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Ramban on Exodus 2:25/רמב"ן על שמות ב׳:כ״ה

אוַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פֵּרֵשׁ רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם, כִּי רָאָה הֶחָמָס שֶׁהָיוּ מִצְרַיִם עוֹשִׂים לָהֶם בְּגָלוּי, וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים הֶעָשׂוּי לָהֶם בַּסֵּתֶר. וְרַשִׁ"י פֵּרֵשׁ (רש"י על שמות ב':כ"ה) וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים, נָתַן עֲלֵיהֶם לֵב וְלֹא הֶעֱלִים עֵינוֹ מֵהֶם. וְנָכוֹן הוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט, כִּי בַּתְּחִלָּה הָיָה מַסְתִּיר פָּנָיו מֵהֶם וְהָיָה לֶאֱכֹל, וְעַתָּה שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים נַאֲקָתָם וְרָאָה אוֹתָם, לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו עוֹד מֵהֶם וְיָדַע אֶת מַכְאוֹבָם וְכָל הַנַּעֲשֶׂה לָהֶם וְאֶת כָּל הַצָּרִיךְ לָהֶם. וְהֶאֱרִיךְ הַכָּתוּב לְהַזְכִּיר טְעָנוֹת רַבּוֹת בִּגְאֻלָּתָם, "וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת נַאֲקָתָם", "וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ", "וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים", "וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים", "כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאֹבָיו" (שמות ג':ז'), כִּי אע"פ שֶׁנִּשְׁלַם הַזְּמַן שֶׁנִּגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא הָיוּ רְאוּיִים לְהִגָּאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ עַל יְדֵי יְחֶזְקֵאל (יחזקאל כ ח), אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַצְּעָקָה קִבֵּל תְּפִלָּתָם בְּרַחֲמָיו: וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת יֵשׁ בַּכָּתוּב הַזֶּה סוֹד גָּדוֹל מִסִּתְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה, לוֹמַר כִּי עָלָה עִנּוּיָם לִמְאוֹר פָּנָיו וְקֵרֵב אוֹתָם אֶל הַדַּעַת, כְּעִנְיַן "בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים תּוֹדִיעַ בְּרֹגֶז רַחֵם תִּזְכּוֹר" (חבקוק ג ב), וְלָכֵן יַאֲרִיךְ הַכָּתוּב בָּזֶה אַחֲרֵי שֶׁאָמַר כְּבָר "וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים", "וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים". וְנִתְפָּרֵשׁ הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה בְּמִדְרָשׁוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה (ספר הבהיר אות עו), תְּבִינֵהוּ מִשָּׁם:

1AND G-D SAW THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained this as meaning that G-d saw the violence which the Egyptians overtly did to them, and G-d knew what was done to them secretly. And Rashi explained: “And G-d knew. He directed His heart to them and did not hide His eye from them.” This is correct in line with the plain meaning of Scripture. At first He hid His face from them and they were devoured,¹²⁹ but now G-d heard their groaning and He saw them, meaning that He no longer hid His face from them; He knew their pains and all that was done to them, as well as all that they required.Now Scripture gives a lengthy account of the many reasons for their redemption: And G-d heard their groaning, and G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob;¹²⁷ And G-d saw the children of Israel, and G-d knew; For I know their pains.¹³⁰ This is because even though the time [of bondage] decreed upon them was completed, they were not worthy of redemption, as was explained by the prophet Ezekiel;¹³¹ it was only on account of the cry¹³² (Deuteronomy 26:7). See also Numbers 20:16. that He in His mercies accepted their prayer.By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], there is in this verse one of the great mysteries of the Torah, suggesting that their afflictions came up to the light of His countenance, which brought them [their afflictions] near the Knowledge [of G-d], just as is implied in the verse, In midst of the ‘shanim’ (years) make it known; in wrath remember compassion.¹³³ (years) should be understood as sh’nayim (two), a reference to the two Divine attributes, justice and mercy. When they unite, Israel is remembered for help and redemption. This is explicitly referred to in the second half of the verse: in wrath remember compassion. It is for this reason that Scripture gives this lengthy account — [And G-d saw the children of Israel, and G-d knew] — after already having mentioned, And G-d heard… and G-d remembered.¹²⁷ This verse, [And G-d saw…,] has been explained in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah.¹³⁴ From there you will understand the verse.