ἀναζητ-έω G0327
to search for, seek out, investigate carefully
A verb of diligent searching or investigation. Mary and Joseph 'searched for' the twelve-year-old Jesus among relatives and acquaintances (Luke 2:44-45). Barnabas went to Tarsus to 'seek out' Saul after his conversion (Acts 11:25). Classical usage includes investigating causes and discovering things overlooked. The term suggests purposeful, thorough searching rather than casual looking.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Denotes deliberate, careful searching. Luke's nativity account shows parental concern: a day's journey before realizing Jesus's absence, then anxious searching among the traveling company. Barnabas's search for Saul shows strategic intent: finding the right person for Antioch's church. Multilingual glosses use search vocabulary (Spanish 'buscar,' French 'chercher'), with present participles (Spanish 'buscando,' French 'cherchant,' German 'suchend') emphasizing the active, ongoing nature of the search. Discovery follows diligent seeking. 3×
AR["كَانَا-يَبْحَثَانِ", "لِـ-يَطْلُبَ", "يَبْحَثَانِ"]·ben["খুঁজছিলেন", "খুঁজতে"]·DE["ἀναζητοῦντες", "ἀναζητῆσαι", "ἀνεζήτουν"]·EN["searching-for", "to-seek", "were-searching-for"]·FR["chercher"]·heb["חִפְּשׂוּ", "לְבַקֵּשׁ", "מְבַקְּשִׁים"]·HI["खोजते-थे", "खोजते-हुए", "ढूंढने-को"]·ID["mencari", "mereka-mencari", "untuk-mencari"]·IT["cercare"]·jav["madosi", "sami-madosi"]·KO["찾았다", "찾으러", "찾으며"]·PT["procurando", "procuravam"]·RU["искали", "искать", "разыскивая"]·ES["a-buscar", "buscando", "lo-buscaban"]·SW["kumtafuta", "wakamtafuta", "wakimtafuta"]·TR["aramak-için", "arayan", "arıyorlardı"]·urd["تلاش-کرتے-رہے", "تلاش-کرتے-ہوئے", "ڈھونڈنے-کو"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀναζητ-έω, investigate, τὰς αἰτίαςRefs 5th c.BC+: —passive, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II search out, discover, τὰ παραλελειμμένα ὑπὸ τῶν προτέρων ἀρχείωνRefs 3rd c.BC+; search for, μαστροπούςRefs 1st c.AD+