The first (and only) occurrence of El Roi is in Genesis 16. Take a minute, open your Bible, and read that short chapter for context.
Two things I’d like to draw to your attention.
Verse 7 says this:
Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness…
Did you know that this is the first occurrence of “the Angel of the LORD” in Scripture? The Hebrew word for “angel” means “messenger,” and context determines whether the messenger is an angel or a human — and whether it is a physical manifestation of God, or possibly the pre-incarnate Christ, the Son of God.
Later, in verse 13, after God speaks to her, it says this:
Hagar named Yahweh, who had been speaking to her, “You are El Roi.” She said, “This is the place where I have seen the one who watches over me.”
Hagar was Sarai’s Egyptian servant, and when the child God had promised didn’t come, Sarai took matters into her own hands and gave Hagar to Abram to produce an heir. When Hagar became pregnant, everything between the two women turned sour, and Sarai mistreated her until she ran — into the wilderness, pregnant and alone, on a desert road headed back toward Egypt.
And that is where the angel of the Lord found her, beside a spring. Notice that word: found. Nobody was out looking for Hagar. She was the least important person in the story of the most important family in the Bible, and God went out into the desert after her, called her by name, and told her He had heard her misery.
Her response gave us this name: El Roi — the God who sees.
El Roi designates God as an all-seeing, all-knowing God. Nothing escapes His notice:
The eyes of Yahweh are everywhere. They watch evil people and good people.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Jonah tried hiding from the all-seeing God; God heard his prayer from inside the belly of a big fish, at the bottom of the sea.
The God who sees is full of grace, and He loves His creation, His children. He knows every hair on our heads. Just ask Hagar, and Jonah, and David, and Peter, and Jehoshaphat, and Moses. He met them as individuals, each in their separate situation — whether shame, sadness, loneliness, mistakes, fear, exhaustion, or rebellion.
He is the God who sees you — El Roi — and the God who created you — Elohim. He found Hagar on a desert road, and He sees you right where you are. Run into the strong fortress of His name, and rest. Pray to the One who already knows everything about you.
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.