Nevertheless he regarded their affliction,.... Or "looked on them in distress" d; he saw their affliction, and had compassion on them; he was so far from abhorring and despising the affliction of the afflicted, that he pitied them and sympathized with them; in all their afflictions he was afflicted; he looked upon them with an eye of pity and concern, and helped them out of their troubles.
When he heard their cry; or their "prayer", as the Targum, and so other versions; crying is prayer; and it denotes vocal and vehement prayer, such as is put up to God in distress; and which he hears and answers; his ears are open to the cries of his people.
d וירא בצר להם "et vidit in angustia eis", Montanus, Gejerus; so Musculus, Tigurine version.