הָא (ha)
ha
behold; behold!
A:IntjQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:Intj
Word Overview
The word hāʾ is an Aramaic interjection meaning "behold!" or "lo!" It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both within the book of Daniel (Daniel 3:25 and 4:19). As a demonstrative particle, it serves to grab the reader’s attention, signaling that something significant or unexpected is about to be revealed. Its presence marks a moment of heightened focus, urging the audience to look closely at what follows.
Linguistically, hāʾ functions similarly to its Hebrew counterpart heʾ (H1887), though it carries a distinct Aramaic flavor appropriate for Daniel’s bilingual context. In Daniel 3:25, King Nebuchadnezzar uses it when declaring, "Behold, I see four men loose," highlighting the miraculous nature of the scene in the fiery furnace. The word does not carry deep theological weight on its own but acts as a narrative device to underscore divine intervention or royal astonishment.
Its rarity in Scripture makes each occurrence stand out. Rather than being used frequently, hāʾ appears only where the text demands immediate attention to a visible sign of God’s power. Translators typically render it as "behold" or "look," preserving its function as a call to witness. This limited usage reinforces its role as a marker of extraordinary events within the Aramaic sections of Daniel.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hāʾ appears only twice in the entire Bible, both times in the book of Daniel during its Aramaic sections. It functions as an urgent call to attention, similar to saying "Look!" or "Behold!" When Nebuchadnezzar uses it in Daniel 3:25, he is reacting to a miraculous sight that defies natural explanation. This rare word marks moments where the ordinary world breaks open to reveal something extraordinary.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that God often intervenes in ways that catch us off guard. The king saw four figures walking freely in a fire that should have consumed them. He did not understand it at first, but he was compelled to look closely. We too may face situations where logic fails and only divine presence makes sense.
When you encounter the unexpected in your own life, remember this moment of royal astonishment. God’s power is not limited by human understanding. Sometimes He walks with us through trials we cannot explain alone. This word invites us to pause, look up, and recognize His nearness even when circumstances seem impossible.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- look!1×
- here!1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָֽא\־1×
- הֵֽא\־1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:25
He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
Nebuchadnezzar uses hāʾ to express his shock at seeing a fourth figure, unharmed and divine-like, walking in the fiery furnace alongside Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.