בָּקַשׁ (H1245) — Hebrew Lexicon

בָּקַשׁ

𐤁𐤒𐤔

bâqash

H1245 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To seek intentionally, with persistence or effort, often involving inquiry, pursuit, or desire. In the Hebrew Bible, בָּקַשׁ typically denotes actively seeking to find or obtain something (e.g., information, objects, persons, or favor), to make a formal request or petition, or to pursue a goal or outcome. Contexts of use range from searching for someone, seeking God's guidance or presence, inquiring after information, or making specific requests. The nuance may shift from a physical act of searching, to a more abstract sense of desire or striving.

Semantic Range

to search for (physically), to inquire or investigate, to strive after, to request or ask (formally), to desire, to seek God or divine will, to attempt to obtain; to beg, petition, or demand

Root / Etymology

Root: בקש. Derived from the root בקש, which fundamentally conveys the notion of seeking or searching out, with an extension to the pursuit of goals or desires, and formal requests or petitions. The form is commonly found in the stem (piʻel), imparting an intensifying or causative nuance to the search or request involved.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In different biblical periods, בָּקַשׁ is used for both secular searching (e.g., searching for lost animals, 1 Samuel 9:3) and religious or formal petition (e.g., seeking YHWH's guidance, 2 Chronicles 15:4; 2 Chronicles 7:14). In many contexts, it differs from שָׁאַל (shaʼal, ‘to ask’ more generally or to borrow) in the intensity and persistence implied: בָּקַשׁ typically suggests an active, sometimes urgent, pursuit, not just a verbal request. Over time, its use in the sense of 'making inquiry' or 'petitioning' became more common, especially in post-exilic writings and Second Temple texts. Standard English translations often render the verb simply as 'seek' or 'ask,' which can obscure the underlying forcefulness or persistence of the Hebrew term. The word is prominent not only in narratives but also in psalms and prophetic literature, often in the context of seeking God’s face or favor, which later contributed to religious language traditions in Judaism and Christianity, though the ancient nuance is broader.

Translation Consistency

primary "seek" 47 occurrences

"Seek" best captures the dominant and most flexible sense in H1245: active searching, pursuing, striving, and also petitioning or requesting. It is the most frequent natural English rendering in the P2 data and comfortably covers both physical and abstract uses (seek God, seek information, seek favor). Other options like "ask" or "search" are narrower; "seek" preserves consistency and naturalness across all forms.

Alternatives (3 occurrences):

"require" (2x) "required" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after; ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

בקש (bâqash) — to seek, search for, strive after, desire, request

Root בקש to seek, search for, strive after, desire, request

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1246	בַּקָּשָׁה	your request

