Albert Barnes Commentary Job 42:5

"I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; But now mine eye seeth thee:" — Job 42:5 (ASV)

I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear - This refers to the indistinct views that we have of anything by merely hearing of it, compared with the clear apprehension that is provided by sight. Job had had such views of God as one may obtain by being told of him; he now had such views as are provided by sight. The meaning is that his views of God before were dark and obscure.

But now my eye sees you - We are not to suppose that Job means to say that he actually “saw” God, but that his apprehensions of him were clear and bright “as if” he did. There is no evidence that God appeared to Job in any visible form. He is said, indeed, to have spoken from the whirlwind, but no visible manifestation of Yahweh is mentioned.