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H1156 · Hebrew · Old Testament
בְּעָא
Bea
Verb (Aramaic)
To pray / Seek / Request

Definition

The Aramaic verb bea means to pray, to seek earnestly, or to make a petition. It appears in the Aramaic sections of Daniel as the primary word for prayer, used both of Daniel's own prayer practice and of the king's requests.

Usage & Theological Significance

Bea is theologically significant because it appears in the heart of one of Scripture's most dramatic prayer narratives — Daniel's refusal to stop praying despite a royal decree. The word shows that prayer is not merely ritual but an act of loyal devotion that defines a person's ultimate allegiance.

Daniel's use of bea three times daily points to prayer as intentional, regular, and covenantal — a pattern that influenced Jewish and Christian prayer practice for millennia.

Key Bible Verses

Daniel 6:11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.
Daniel 6:7 The royal administrators...have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days...shall be thrown into the lions' den.
Daniel 2:18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery.
Daniel 6:13 ...Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.
Daniel 9:3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

Related Words

External Resources

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