Bible Word Study
אֲלוּ
ʼălûw · lo!
אֲלוּ
lo!
Definition
אֲלוּ is an Aramaic interjection meaning 'behold,' 'look,' or 'lo!' It is used to draw immediate and emphatic attention to a significant sight or revelation, often within a prophetic vision or dream narrative. In Daniel 2:31, it introduces King Nebuchadnezzar's vision of a great statue, while in Daniel 7:8, it highlights the disturbing appearance of a 'little horn' among the beasts. The word serves as a narrative spotlight, signaling to the reader or listener that what follows is of critical importance.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel (Daniel 2:31, 4:10, 4:13, 7:8). Its pattern of usage is consistent: it appears at the beginning of a clause to introduce a key visual element within a divinely-sent dream or vision. For example, in Daniel 4:10 and 4:13, it prefaces the description of the great tree in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. It functions as a dramatic, attention-grabbing particle within prophetic revelation.
Etymology
אֲלוּ is an Aramaic word, likely a prolonged or emphatic form derived from the common Semitic particle אֵל (ʼēl, H412), which can mean 'to,' 'toward,' or 'into.' This derivation suggests a sense of 'look here!' or 'direct your attention toward this.' It is a cognate with similar demonstrative/interjectional particles in other Semitic languages, used to point something out vividly.
Semantic Range
As a term for 'behold,' אֲלוּ is theologically significant because it marks moments of divine disclosure. In Daniel, it punctuates God's communication of future events and His sovereignty over kingdoms. Understanding this word helps readers recognize the textual cues for divine revelation, emphasizing that what follows is not mere description but a prophetic vision requiring careful attention and interpretation. In its original Aramaic setting, אֲלוּ was a common spoken interjection for dramatically pointing something out. Its use in the court tales and visions of Daniel reflects the formal, yet vivid, style of recounting dreams and prophecies in ancient Near Eastern literature, where such introductions were used to command the audience's focus on an omen or symbolic image. הִנֵּה (hinnēh, H2009) — The primary Hebrew equivalent for 'behold,' used far more frequently throughout the Old Testament in both narrative and prophetic speech.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]