redeem the people [שד״ל, חזקוני, הדר זקנים, ברכת אשר]. According to one perspective, this awareness manifested in the choice to grant the spirit of prophecy to a specific individual—Moses—who was destined to be the messenger of their freedom [ביאור יש״ר]. Finally, because the exact object of this divine awareness remains undefined, it serves as a broader, universal declaration. Through His impending intervention on behalf of the oppressed and the punishment of the oppressors, it would soon become known to the entire world that there is a God who actively judges and oversees the earth [הכתב והקבלה].