Ἰδού, (Idou) in Matthew 1:23: Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Middle Imperative
Ἰδού, (Idou) in Matthew 1:23
Textual Witness
The witness reads Ἰδού at the start of Matthew 1:23, matching a common discourse marker that introduces the line.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form gives the citation a vivid entrance without adding content beyond the prophecy itself.
How To Communicate It
When teaching Matthew 1:23, use this form to show how the opening 'behold' alerts the reader to the prophecy's importance.
What Not To Say
- Grammar should serve context, not override it.
- Do not make aorist imperative morphology prove literal eyesight here.
- Do not overread middle voice into a separate theological claim.
- Do not let the attention marker replace the content of the prophecy.
- Do not use the grammar profile as a shortcut around the wording and logic of the verse.
What Does The Label Mean?
Verb: the form names an action or command rather than a thing or person.
Second Aorist: commonly views the action as a whole event. It should not be treated as automatically punctiliar or automatically past in every context.
Middle: presents the subject as closely involved in the action. The sentence decides the nuance.
Imperative: presents the verbal idea as a command, appeal, or summons to action.
Second person: the hearer or hearers are grammatically addressed by the verbal form.
Not applicable: this verb form is not using noun case to mark its sentence role.
Second person singular: the form addresses a single hearer, which fits a direct summons in the clause.
Not applicable: this verb form does not use grammatical gender to make its point.
What The Form Does In This Verse
The opening attention marker in Matthew 1:23 before the prophecy citation
The citation of the prophecy about the virgin, the son, and the name Emmanuel
It opens the prophecy citation with a summons to attention, preparing the hearer for the content that follows.
The imperative form is not the content of the prophecy and does not by itself identify who is seen or what is fulfilled.
How Much The Form Matters Here
High: The form opens a central fulfillment citation in Matthew 1.
Attention imperative opening a prophecy citation. summons attention to the statement that follows. Attached to the prophecy citation in Matthew 1:23. Governed by the citation formula and prophecy wording that follows. The imperative functions idiomatically as an attention marker; the prophecy supplies the content.
What is the reader being directed to notice? The reader is directed to the prophecy about the virgin, the son, and Emmanuel.
Direct: The imperative supports an attention rendering such as behold or look.
Aorist imperative morphology does not require a literal eyesight command here. The prophecy content, not the attention marker, carries the main claim.
Grammar marker carries the whole doctrine: The form alerts the reader; the prophecy supplies the theological content.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The witness reads Ἰδού at the start of Matthew 1:23, matching a common discourse marker that introduces the line.
The lemma ὁράω normally relates to seeing or perceiving, and here the form is used in a call to attention rather than ordinary visual narration.
The imperative shape gives alerting force, while the following prophecy supplies the theological content.
Matthew 1:23 presents the prophecy of the virgin, the son, and the name Emmanuel.
The form fits Matthew's fulfillment-citation style by directing attention to the Scripture being cited.
When teaching Matthew 1:23, use this form to show how the opening 'behold' alerts the reader to the prophecy's importance.
Do not derive a separate theological claim from V-2AMM-2S alone. The form introduces the prophecy, while the citation carries the meaning.