ἰδού

ἰδού — idoú

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, Mat 1:20; Mat 2:1; Mat 2:13; Mat 9:18; Mat 12:46; Mat 17:5; Mat 26:47; Mat 28:11. καί ἰδού is used, when at the close of a narrative something new is introduced, Mat 2:9; Mat 3:16; Mat 4:11; Mat 8:2; Mat 8:24; Mat 8:29; Mat 8:32; Mat 8:34; Matthew 9:2f, 20; Mat 12:10; Mat 15:22; Mat 17:3; Mat 19:16; Mat 26:51; Mat 27:51; Mat 28:2; Mat 28:7; Luk 1:20; Luk 1:31; Luk 1:36; Luk 2:9 (R G L Tr brackets),;; Act 12:7; Act 16:1; when a thing is specified which is unexpected yet sure, 2Co 6:9 (καί ἰδίου ζῶμεν, and nevertheless we live), cf. Mat 7:4; when a thing is specified which seems impossible and yet occurs, Luk 11:41; Act 27:24. The simple ἰδού is the exclamation of one pointing out something, Mat 12:2; Mat 12:47 (WH here in marginal reading only); Mat 13:3; Mat 24:26; Mar 3:32; Luk 2:34; and calling attention, Mar 15:35 (T Tr WH ἴδε); Luk 22:10; Joh 4:35; 1Co 15:51; 2Co 5:17; Jas 5:9; Jud 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: Mat 10:16; Mat 11:8; Mat 19:27; Mat 20:18; Mat 22:4; Mar 10:28; Mar 10:33; Mar 14:41; Luk 2:48; Luk 7:25; Luk 18:28; Luk 18:31, etc.; also καί ἰδού, Mat 28:20; Luk 13:30; ἰδού γάρ, Luk 1:44; Luk 1:48; Luk 2:10; Luk 6:23; Luk 17:21; Act 9:11; 2Co 7:11; ἰδού where examples are adduced: Jas 3:4 ff; Jas 5:4; Jas 5:7; Jas 5:11; for the Hebrew הִנְנִי, so that it includes the copula: Luk 1:38; equivalent to here I am: Act 9:10; Heb 2:13. ἰδού is inserted in the midst of a speech, Mat 23:34 (here WH marginal reading Ἰδού (see the commentaries)); Luk 13:16; Act 2:7; Act 13:11; Act 20:22; Act 20:25. The passages of the O. T. containing the particle which are quoted in the New are these: Mat 1:23; Mat 11:10; Mat 12:18; Mat 21:5; Mar 1:2; Luk 7:27; Joh 13:15; Rom 9:33; Heb 2:13; Heb 8:8; Heb 10:7; Heb 10:9; 1Pe 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, Mat 3:17; is, is or was here, exists, etc., Mat 12:10 L T Tr WH, 41; Mar 13:21 R G L; Luk 5:12; Luk 5:18; Luk 7:37; Luk 11:31; Luk 13:11 (R G add ἦν);; Joh 19:26 (Rec., 27 R G); Act 8:27; Act 8:36; 2Co 6:2; Rev 6:2; Rev 6:5; Rev 6:8; Rev 7:9 (not L);; is approaching, Mat 25:6 G L T Tr WH (Rec. adds ἔρχεται); but also in such a way as to have simply a demonstrative force: Mat 11:19; Luk 7:34.