Hayah means to be, become, come to pass, exist, or happen. It appears over 3,500 times, making it one of the most frequent verbs. It expresses existence, state of being, and the unfolding of events.
The theological apex is God's self-revelation in Exodus 3:14: 'I AM WHO I AM' (ehyeh asher ehyeh). This reveals God as the self-existent one whose being depends on nothing outside Himself. He is the one who was, is, and will be — the living, active, present God.