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).
H1245. baqash
[בָּקַשׁ]224 verb seek (Phoenician בקש) —
Pi`el Perfect בִּקֵּשׁ Deuteronomy 13:11 15t.; בִּקְשָׁה Ecclesiastes 7:28; Esther 2:15; suffix בִּקְשָׁתַם Hosea 2:9; בִּקַּשְׁתִּיו Song of Solomon 3:1-2, compare 5:6; בִּקְשׁוּ Ezra 2:62 12t.; suffix בִּקְשֻׁנִי Isaiah 65:1-2t.; Imperfect יְבַקֵשׁ Joshua 22:23 37t.; יְבַקֶּשֿׁ Proverbs 15:14 2t.; אֲבַקְשָׁה Psalm 122:9 3t.; suffix יְבַקְשֵׁהוּ 1 Samuel 23:14 7t.; יְבַקְשׁוּ 16:16 23t.; Imperative בַקֵּשׁ 9:3 3t.; בַּקְּשׁוּ 28:7-8t.; Infinitive לְבַקֵּשׁ 10:2 29t.; Participle מְבַקֵּשׁ Genesis 37:16 23t.; plural מְבַקְשִׁים Exodus 10:11 38t.; —
1 seek to find:
a. absolute Judges 6:29; 2 Kings 2:17; Jeremiah 5:1; Ezekiel 34:6; Ecclesiastes 3:6; 8:17 (yet see Ew).
b. accusative Genesis 37:15-16, Joshua 2:22 (J) Judges 4:22; 14:4; 1 Samuel 9:3; 10:2, 14, 21; 16:16; 23:14, 25; 24:3; 26:2; 27:1, 4 + 26:20 object a flea, but read ᵐ5 נַפְשִׁי Th We Kirkp Klo Dr; 2 Samuel 17:3, 20; 1 Kings 1:3; 2:40; 18:10; 2 Kings 2:16; 6:19; 1 Chronicles 4:39; 2 Chronicles 22:9; Ezra 2:62 (= Nehemiah 7:64) 12:27; Psalm 37:25; 37:36; 119:176; Proverbs 2:4; 21:6; 23:35; Proverbs 7:28; Song of Solomon 3:1 (twice in verse); 3:2 (twice in verse); 5:6; 6:1; Isaiah 41:12, 17; Jeremiah 2:24, 33; Lamentations 1:11; Ezekiel 7:25; 22:30; 34:4, 16; Hosea 2:9; Nahum 3:11; Zechariah 11:16; Malachi 2:15.
c. with לְ Job 10:6.
d. accusative of thing לְ person Judges 18:1; 1 Samuel 13:14; 28:7; 1 Kings 1:2; Ruth 3:1; Esther 2:2; Psalm 122:9; Isaiah 40:20; Lamentations 1:19; Nahum 3:7.
2 seek to secure:
a. accusative the priesthood Numbers 16:10 (P); David for king 2 Samuel 3:17; in battle 5:17 (= 1 Chronicles 14:8); Psalm 27:4; Jeremiah 45:5 (compare 45:5); נפשׁ בקשׁ seek to take one's life Exodus 4:19 (J) 1 Samuel 20:1; 22:23 (twice in verse); 23:15; 25:29; 2 Samuel 4:8; 16:11; 1 Kings 19:10, 14; Psalm 35:4; 38:13; 40:15; 54:5; 63:10; 70:3; 86:14; Proverbs 29:10; Jeremiah 4:30; 11:21; 19:7, 9; 21:7; 22:25; 34:20-21, 38:16; 44:30 (twice in verse); 46:26; 49:37.
b. aim at, practise: רעה בקשׁ seek hurt of Numbers 35:23 (P) 1 Samuel 24:10; 25:26 (אֶל) 1 Kings 20:7; Psalm 71:13; 71:24; Esther 9:2; ׳ב כזב Psalm 4:3 compare Proverbs 17:11, שׁבר 17:19, רצון 11:27, טובה Nehemiah 2:10, אמונה Jeremiah 5:1, ענוה צדק, Zephaniah 2:3 (twice in verse) שׁלום Psalm 34:15, חכמה Proverbs 14:6; Ecclesiastes 7:25, בינה Daniel 8:15, דעת Proverbs 15:14; 18:15, תורה Malachi 2:7, אהבה Proverbs 17:9, תאוה 18:1 (ל of direct object), חשׁבנות Ecclesiastes 7:29.
c. Infinitive Exodus 4:24 (J) Jeremiah 26:21.
d. לְ & Infinitive Genesis 43:30; Exodus 2:15; 10:11 (JE) Deuteronomy 13:11; 1 Samuel 14:4; 19:2, 10; 23:10; 2 Samuel 20:19; 21:2; 1 Kings 11:22, 40; Esther 2:21; 3:6; 6:2; Psalm 37:22; Ecclesiastes 12:10; Zechariah 6:7; 12:9.
3 seek the face
a. of rulers 1 Kings 10:24 (= 2 Chronicles 9:23) Proverbs 29:26.
b. of God (from resorting to sacred places) Hosea 5:15; 1 Chronicles 16:11 (= Psalm 105:4) 2 Chronicles 7:14; 2 Samuel 21:1; Psalm 24:6; 27:8 (twice in verse); without מְּנֵי
c. יהוה Deuteronomy 4:29; Zephaniah 1:6; 2:3; Hosea 3:5, 5; 5:6; Exodus 33:7 (J) 1 Chronicles 16:10 (= Psalm 105:3) 2 Chronicles 11:16; 20:4; Isaiah 51:1; Proverbs 28:5; Zechariah 8:21-22, Jeremiah 50:4; אלהים 2 Samuel 12:16, compare Ezekiel 8:22; Isaiah 45:19; 65:1; 2 Chronicles 15:4, 15; Hosea 7:10; Jeremiah 29:13; Malachi 3:1; Psalm 40:17; 70:5; 69:7; Daniel 9:3; י ׳דבר Amos 8:12; שׁמך Psalm 83:17.
d. followed by Infinitive with לְ, of resort to wizards, but object not expressed Leviticus 19:34 (H).
4 desire, demand:
a. accusative 1 Chronicles 21:3.
b. accusative of thing מִן person Ezekiel 7:26; Daniel 1:20.
5. a. require, exact, accusative of thing מִיַּד person Isaiah 1:12; מִן person Nehemiah 5:12, accusative of thing 5:18.
b. exact equivalent or penalty for, accusative of thing, מִיַּד person Genesis 31:39; 43:9 (JE) 1 Samuel 20:16; 2 Samuel 4:11; Ezekiel 3:18, 20; 33:8, compare דרשׁ; no object expressed Joshua 22:23 (P).
6 (late) ask, request, accusative of thing Esther 2:15; עַל of thing Nehemiah 2:4; עַל of thing מִן person Esther 7:7; Ezra 8:23; עַל of thing מִלִּפְנֵי person Esther 4:8; accusative of thing מִן person Daniel 1:8 (object clause with אשׁר), Psalm 104:21; מִן person 2 Chronicles 20:4.
Pu`al Imperfect יְבֻקַּשׁ Jeremiah 50:20, ׳וַיְב Esther 2:23; תֲּבֻקְשִׁי Ezekiel 26:21 be sought.