This verb means to choose, select, or take for oneself, often with emphasis on deliberate preference. Matthew uses it in Matthew 12:18 quoting Isaiah's Servant Song: "Behold my servant whom I have chosen." The verb expresses God's sovereign election of the Messiah for His redemptive mission. The term can denote both selection from alternatives and adoption as one's own. The Septuagintal usage often carries theological weight of divine choosing—not arbitrary selection but purposeful election based on God's will and pleasure. Here it expresses the Father's deliberate choice and approval of Jesus as His beloved Servant.