The term seer
was used to describe someone who can see
beneath the surface of the obvious. It focuses on the divine dimension, a man who has a spiritual vision (see, for example, Isaiah 1:1; Isaiah 6:1–5; Jeremiah 1:11–19; Amos 7:7–9; Amos 8:1–2; Zechariah 1:7–6:8).1 The difference in terminology (and need for a clarifying statement) likely has to do with technical and popular terms. Seer
was the more popular term used by the people whereas prophet
was more technical and official (used in writing etc.).2
9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for today’s “prophet” was formerly called a seer.)