Word Forms

65 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H1245-15`	לְ/בַקֵּ֥שׁ	levaqesh	`HR/Vpc`	to seek	to earnestly seek	to earnestly seek	24
`H1245-19`	מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	seeks	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking	22
`H1245-21`	מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י	mevaqeshey	`HVprmpc`	seekers-of	earnest seekers of	earnest seekers of	19
`H1245-49`	וַ/יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ	vayevaqesh	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and sought	and he earnestly sought	and he earnestly sought	12
`H1245-63`	יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ	yevaqesh	`HVpi3ms`	seeks	he persistently seeks	he persistently seeks	11
`H1245-01`	אֲבַקֵּ֤שׁ	avaqesh	`HVpi1cs`	I will seek	I earnestly seek	I earnestly seek	10
`H1245-24`	מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים	mevaqeshim	`HVprmpa`	seek	the ones seeking earnestly	the ones seeking earnestly	9
`H1245-51`	וַ/יְבַקְשׁוּ֙	vayevaqeshu	`HC/Vpw3mp`	and they sought	and they sought earnestly	and they sought earnestly	9
`H1245-64`	יְבַקְשׁ֞וּ	yevaqeshu	`HVpi3mp`	let them seek	they will earnestly seek	they will earnestly seek	8
`H1245-05`	בַּקְּשׁ֥וּ	baqeshu	`HVpv2mp`	Seek	Seek earnestly	Seek earnestly	7
`H1245-10`	בִּקֵּשׁ֩	biqesh	`HVpp3ms`	sought	he sought diligently	he sought diligently	6
`H1245-12`	בִּקְשׁוּ֙	biqeshu	`HVpp3cp`	sought	they earnestly sought	they earnestly sought	6
`H1245-26`	תְּבַקֵּֽשׁ	tevaqesh	`HVpi2ms`	seek	you seek earnestly	you will seek earnestly	5
`H1245-33`	וּ/לְ/בַקֵּ֖שׁ	ulevaqesh	`HC/R/Vpc`	and to seek	and to earnestly seek	and to earnestly seek	4
`H1245-43`	וּ/בִקְשׁ֥וּ	uviqeshu	`HC/Vpq3cp`	and seek	and they earnestly sought	and they earnestly sought	4
`H1245-04`	בַּקֵּ֖שׁ	baqesh	`HVpv2ms`	seek	earnestly seek	earnestly seek	3
`H1245-23`	מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥י/ךָ	mevaqesheykha	`HVprmpc/Sp2ms`	who seek you	those seeking you	those seeking you	3
`H1245-40`	וּ/בִקַּשְׁתֶּ֥ם	uviqashetem	`HC/Vpq2mp`	and you seek	and you sought earnestly	and you sought earnestly	3
`H1245-59`	בִקְשׁ֖וּ	viqeshu	`HVpp3cp`	sought	they diligently sought	they diligently sought	3
`H1245-62`	וִֽ/יבַקְשׁ֣וּ	vivaqeshu	`HC/Vpi3mp`	and seek	and let them earnestly seek	and let them earnestly seek	3
`H1245-02`	אֲבַקְשָׁ֖ה	avaqeshah	`HVph1cs`	I will seek	let me earnestly seek	I will seek	2
`H1245-09`	בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖י/ו	biqashetiv	`HVpp1cs/Sp3ms`	I sought him	I earnestly sought him	I earnestly sought him	2
`H1245-14`	הַֽ/מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים	hamevaqeshim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	who seek	the ones seeking	the ones seeking	2
`H1245-28`	תְּבַקְשֶׁ֑/נָּה	tevaqeshenah	`HVpi2ms/Sp3fs`	you required it	you will seek her	you required it	2
`H1245-31`	תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ	tevaqeshu	`HVpj2mp`	seek	may you earnestly seek	you shall seek	2
`H1245-34`	וּ/מְבַקֵּ֥שׁ	umevaqesh	`HC/Vprmsa`	and-seeking	and the persistent seeker	and seeks	2
`H1245-35`	וּ/מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י	umevaqeshey	`HC/Vprmpc`	and-seekers	and seekers of	and seekers of	2
`H1245-52`	וַ/יְבַקְשֻׁ֖/הוּ	vayevaqeshuhu	`HC/Vpw3mp/Sp3ms`	and they sought him	and they earnestly sought him	and they earnestly sought him	2
`H1245-57`	בִקֵּ֗שׁ	viqesh	`HVpp3ms`	has required	he earnestly sought	has required	2
`H1245-03`	אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥/נּוּ	avaqeshenu	`HVpi1cs/Sp3ms`	it	I will earnestly seek him	I will earnestly seek him	1
`H1245-06`	בִּ/מְבַקְשֵׁ֖י	bimevaqeshey	`HR/Vprmpc`	on those seeking	among seekers of	on those seeking	1
