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הָוָא

𐤄𐤅𐤀

hâvâʼ

H1934 verb

SILEX Entry

Root הוה to be, to exist, to become, to occur

Definition

Primary Aramaic verb of being and becoming, denoting the state of existing, coming into being, occurring, or becoming a certain way. In context, conveys the sense 'to be', 'to become', 'to occur', 'to come to pass', with a range that includes existential, copular, and eventive uses. Functions as an auxiliary verb in compound constructions, often carrying little semantic content by itself but modifying the main verb or phrase.

Semantic Range

to be, to exist, to become, to occur, to take place, to happen, to arise, auxiliary for tense/aspect ('it came to pass', 'it was', 'it became')

Root / Etymology

From the Aramaic root הוה (equivalent to Hebrew היה), whose core meaning is to be, exist. The form הָוָא is the Imperfect (yiqtol) masculine singular, with the same basic existential/copular function as Hebrew היה. Aramaic הוה/הוא shares a Semitic root with Akkadian (awûm: to be, become), Ugaritic (hwy), and Arabic (كان, kâna: to be). The development in Aramaic includes both existence and becoming, as well as acting as a periphrastic auxiliary for tense/aspect.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Biblical Aramaic (Daniel, Ezra), הָוָא is used much as Hebrew היה, but with a broader syntactic range, serving as the general verb of existence, becoming, and happening. Commonly appears as an auxiliary to express past or future tenses, aspect, or as a copula (linking subject and predicate). In some forms, can mean 'to occur' or 'to take place.' In participial forms (הָוֵא), may designate ongoing existence or characteristic state. Not used solely as a simple verb of existence, but frequently combined in phraseological expressions (e.g., 'it came to pass', 'it became', 'it was'). English translations often render the nuance too narrowly as 'to be' or 'became'; a more flexible understanding is necessary, given its auxiliary, aspectual, and idiomatic uses. Unlike Hebrew היה, which is largely omitted in the present tense, Aramaic הָוָא is more frequently explicit. In later Jewish Aramaic (Targumic, Rabbinic), the root continues in similar usages. At times, הוה/הוא are interchangeable, representing diachronic and dialectal variation. The verb does not carry substantive theological meaning in itself; its importance is structural, governing the predication of events or existence.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) or הָוָה; (Aramaic), corresponding to הָוָא; to exist; used in a great variety of applications (especially in connection with other words); be, become, [phrase] behold, [phrase] came (to pass), [phrase] cease, [phrase] cleave, [phrase] consider, [phrase] do, [phrase] give, [phrase] have, [phrase] judge, [phrase] keep, [phrase] labour, [phrase] mingle (self), [phrase] put, [phrase] see, [phrase] seek, [phrase] set, [phrase] slay, [phrase] take heed, tremble, [phrase] walk, [phrase] would.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

הוה (h-w-h) — being, existence, becoming, occurring

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1933 הָוָא Become!
H1942 הַוָּה in his ruin
H1943 הֹוָה calamitous ruin
H1962 הַיָּה and my calamity

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1934-09 לֶהֱוֵ֨א leheve AVqi3ms let it be let him be 16
H1934-05 הֲוֵית֙ haveyt AVqp1cs I was I was 13
H1934-02 הֲוָֽה havah AVqp3ms he was Give! 9
H1934-08 לֶהֱוֺן֙ leheon AVqi3mp they-will-be they will be 7
H1934-01 הֲוָ֣א hava AVqp3ms he was he was 5
H1934-06 הֲו֛וֹ havo AVqp3mp be ye be / become 4
H1934-12 תֶּהֱוֵ֥א teheve AVqi3fs be-given she will become 4
H1934-13 תֶּהֱוֵ֔ה teheveh AVqi3fs will-be she will become 3
H1934-03 הֲוָ֛ת havat AVqp3fs was she became 3
H1934-04 הֲוַ֨יְתָ֙ havayeta AVqp2ms were you were 2

Occurrences in Scripture

71 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1934-09 Daniel 2:20 לֶהֱוֵ֨א leheve AVqi3ms let it be let him be
H1934-09 Daniel 2:28 לֶהֱוֵ֖א leheve AVqi3ms will be let him be
H1934-09 Daniel 2:29 לֶהֱוֵ֖א leheve AVqi3ms will be let him be
H1934-09 Daniel 2:29 לֶהֱוֵֽא leheve-2 AVqi3ms will be let him be
H1934-04 Daniel 2:31 הֲוַ֨יְתָ֙ havayeta AVqp2ms were you were
H1934-04 Daniel 2:34 הֲוַ֗יְתָ havayeta AVqp2ms you were you were
H1934-15 Daniel 2:35 וַ/הֲווֹ֙ vahavo AC/Vqp3mp and they became and they became
H1934-03 Daniel 2:35 הֲוָ֛ת havat AVqp3fs became she became
H1934-12 Daniel 2:40 תֶּהֱוֵ֥א teheve AVqi3fs it-will-be she will become
H1934-13 Daniel 2:41 תֶּהֱוֵ֔ה teheveh AVqi3fs it will be she will become
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