Bible Dictionaries
Behold, Beheld

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

with its aorist form eidon, "to see" (in a few places the AV uses the verb "to behold"), is said (a) of bodily vision, e.g., Mark 6:38; John 1:18,46; (b) of mental perception, e.g., Romans 15:21; Colossians 2:18; (c) of taking heed, e.g., Matthew 8:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; (d) of experience, as of death, Luke 2:26; Hebrews 11:5; life, John 3:36; corruption, Acts 2:27; (e) of caring for, Matthew 27:4; Acts 18:15 (here the form opsomai is used). See APPEAR , HEED , LOOK , PERCEIVE , SEE , SHEW.

is also used of (a) bodily and (b) mental vision, (a) "to perceive," e.g., Matthew 13:13; (b) "to take heed," e.g., Mark 13:23,33; it indicates greater vividness than horao, expressing a more intent, earnest contemplation; in Luke 6:41 , of "beholding" the mote in a brother's eye; Luke 24:12 , of "beholding" the linen clothes in the empty tomb; Acts 1:9 , of the gaze of the disciples when the Lord ascended. The greater earnestness is sometimes brought out by rendering "regardest," Matthew 22:16 . See BEWARE , HEED , LIE , LOOK , PERCEIVE , REGARD , SEE , SIGHT.

from en, "in" (intensive), and No. 2, (not to be rendered literally), expresses "earnest looking," e.g., in the Lord's command to "behold" the birds of the heaven, with the object of learning lessons of faith from them, Matthew 6:26 . See also Matthew 19:26; Mark 8:25; 10:21,27; 14:67; Luke 20:17; 22:61; John 1:36; of the Lord's looking upon Peter, John 1:42; Acts 1:11; 22:11 . See GAZE , LOOK , SEE.

are imperative moods, Active and Middle Voices, respectively, of eidon, "to see," calling attention to what may be seen or heard or mentally apprehended in any way. These are regularly rendered "behold." See especially the Gospels, Acts and the Apocalypse. See LO, SEE.

a strengthened form of No. 4 (with epi, "upon," prefixed), is used in Acts 4:29 of the entreaty made to the Lord to "behold" the threatenings of persecutors.

from theoros, "a spectator," is used of one who looks at a thing with interest and for a purpose, usually indicating the careful observation of details; this marks the distinction from No. 2; see, e.g., Mark 15:47; Luke 10:18; 23:35; John 20:6 (RV, "beholdeth," for AV, "seeth"); so in verses John 20:12,14; "consider," in Hebrews 7:4 . It is used of experience, in the sense of partaking of, in John 8:51; 17:24 . See CONSIDER , LOOK , PERCEIVE , SEE. Cp. theoria, "sight," Luke 23:48 , only.

ana, "up" (intensive), and No. 6, "to view with interest, consider contemplatively," is translated "beheld," in Acts 17:23 , RV, "observed;" "considering" in Hebrews 13:7 . See CONSIDER.

"to behold, view attentively, contemplate," had, in earlier Greek usage, the sense of wondering regard. This idea was gradually lost. It signifies a more earnest contemplation than the ordinary verbs for "to see," "a careful and deliberate vision which interprets ... its object," and is more frequently rendered "behold" in the RV than the AV. Both translate it by "behold" in Luke 23:55 (of the sepulchre); "we beheld," in John 1:14 , of the glory of the Son of God; "beheld," RV, in John 1:32; Acts 1:11; 1 John 1:1 (more than merely seeing); 1 John 4:12,14 . See LOOK , SEE.

from epi "upon," and a form of horao, "to see," is used of "witnessing as a spectator, or overseer," 1 Peter 2:12; 3:2 .

Note: The corresponding noun epoptes, "an eye-witness," found in 2 Peter 1:16 , was used by the Greeks of those who had attained to the highest grade of certain mysteries, and the word is perhaps purposely used here of those who were at the transfiguration of Christ. See EYEWITNESS.

from atenes, "strained, intent," denotes "to gaze upon," "beholding earnestly," or "steadfastly" in Acts 14:9; 23:1 . See FASTEN , LOOK , SET , B, Note (5).

a strengthened form of noeo, "to perceive," (kata, intensive), denotes "the action of the mind in apprehending certain facts about a thing;" hence, "to consider;" "behold," Acts 7:31,32; James 1:23,24 . See CONSIDER , DISCOVER , PERCEIVE.

from katoptron, "a mirror" (kata, "down," ops, "an eye or sight"), in the Active Voice, signifies "to make to reflect, to mirror;" in the Middle Voice, "to reflect as a mirror;" so the RV in 2 Corinthians 3:18 , for AV, "beholding as in a glass." The whole context in the 3rd chapter and the first part of the 4th bears out the RV.

Note: For epeidon (from ephorao), Acts 4:29 , see LOOK , No. 9. For proorao, Acts 2:25 , RV, "behold," see FORESEE.