`H1245-07`	בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי	biqasheti	`HVpp1cs`	I sought	I earnestly sought	I earnestly sought	1
`H1245-08`	בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֨י/הוּ֙	biqashetihu	`HVpp1cs/Sp3ms`	I sought him	I sought him out	I sought him out	1
`H1245-11`	בִּקְשָׁ֥ה	biqeshah	`HVpp3fs`		she earnestly sought	she earnestly sought	1
`H1245-13`	בִּקְשֻׁ֔/הוּ	biqeshuhu	`HVpp3cp/Sp3ms`	they had sought Him	they earnestly sought him	they earnestly sought him	1
`H1245-16`	לְ/בַקֶּשְׁ/ךָ֔	levaqeshekha	`HR/Vpc/Sp2ms`	to seek you	to intensely seek you	to seek you	1
`H1245-17`	לְ/בַקְשֵׁ֤/נִי	levaqesheni	`HR/Vpc/Sp1cs`	to seek me	to earnestly seek me	to seek me	1
`H1245-18`	לְ/בַקְשֽׁ/וֹ	levaqesho	`HR/Vpc/Sp3ms`	to seek him	to earnestly seek him	to earnestly seek him	1
`H1245-20`	מְבַקְשָׁי/ו֙	mevaqeshayv	`HVprmpc/Sp3ms`	who seek Him	his seekers	who seek Him	1
`H1245-22`	מְבַקְשֶׁ֨י/הָ֙	mevaqesheyha	`HVprmpc/Sp3fs`	who seek her	her persistent seekers	who seek her	1
`H1245-25`	נְבַקֵּ֔שׁ	nevaqesh	`HVpi1cp`	we will require	we will earnestly seek	we will require	1
`H1245-27`	תְּבַקְשֵׁ/ם֙	tevaqeshem	`HVpi2ms/Sp3mp`	you will seek them	you will earnestly seek them	you will earnestly seek them	1
`H1245-29`	תְּבַקְשֶׁ֑/נּוּ	tevaqeshenu	`HVpi2ms/Sp3ms`	you shall require him	you will diligently seek him	you shall require him	1
`H1245-30`	תְּבַקְשִׁ֥י	tevaqeshi	`HVpi2fs`	will seek	you (fem. sing.) will diligently seek	you will diligently seek	1
`H1245-32`	תְּבַקֵּשׁ֑וּ/ן	tevaqeshun	`HVpi2mp/Sn`	you seek	you will seek earnestly	you seek	1
`H1245-36`	וּ/נְבַקְשֶׁ֖/נּוּ	unevaqeshenu	`HC/Vpi1cp/Sp3ms`	that we may seek him	we will earnestly seek him	that we may seek him	1
`H1245-37`	וּֽ/תְבֻקְשִׁ֗י	utevuqeshi	`HC/VPi2fs`	and you will be sought	and you will be sought out	and you will be sought out	1
`H1245-38`	וּ/בַקֵּ֥שׁ	uvaqesh	`HC/Vpc`		and to earnestly seek	and to earnestly seek	1
`H1245-39`	וּ/בַקְשׁ֣וּ	uvaqeshu	`HC/Vpv2mp`	and seek	and earnestly seek	and earnestly seek	1
`H1245-41`	וּ/בִקֵּ֣שׁ	uviqesh	`HC/Vpp3ms`	seek	and he earnestly sought	and he sought	1
`H1245-42`	וּ/בִקְשָׁ֖תַ/ם	uviqeshatam	`HC/Vpq3fs/Sp3mp`	and she will seek them	and she earnestly sought them	and she will seek them	1
`H1245-44`	וָ/אֲבַקֵּ֣שׁ	vaavaqesh	`HC/Vpw1cs`	and I sought	and I earnestly sought	and I earnestly sought	1
`H1245-45`	וָ/אֲבַקְשָׁ֣/ה	vaavaqeshah	`HC/Vpw1cs/Sh`	and I sought	and I earnestly sought	and I sought	1
`H1245-46`	וָֽ֝/אֲבַקְשֵׁ֗/הוּ	vaavaqeshehu	`HC/Vpw1cs/Sp3ms`	I sought him	and I earnestly sought him	and I sought him	1
`H1245-47`	וַ/נְּבַקְשָׁ֥/ה	vanevaqeshah	`HC/Vpw1cp/Sh`	and petitioned	and we earnestly sought	and we earnestly sought	1
`H1245-48`	בַקְּשׁ֑וּ/נִי	vaqeshuni	`HVpv2mp/Sp1cs`	seek me	earnestly seek me	earnestly seek me	1
`H1245-50`	וַ/יְבַקְשֵׁ֤/הוּ	vayevaqeshehu	`HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3ms`	and Saul sought him	and he earnestly sought him	and he earnestly sought him	1
`H1245-53`	וַ/יְבֻקַּ֤שׁ	vayevuqash	`HC/VPw3ms`	and it was sought/investigated	and he was earnestly sought	and it was investigated	1
`H1245-54`	וְ/הַֽ/מְבַקְשִׁ֥ים	vehamevaqeshim	`HC/Td/Vprmpa`	and those seeking	and the persistent seekers	and those who seek	1
`H1245-55`	בִקַּשְׁתֶּ֑ם	viqashetem	`HVpp2mp`	you sought	you earnestly sought	you earnestly sought	1
`H1245-56`	בִקַּ֔שְׁתִּי	viqasheti	`HVpp1cs`	I demanded	I earnestly sought	I demanded	1
`H1245-58`	בִקְשָׁה֙	viqeshah	`HVpp3fs`	she requested	she earnestly sought	she requested	1
`H1245-60`	בִקְשֻׁ֖/הוּ	viqeshuhu	`HVpp3cp/Sp3ms`	sought him	they sought him earnestly	they sought him	1
`H1245-61`	בִקְשֻׁ֑/נִי	viqeshuni	`HVpp3cp/Sp1cs`	seek me	they sought me out	seeking me	1
`H1245-65`	יְבֻקַּ֞שׁ	yevuqash	`HVPi3ms`	will be sought	he will be sought out	it will be sought out	1

