ירמיהו, פרק ט״ז, פסוק י״ז

People who do wrong often operate under the false assumption that their actions go unnoticed. However, God's awareness of human behavior is absolute and all-encompassing, standing in direct contrast to the misguided thoughts of these sinners [רד״ק]. The primary approach among commentators emphasizes that God watches over all human activity, ensuring that absolutely nothing escapes His attention. To reinforce the reality that every action is observed, a deliberate repetition is used [מצודת דוד], referencing the concepts of both hiding and concealing [מצודת ציון].

While this repetition might appear to be a simple tool for emphasis, there is a profound distinction between the two ideas. Something that is hidden is completely removed from view, whereas something concealed is present in the environment but merely pushed aside, out of direct sight. Based on this difference, Divine awareness operates on two distinct levels. The first level involves a person's inner nature, such as internal traits of cruelty or pride. These characteristics are the unseen root causes from which actual sins grow. Because they exist entirely within the mind and heart, they are described as not being hidden from God's absolute knowledge. The second level addresses the actual physical misdeeds that result from those inner flaws. Since physical actions occur in the visible world, they are described as not being concealed from His sight.

This dual awareness highlights the fundamental difference between human and Divine justice. While a human judge can only evaluate a visible action, God examines both the physical deeds and the internal character traits that ultimately produced them [מלבי״ם].