Inquire

INQUIRE in-kwir' (sha'al, "to ask," "desire"; zeteo, "to seek"); A form sometimes employed with reference to the practice of divination, as where Saul "inquires of" (or "consults") the witch of Endor as to the issue of the coming battle (1 Samuel 28:6,7) (see DIVINATION).

In Job 10:6, "to inquire (baqash) after iniquity" signifies to bring to light and punish for it, and Job asks distractedly if God's time is so short that He is in a hurry to find him guilty and to punish him as if He had only a man's few days to live.

"To inquire of Yahweh" denotes the consultation of oracle, priest, prophet or Yahweh Himself, as to a certain course of action or as to necessary supplies. (Judges 20:27 the King James Version, "to ask"; 1 Kings 22:5; 1 Samuel 9:9 (darash); 1 Samuel 10:22 the King James Version; 2 Samuel 2:1; 5:19,23; Ezekiel 36:37).

"To inquire (baqar) in his temple" (palace) means to find out all that constant fellowship or unbroken intercourse with God can teach (Psalms 27:4).

Proverbs 20:25 warns against rashness in making a vow and afterward considering (baqar, "to make inquiry") as to whether it can be fulfilled or how it may be eluded.

In the King James Version, the translation of several Greek words:

diaginosko, "to know thoroughly" (Acts 23:15); epizeteo, "to seek after" (Acts 19:39); suzeteo, "to seek together" (Luke 22:23); exetazo, "to search out" (Matthew 10:11).

M. O. Evans

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Bibliography Information

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'INQUIRE'".  "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".  1915.