Occurrences in Scripture

225 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H1245-28`	Genesis 31:39	תְּבַקְשֶׁ֑/נָּה	tevaqeshenah	`HVpi2ms/Sp3fs`	you required it	you will seek her	you required it
`H1245-26`	Genesis 37:15	תְּבַקֵּֽשׁ	tevaqesh	`HVpi2ms`	are you seeking	you seek earnestly	are you seeking
`H1245-19`	Genesis 37:16	מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	am seeking	the one persistently seeking	am seeking
`H1245-29`	Genesis 43:9	תְּבַקְשֶׁ֑/נּוּ	tevaqeshenu	`HVpi2ms/Sp3ms`	you shall require him	you will diligently seek him	you shall require him
`H1245-49`	Genesis 43:30	וַ/יְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	vayevaqesh	`HC/Vpw3ms`	sought	and he earnestly sought	and he earnestly sought
`H1245-49`	Exodus 2:15	וַ/יְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	vayevaqesh	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and he sought	and he earnestly sought	and he earnestly sought
`H1245-14`	Exodus 4:19	הַֽ/מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים	hamevaqeshim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	who were seeking	the ones seeking	the ones seeking
`H1245-49`	Exodus 4:24	וַ/יְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	vayevaqesh	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and sought	and he earnestly sought	and he earnestly sought
`H1245-24`	Exodus 10:11	מְבַקְשִׁ֑ים	mevaqeshim	`HVprmpa`	are seeking	the ones seeking earnestly	are seeking
`H1245-19`	Exodus 33:7	מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	seeking	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking
`H1245-31`	Leviticus 19:31	תְּבַקְשׁ֖וּ	tevaqeshu	`HVpj2mp`	seek	may you earnestly seek	you shall seek
`H1245-40`	Numbers 16:10	וּ/בִקַּשְׁתֶּ֖ם	uviqashetem	`HC/Vpq2mp`	and you seek	and you sought earnestly	and you sought earnestly
`H1245-19`	Numbers 35:23	מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	seeking	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking
`H1245-40`	Deuteronomy 4:29	וּ/בִקַּשְׁתֶּ֥ם	uviqashetem	`HC/Vpq2mp`	and you will seek	and you sought earnestly	and you will seek earnestly
`H1245-57`	Deuteronomy 13:11	בִקֵּ֗שׁ	viqesh	`HVpp3ms`	he sought	he earnestly sought	he earnestly sought
`H1245-51`	Joshua 2:22	וַ/יְבַקְשׁ֧וּ	vayevaqeshu	`HC/Vpw3mp`	and sought	and they sought earnestly	and they sought earnestly
`H1245-63`	Joshua 22:23	יְבַקֵּֽשׁ	yevaqesh	`HVpi3ms`	will require	he persistently seeks	will require
`H1245-19`	Judges 4:22	מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	are-seeking	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking
`H1245-51`	Judges 6:29	וַ/יְבַקְשׁ֔וּ	vayevaqeshu	`HC/Vpw3mp`	and they sought	and they sought earnestly	and they sought earnestly
`H1245-19`	Judges 14:4	מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	was seeking	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking
`H1245-19`	Judges 18:1	מְבַקֶּשׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	was seeking	the one persistently seeking	was seeking
`H1245-04`	1 Samuel 9:3	בַּקֵּ֖שׁ	baqesh	`HVpv2ms`	seek	earnestly seek	earnestly seek
`H1245-15`	1 Samuel 10:2	לְ/בַקֵּ֔שׁ	levaqesh	`HR/Vpc`	to seek	to earnestly seek	to earnestly seek
`H1245-15`	1 Samuel 10:14	לְ/בַקֵּשׁ֙	levaqesh	`HR/Vpc`	To seek	to earnestly seek	to earnestly seek
