אֲרוּ
lo!
Definition
The Aramaic word אֲרוּ (ʼărûw) is an interjection used to command attention, most accurately translated as 'behold!' or 'lo!' It functions as a dramatic call for the listener or reader to focus on what follows, often introducing a significant vision, statement, or event. In the book of Daniel, it is used exclusively to introduce the key figures in Daniel's prophetic visions, such as the four great beasts (Daniel 7:2-7) and the pivotal 'son of man' figure (Daniel 7:13). Its meaning is consistent across all its uses, serving as a narrative spotlight on divine revelation.
Biblical Usage
This word is used five times, all within Daniel 7:2-13, a chapter written in Aramaic. It appears at critical junctures to introduce each new element of Daniel's night vision. The pattern is formulaic: 'I saw in my vision... and behold (אֲרוּ)...' followed by a description of a beast or a human-like figure. For example, it introduces the first beast like a lion (Daniel 7:4), the second like a bear (Daniel 7:5), and finally the 'one like a son of man' (Daniel 7:13). Its usage is strictly visionary and prophetic, marking transitions within the apocalyptic narrative.
Etymology
אֲרוּ is an Aramaic word, not classical Hebrew, reflecting the bilingual nature of the book of Daniel. It is probably related to the Aramaic particle אֲלוּ (ʼălûw, H431), which also means 'lo!' or 'behold.' This connection places it within a family of Aramaic attention-getting words. Its adoption in this biblical text highlights the shift into the Aramaic sections of Daniel, where it serves the same emphatic function that the Hebrew word הִנֵּה (hinnêh, H2009) serves in Hebrew passages.
Semantic Range
Though a simple interjection, אֲרוּ is theologically significant because it frames the reception of divine revelation in Daniel 7. It signals the reader that what follows is not ordinary description but a disclosed vision from God, demanding full attention. It particularly highlights the climactic revelation of the 'son of man' in Daniel 7:13, a figure central to messianic and apocalyptic theology in both the Old and New Testaments. Understanding this 'behold' emphasizes the divine authority and importance of the visions being presented.
In its original Aramaic setting, אֲרוּ was a common particle used in narrative and legal texts to direct attention to a new subject or important statement. Its use in Daniel aligns with standard Aramaic literary practice of the period. For the original audience, it would have immediately signaled that a key piece of information was being introduced, much like saying 'Look!' or 'Pay attention!' today. Its function is directly transferable to modern understanding, though its exclusive use in a prophetic vision report gives it a uniquely solemn and revelatory tone in this biblical context.
הִנֵּה (hinnêh, H2009) — The primary Hebrew equivalent meaning 'behold,' used extensively in narrative and prophetic texts. אֲלוּ (ʼălûw, H431) — Its direct Aramaic cognate, also meaning 'lo' or 'behold.'
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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