es-pi':
"Espy" in modern English means "to catch sight of," rather than "to explore secretly." the Revised Version (British and American) therefore retains it inGe 42:27, "He espied his money" (Hebrew ra'ah, "see"), while inJos 14:7"espy out the land" (the King James Version) becomes "spy out the land." the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "watch" for "espy" inJer 48:19, and "searched out" for "espied" inEze 20:6, with a gain in accuracy of rendering
(compare the context).