`H1245-52`	1 Samuel 10:21	וַ/יְבַקְשֻׁ֖/הוּ	vayevaqeshuhu	`HC/Vpw3mp/Sp3ms`	they sought him	and they earnestly sought him	and they earnestly sought him
`H1245-10`	1 Samuel 13:14	בִּקֵּשׁ֩	biqesh	`HVpp3ms`	has sought	he sought diligently	he sought diligently
`H1245-10`	1 Samuel 14:4	בִּקֵּ֤שׁ	biqesh	`HVpp3ms`	sought	he sought diligently	he sought diligently
`H1245-64`	1 Samuel 16:16	יְבַקְשׁ֕וּ	yevaqeshu	`HVpi3mp`	let them seek	they will earnestly seek	let them seek
`H1245-19`	1 Samuel 19:2	מְבַקֵּ֛שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	seeks	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking
`H1245-49`	1 Samuel 19:10	וַ/יְבַקֵּ֨שׁ	vayevaqesh	`HC/Vpw3ms`	and sought	and he earnestly sought	and he earnestly sought
`H1245-19`	1 Samuel 20:1	מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	seeks	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking
`H1245-41`	1 Samuel 20:16	וּ/בִקֵּ֣שׁ	uviqesh	`HC/Vpp3ms`	seek	and he earnestly sought	and he sought
`H1245-63`	1 Samuel 22:23	יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ	yevaqesh	`HVpi3ms`	seeks	he persistently seeks	he persistently seeks
`H1245-63`	1 Samuel 22:23	יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ	yevaqesh-2	`HVpi3ms`	seeks	he persistently seeks	he persistently seeks
`H1245-19`	1 Samuel 23:10	מְבַקֵּ֥שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	seeks	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking
`H1245-50`	1 Samuel 23:14	וַ/יְבַקְשֵׁ֤/הוּ	vayevaqeshehu	`HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3ms`	and Saul sought him	and he earnestly sought him	and he earnestly sought him
`H1245-15`	1 Samuel 23:15	לְ/בַקֵּ֣שׁ	levaqesh	`HR/Vpc`	to seek	to earnestly seek	to earnestly seek
`H1245-15`	1 Samuel 23:25	לְ/בַקֵּשׁ֒	levaqesh	`HR/Vpc`	to seek	to earnestly seek	to earnestly seek
`H1245-15`	1 Samuel 24:3	לְ/בַקֵּ֤שׁ	levaqesh	`HR/Vpc`	to seek	to earnestly seek	to earnestly seek
`H1245-19`	1 Samuel 24:10	מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	mevaqesh	`HVprmsa`	seeks	the one persistently seeking	the one persistently seeking
`H1245-54`	1 Samuel 25:26	וְ/הַֽ/מְבַקְשִׁ֥ים	vehamevaqeshim	`HC/Td/Vprmpa`	and those seeking	and the persistent seekers	and those who seek
`H1245-33`	1 Samuel 25:29	וּ/לְ/בַקֵּ֖שׁ	ulevaqesh	`HC/R/Vpc`	and to seek	and to earnestly seek	and to earnestly seek
`H1245-15`	1 Samuel 26:2	לְ/בַקֵּ֥שׁ	levaqesh	`HR/Vpc`	to seek	to earnestly seek	to earnestly seek
`H1245-15`	1 Samuel 26:20	לְ/בַקֵּשׁ֙	levaqesh	`HR/Vpc`	to seek	to earnestly seek	to earnestly seek
`H1245-17`	1 Samuel 27:1	לְ/בַקְשֵׁ֤/נִי	levaqesheni	`HR/Vpc/Sp1cs`	to seek me	to earnestly seek me	to seek me
`H1245-18`	1 Samuel 27:4	לְ/בַקְשֽׁ/וֹ	levaqesho	`HR/Vpc/Sp3ms`	to seek him	to earnestly seek him	to earnestly seek him
`H1245-05`	1 Samuel 28:7	בַּקְּשׁוּ	baqeshu	`HVpv2mp`	Seek	Seek earnestly	Seek earnestly
`H1245-24`	2 Samuel 3:17	מְבַקְשִׁ֧ים	mevaqeshim	`HVprmpa`	seeking	the ones seeking earnestly	the ones seeking earnestly
`H1245-10`	2 Samuel 4:8	בִּקֵּ֖שׁ	biqesh	`HVpp3ms`	sought	he sought diligently	he sought diligently
`H1245-01`	2 Samuel 4:11	אֲבַקֵּ֤שׁ	avaqesh	`HVpi1cs`	require	I earnestly seek	I earnestly seek

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