# \*hā: 'lo!, behold! (presentative)'

> Proto-Semitic *hā, 'lo!, behold! (presentative)': reflexes in 6 language(s).

A page of the Linear A Lexicon's research wiki, in [Wiki](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/index.md>) › [Kaphtor Semitic Roots](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/index.md>) › [H](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/h/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-28.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*hā |
| Meaning | 'lo!, behold! (presentative)' |
| Basis | project |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | hēʾ (Gn 47:23) (HALOT 236) | HALOT 236 | gloss withheld |
| Syrian Aramaic | hā 'lo! behold! already, now' (Payne Smith 98) | Payne Smith 98 |  |
| Arabic | hā 'here is!, there is!' (demonstrative pronoun) (BK 2 1377); hā 'behold!', hāʾantum 'behold, you!' (Freytag 4 359) | BK 2 1377; Freytag 4 359 |  |
| Phoenician | hʾ (T 80) | T 80 | gloss withheld |
| Punic | hʾ (Krahmalkov 156) | Krahmalkov 156 | gloss withheld |
| Biblical Aramaic | hāʾ (HALOT 236) | HALOT 236 | gloss withheld |

A form keeps its source's gloss only when the source is public domain or openly licensed.

## Notes

HALOT 236 sets Hebrew hēʾ with Middle Hebrew hāʾ, Aramaic hāʾ (Biblical Aramaic, Mandaic), perhaps Phoenician, and Arabic hā; the second passage, Ezk 16:43, it deletes. HALOT 235 derives the article ha- from the deictic \*hā. Payne Smith 98 calls Syriac hā an interjection demonstrative or emphatic; BK 2 1377 calls Arabic hā a demonstrative pronoun, and Freytag 4 359 sets it in hāḏā; both also give it as 'take!' and as a call to camels. Cf. 3482 \*hn 'behold; this'. Not 3338 \*hā̆ 'I'.

## Linked from

- [H](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/h/index.md>)

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/h/3722_lo_behold_presentative/
Licence: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cite as: di Mino, Tom. 2026. Linear A Lexicon. Plasma AI. https://linear-a.ai/. Data: kaphtor, commit add28e94.