ἐκζητ-έω G1567
Seek out diligently, search for earnestly (especially God); demand an accounting of, require (especially blood-guilt).
The verb ekzeteo intensifies the common Greek zeteo ('seek') with the prefix ek-, producing a word that conveys thoroughness, urgency, and ultimate accountability. In its dominant sense, it describes the earnest pursuit of God or spiritual realities — the nations who 'will seek out' the Lord (Acts 15:17, quoting Amos 9:12), the sobering observation that 'no one seeks after God' (Rom 3:11), and the promise that God 'rewards those who diligently seek him' (Heb 11:6). Spanish buscar, French rechercher, and German suchen all render this with intensified search vocabulary. But a distinct juridical sense emerges in Luke 11:50-51, where Jesus warns that the blood of all the prophets 'will be required' of this generation — here ekzeteo shifts from seeking a person to demanding a reckoning, echoing the LXX idiom of God 'requiring blood' from the guilty (Gen 9:5; 2 Sam 4:11).
Senses
1. seek out, search for diligently — To seek out earnestly, search for with diligence and thoroughness, especially in the religious context of seeking God or divine truth. The ek- prefix intensifies the basic zeteo, conveying not casual inquiry but determined pursuit. Five of seven NT occurrences fall here: the Gentiles who will 'seek out the Lord' in the messianic age (Acts 15:17), Paul's citation that 'no one seeks after God' (Rom 3:11), the declaration that God 'rewards those who diligently seek him' (Heb 11:6), Esau who 'sought it with tears' (Heb 12:17), and the prophets who 'searched carefully' into the coming salvation (1 Pet 1:10). Spanish buscaron/busquen, French rechercher, and German suchen all reach for intensified search vocabulary, confirming the earnest quality of this seeking. 5×
AR["بَحَثوا", "طالِبٌ", "طَالِبِيهِ", "طَلَبَهَا", "يَطلُبَ"]·ben["অন্বেষণকারী", "খুঁজুক", "খুঁজেছিল", "খুঁজেছিলেন", "সন্ধান-করছে"]·DE["suchen", "ἐκζητήσωσιν"]·EN["having-sought", "may-seek-out", "seeking", "seeking-out", "sought-out"]·FR["chercher", "rechercher"]·heb["בִּקְשָׁהּ", "דָּרְשׁוּ", "דּוֹרְשִׁים", "דּוֹרֵשׁ", "הַ-"]·HI["खोज-की", "खोजते-हुए", "खोजने-वालों", "खोजनेवाला", "खोजें"]·ID["ia-mencari", "mencari", "telah-menyelidiki"]·IT["cercare", "ekzētousin", "ekzētēsas", "exezētēsan"]·jav["kang-madosi", "madosi", "pados"]·KO["간절히-찾고", "구하도록", "찾는-자", "찾는-자들에게", "찾았지만"]·PT["buscar", "buscaram", "o-buscam", "que-busca", "tendo-buscado"]·RU["взыскали", "взыскующего", "искавший", "искали", "ищущим"]·ES["buscando", "buscaron", "busquen", "que-busca", "que-le-buscan"]·SW["aliitafuta", "anayemtafuta", "walitafuta-kwa-bidii", "wamtafute", "wanaomtafuta"]·TR["aradılar", "aramış-olarak", "arasınlar", "arayan", "arayanlara"]·urd["تلاش-کی", "ٹلاش-کرنے-والا", "ڈھونڈنے-والوں", "ڈھونڈیں"]
2. require, demand an accounting of — To demand an accounting of, to require back — a juridical sense in which something (especially blood-guilt) is exacted from the responsible party. Distinct from the 'seek' meaning, this sense appears in Luke 11:50-51, where Jesus declares that 'the blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world will be required of this generation.' The passive construction (ekzetethei, ekzetethesetai) reinforces the forensic tone: this is divine reckoning, not devotional searching. Spanish sea demandada/sera demandada and the German transliteration ekzetethesetai both capture the demand-for-accountability frame. The sense traces directly to the LXX usage in Genesis 9:5, where God 'requires' the blood of every creature from its slayer. 2×
AR["يُطلَبَ", "يُطلَبُ"]·ben["চাওয়া-হবে", "চাওয়া-হয়"]·DE["ἐκζητηθήσεται", "ἐκζητηθῇ"]·EN["it-will-be-required", "may-be-required"]·FR["chercher"]·heb["יִדָּרֵשׁ"]·HI["लिया-जाए", "लिया-जाएगा"]·ID["akan-dituntut", "dituntut"]·IT["cercare"]·jav["badhé-dipuntuntut", "dipuntuntut"]·KO["구해지리라"]·RU["будет-взыскана", "была-взыскана"]·ES["sea-demandada", "será-demandada"]·SW["itatakwa", "litakwe"]·TR["aranacak", "aransın"]·urd["مانگا-جائے", "مانگا-جائے-گا"]
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
ἐκζητ-έω, seek out, Refs 1st c.BC+; περίτινος NT __II demand an account of, τὸ αἷμα LXX+NT