Be
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words [1]
Hâyâh (הָיָה, Strong'S #1961), “to become, occur, come to pass, be.” This verb occurs only in Hebrew and Aramaic. The Old Testament attests hayah about 3,560 times, in both Hebrew and Aramaic.
Often this verb indicates more than simple existence or identity (this may be indicated by omitting the verb altogether). Rather, the verb makes a strong statement about the being or presence of a person or thing. Yet the simple meaning “become” or “come to pass” appears often in the English versions.
The verb can be used to emphasize the presence of a person (e.g., God’s Spirit—Judg. 3:10), an emotion (e.g., fear—Gen. 9:2), or a state of being (e.g., evil—Amos 3:6). In such cases, the verb indicates that their presence (or absence) is noticeable—it makes a real difference to what is happening.
On the other hand, in some instances hâyâh does simply mean “happen, occur.” Here the focus is on the simple occurrence of the events—as seen, for example, in the statement following the first day of creation: “And so it happened” (Gen. 1:7). In this sense, hâyâh is frequently translated “it came to pass.”
The use of this verb with various particles colors its emphasis accordingly. In passages setting forth blessing or cursing, for example, this verb not only is used to specify the object of the action but also the dynamic forces behind and within the action. Gen. 12:2, for example, records that God told Abram: “… I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be [ hâyâh ] a blessing.” Abram was already blessed, so God’s pronouncement conferred upon him a future blessedness. The use of hâyâh in such passages declares the actual release of power, so that the accomplishment is assured— Abram will be blessed because God has ordained it.
In another set of passages, hâyâh constitutes intent rather than accomplishment. Hence, the blessing becomes a promise and the curse a threat (cf. Gen. 15:5).
Finally, in a still weaker use of hâyâh, the blessing or curse constitutes a wish or desire (cf. Ps. 129:6). Even here the verb is somewhat dynamic, since the statement recognizes God’s presence, man’s faithfulness (or rebellion), and God’s intent to accomplish the result pronounced.
In miracle accounts, hâyâh often appears at the climax of the story to confirm the occurrence of the event itself. Lot’s wife looked back and “became” a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26); the use of hâyâh emphasizes that the event really occurred. This is also the force of the verb in Gen. 1:3, in which God said, “Let there be light.” He accomplished His word so that there was light.
The prophets use hâyâh to project God’s intervention in the future. By using this verb, they emphasize not so much the occurrence of predicted events and circumstances as the underlying divine force that will effect them (cf. Isa. 2:2). Legal passages use hâyâh in describing God’s relationship to His covenant people, to set forth what is desired and intended (cf. Exod. 12:16). When covenants were made between two partners, the formulas usually included hâyâh (Deut. 26:17-18; Jer. 7:23).
One of the most debated uses of hâyâh occurs in Exod. 3:14, where God tells Moses His name. He says: “I am [ hâyâh ] that I am [ hâyâh ].” Since the divine name Jehovah or Yahweh was well-known long before (cf. Gen. 4:1), this revelation seems to emphasize that the God who made the covenant was the God who kept the covenant. So Exod. 3:14 is more than a simple statement of identity: “I am that I am”; it is a declaration of divine control of all things (cf. Hos. 1:9).
King James Dictionary [2]
BE, substantive, ppr.being pp.been.The sense is to stand, remain or be fixed hence to continue. This verb is defective, and its defects are supplied by verbs from other roots, as, is, was, were, which have no radical connection with be. The case is the same with the substantive verb in most languages.
1. To be fixed to exist to have a real state or existence,for a longer or shorter time.
Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2
To be, contents his natural desire.
2. To be made to be to become.
And they twain shall be one flesh. Math 19 Jeremiah 32
3. To remain. Let the garment be as it was made. 4. To be present in a place. Where was I at the time? When will you be at my house? 5. To have a particular manner of being or happening as, how is this affair? how was it? what were the circumstances?
This verb is used as an auxiliary in forming the tenses of other verbs, and particularly in giving them the passive form as, he has been disturbed. It forms, with the infinitive, a particular future tense, which often expresses duty, necessity or purpose as, government is to be supported we are to pay our just debts.
Let be is to omit,or leave untouched to let alone.
Let be,said he, my prey.
BE, a prefix, as in because, before, beset, bedeck,is the same word as by. It is common to the English, Saxon, Gothic, German, Dutch, Danish and Swedish languages. It occurs probably in the Russian, but is written po, as it is in possideo and a few other words in the Latin. It denotes nearness, closeness, about, or, at, from some root signifying to pass or to press. See By.
That this word is the Shemitic, used as a prefix, is certain, not only from its general applications, which may be seen by comparing the uses of the word, in the Heb. for instance, with those in the Saxon but from its use in particular phrases, particularly in its use before the name of the Supreme being in swearing.
Webster's Dictionary [3]
(1): (v. i.) To exist actually, or in the world of fact; to have ex/stence.
(2): (v. i.) To exist in a certain manner or relation, - whether as a reality or as a product of thought; to exist as the subject of a certain predicate, that is, as having a certain attribute, or as belonging to a certain sort, or as identical with what is specified, - a word or words for the predicate being annexed; as, to be happy; to be here; to be large, or strong; to be an animal; to be a hero; to be a nonentity; three and two are five; annihilation is the cessation of existence; that is the man.
(3): (v. i.) To take place; to happen; as, the meeting was on Thursday.
(4): (v. i.) To signify; to represent or symbolize; to answer to.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [4]
BE . To be is to exist, as in ‘To be, or not to be, that is the question.’ This primary meaning is found in Genesis 5:24 ‘Enoch walked with God; and he was not’; Hebrews 11:6 ‘he that cometh to God must believe that he is.’ The auxiliary use is later. In 1611 ‘be’ and ‘are’ were interchangeable auxiliary forms in the pres. indic, plu., as Psalms 107:30 ‘Then are they glad because they be quiet.’
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [5]
Be
