ἰδού

a demonstrative particle (in Greek writings from Sophocles down), found in the N. T. especially in the Gospels of Matthew and of Luke, used very often in imitation of the Hebrew הִנֵּה, and giving a peculiar vivacity to the style by bidding the reader or hearer to attend to what is said: "Behold! See! Lo!" It is inserted in the discourse after a genitive absolutely, Mt 1:20; Mt 2:1, Mt 2:13; Mt 9:18; Mt 12:46; Mt 17:5; Mt 26:47; Mt 28:11. καί ἰδού is used, when at the close of a narrative something new is introduced, Mt 2:9; Mt 3:16; Mt 4:11; Mt 8:2, Mt 8:24, Mt 8:29, Mt 8:32, Mt 8:34; Mt 9:2f, 20; Mt 12:10; Mt 15:22; Mt 17:3; Mt 19:16; Mt 26:51; Mt 27:51; Mt 28:2, Mt 28:7; Lk 1:20, Lk 1:31, Lk 1:36; Lk 2:9 (R G L Tr brackets),; Lk 9:30, Lk 9:38f, Lk 10:25, Lk 14:2, Lk 24:13; Acts 12:7; Acts 16:1; when a thing is specified which is unexpected yet sure, 2 Cor 6:9 (καί ἰδίου ζῶμεν, and nevertheless we live), cf. Mt 7:4; when a thing is specified which seems impossible and yet occurs, Lk 11:41; Acts 27:24. The simple ἰδού is the exclamation of one pointing out something, Mt 12:2, Mt 12:47 (WH here in marginal reading only); Mt 13:3; Mt 24:26; Mk 3:32; Lk 2:34; and calling attention, Mk 15:35 (T Tr WH ἴδε); Lk 22:10; Jn 4:35; 1 Cor 15:51; 2 Cor 5:17; Jas 5:9; Jude 1:14; Rev 1:7; Rev 9:12; Rev 11:14; Rev 16:15; Rev 22:7 (Rec.); in other places it is equivalent to observe or consider: Mt 10:16; Mt 11:8; Mt 19:27; Mt 20:18; Mt 22:4; Mk 10:28, Mk 10:33; Mk 14:41; Lk 2:48; Lk 7:25; Lk 18:28, Lk 18:31, etc.; also καί ἰδού, Mt 28:20; Lk 13:30; ἰδού γάρ, Lk 1:44, Lk 1:48; Lk 2:10; Lk 6:23; Lk 17:21; Acts 9:11; 2 Cor 7:11; ἰδού where examples are adduced: Jas 3:4ff; 5:4,7,11; for the Hebrew הִנְנִי, so that it includes the copula: Lk 1:38; equivalent to here I am: Acts 9:10; Heb 2:13. ἰδού is inserted in the midst of a speech, Mt 23:34 (here WH marginal reading Ἰδού (see the commentaries)); Lk 13:16; Acts 2:7; Acts 13:11; Acts 20:22, Acts 20:25. The passages of the O. T. containing the particle which are quoted in the New are these: Mt 1:23; Mt 11:10; Mt 12:18; Mt 21:5; Mk 1:2; Lk 7:27; Jn 13:15; Rom 9:33; Heb 2:13; Heb 8:8; Heb 10:7, Heb 10:9; 1 Pet 2:6. Like the Hebrew הִנֵּה, ἰδού and καί ἰδού stand before a nominative which is not followed by a finite verb, in such a way as to include the copula or predicate (cf. Buttmann, 139 (121f)): e. g., was heard, Mt 3:17; is, is or was here, exists, etc., Mt 12:10 L T Tr WH, 41; Mk 13:21 R G L; Lk 5:12, Lk 5:18; Lk 7:37; Lk 11:31; Lk 13:11 (R G add ἦν); Lk 17:21; Lk 19:2, Lk 19:20, Lk 22:38, Lk 19:47, Lk 23:50; Jn 19:26 (Rec., 27 R G); Acts 8:27, Acts 8:36; 2 Cor 6:2; Rev 6:2, Rev 6:5, Rev 6:8; Rev 7:9 (not L); Rev 12:3; Rev 14:14; Rev 19:11; ; is approaching, Mt 25:6 G L T Tr WH (Rec. adds ἔρχεται); but also in such a way as to have simply a demonstrative force: Mt 11:19; Lk 7:34.