It's a verb meaning "to look at, observe, or perceive with the eyes." It also encompassed a sense of attention, contemplation, and understanding.
Here's a breakdown of its components:
* "be-": A prefix indicating "to be" or "to cause to be."
* "healdan": Meaning "to hold, keep, or preserve."
Therefore, "behealdan" literally translates to "to hold or keep something in view," emphasizing the act of actively observing and absorbing what you see.
This meaning is quite similar to the modern English "behold," which implies both a visual act and a mental one of taking in and considering what you see.