Original Word: הֵא
Part of Speech: demonstrative particle
Transliteration: he'
Pronunciation: hah
Phonetic Spelling: (hay)
KJV: even, lo
NASB: even, look
Word Origin: [corresponding to H1887 (הֵא - behold)]

1. lo!

even, lo

(Aramaic) or har (Aramaic) {haw}; corresponding to he' -- even, lo.

see HEBREW he'

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to he
Definition
lo! behold!
NASB Translation
even (1), look (1).

הָא demonstrative particle lo! behold! (Biblical Hebrew הֵא (twice); Egyptian Aramaic and Têma הא (Cooke^{193, 198}); ᵑ7 הָא; Syriac ; Mandean הא (Nö^{M 81}); Arabic in Aramaic also often prefixed to pronoun 3 person for greater definiteness, as ᵑ7 הָהוּא, (for h¹-h¥), see Nö^{M 89 f.} W^{CG 106 f.}), Daniel 3:25.

הֵא demonstrative particle, prefixed idiomatically to כְּ for greater definiteness, literally behold like (Biblical Hebrew הֵא, see הָא above), only in הֵאכְּֿ דִי Daniel 2:43 הֵאכְּֿ דִי פַרְזְלָא לָא מִתְעָרַב like as iron doth not mingle with clay (compare

a. ᵑ7^Onk הָא כְמַיָּא Genesis 49:4, so ᵑ7^Jon ׳הא כ Isaiah 5:28; Isaiah 9:4 + often; ᵑ7^Jer ׳הֵי כ Genesis 26:4,18,22 + often; הֵיח Psalm 2:9; Psalm 5:10; Psalm 5:13 +, also pleonastic ׳הֵיח כְּ Psalm 22:14; Psalm 22:15; Psalm 22:17 #NAME?

b. Palmyrene הֵיח as (Lzb²⁵⁹), as היך בנמוסא as (is) in the law (Cooke³²¹; so ᵑ7^Jer Psalm 2:9, etc.), הֵיח דִּי conjecture (like Daniel הֵא כְּ דִי: = Hebrew כַּאֲשֶׁר), as היך די גבא like as he levied, Cooke^{Tariff ii. b 12. 18, c 14. 17. 21. 26} [ᵑ7^{Onk Jon} for כַּאֲשֶׁר have ׳כְּמָא דְ, ᵑ7^Jer ׳הֵיכְמָא דְ, ᵑ6. ]. It is dubious whether הֵא כְּ דִי belongs to a (notice especially ᵑ7^Jon) or b: Schulth^{ZAW 1902, 164 f.} to

b. reading הֵאח דִּי (but א rare and late: D (2) § 45. 1); Nes^{OLtz. 1892, 488} from הֵיח (see Biblical Hebrew) how ?).

Meaning and Function

הֵא is an Aramaic demonstrative interjection that alerts the hearer to pay immediate attention. In English it is usually rendered “Look!” or “Behold!” In its two inspired occurrences the word functions as a verbal spotlight, directing eyes and hearts toward something God wants emphasized within the surrounding narrative.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Daniel 2:43
2. Daniel 3:25

Though brief, these two appearances sit at decisive moments in the Book of Daniel. In both places the interjection stands at the front of a clause, arresting the reader before crucial revelation.

Role in the Narrative Flow of Daniel

Daniel 2 records Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the multi-metal statue, a panorama of Gentile world empires. Daniel 2:43 recounts the vision’s weakest layer—iron mixed with clay. Just as the king is shown the brittleness of man-made dominion, הֵא inserts a dramatic pause: “Look!” The force of the interjection turns what could be dismissed as a minor detail into a divinely highlighted warning that the final kingdom’s internal mixture ensures its collapse.

Daniel 3:25 is even more striking. After hurling Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace, the astonished king cries, “Look! I see four men, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”. Here הֵא marks the transition from presumed triumph of idolatry to open demonstration of Yahweh’s supremacy and redeeming presence. The interjection jolts pagan listeners—then and now—into acknowledging the miracle in front of them.

Literary and Theological Resonance

Hebrew narrative often employs הִנֵּה (“Behold,” Strong’s 2009) for similar rhetorical effect. The Aramaic הֵא in Daniel therefore echoes a familiar prophetic device, linking these exile accounts to the larger prophetic corpus. It underscores that even in a foreign tongue and foreign court, the God of Israel is still speaking with the same authority and urgency found in the Hebrew text.

Historical Significance

The two uses occur amid Babylonian royal proclamations. In both chapters the pagan monarch serves as narrator for the key line containing הֵא, showing that God can put His own emphatic word on pagan lips. By doing so, Scripture records that Gentile powers were compelled to testify to God’s sovereignty—even while they opposed His people. The interjection thus becomes evidence of divine intervention in history, not merely a narrative flourish.

Christological Implications

Daniel 3:25 points beyond the immediate event. Many conservative commentators see in the “fourth man” a Christophany—an appearance of the pre-incarnate Son of God. The king’s “Look!” draws readers to contemplate the mystery of Immanuel, God with us, protecting His servants in the fire. The same summons to behold finds fulfillment in the New Testament, where John the Baptist cries, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29). The echo suggests a redemptive-historical progression from crisis deliverance in Babylon to ultimate deliverance at the cross.

Ministry Application

1. Call to Attention

Every preacher or teacher may safely imitate Scripture’s own emphatic style. When the Word uses הֵא, it models pastoral urgency: important truth demands unbroken attention.

2. Confidence in Persecution

Daniel’s companions experienced God’s nearness in fiery trial. Modern believers facing societal pressure may hear the same divine “Look!”—an invitation to recognize Christ walking with them.

3. Discernment of World Systems

Daniel 2:43 discloses that human kingdoms appear strong yet remain inherently fragile. The interjection cautions the church not to marvel at political power but to gaze instead at the coming, everlasting kingdom (Daniel 2:44).

Preaching and Teaching Insights

• Use the interjection as a literary pivot: let the congregation feel the surprise intended by the original hearers.
• Trace the motif of “beholding” across Scripture: from Moses and the burning bush, to Isaiah’s temple vision, to John’s unveiling of the glorified Christ.
• Apply the furnace narrative to themes of holiness, courage, and the presence of God amid cultural conformity pressures (see 1 Peter 4:12-14).

Summary

Though appearing only twice, הֵא functions as an inspired highlighter pen in Daniel, urging the reader to stop and see what God is doing. It punctuates visions of collapsing empires and miraculous deliverance, pointing ultimately to Christ’s abiding presence and final reign.

הָֽא־ הא־ ha hā- heInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts