ζητ-έω G2212
To seek, search for, desire to obtain; in passive, to be required or demanded
This common Greek verb zeteo moves fluidly between physical searching and purposeful striving. The Magi 'seek' the child (Matt 2:20) in a literal sense, while Jesus commands his followers to 'seek first the kingdom' (Matt 6:33) in the volitional sense of pursuing and prioritizing. The passive voice introduces a third dimension — accountability — as in Luke 12:48, 'of the one entrusted with much, much will be required.' Spanish buscar and German suchen cover both the physical and volitional senses, while the passive 'required' sense often demands a different lexical choice across languages.
1. seek, search for, look for — Physical, concrete seeking: to search for, look for, or attempt to locate a person, place, or thing. The unclean spirit 'seeks' rest (Matt 12:43), Herod's men 'seek' the child's life (Matt 2:20), and Jesus' family 'seeks' him in the crowd (Matt 12:46-47). This is the most tangible sense, involving actual effort to find something currently unknown or lost. Spanish buscaban and French chercher both capture this active searching movement. 64×
AR["إِذْ-طَلَبوا","طَلَبوا","طَلَبُوا","كانوا-يَطلُبونَ","كانوا-يَطْلُبونَ","كَانُوا-يَطْلُبُونَ","يَطلُبُ","يَطلُبُونَ"]·ben["খুঁজছিল","খুঁজছিলেন","খুঁজতে","খুঁজতেন","খোঁজছিল","খোঁজে","চাইছিল","চাইছে","তারা-খুঁজছিল"]·DE["suchen","sucht"]·EN["seeking","they-were-seeking","were-seeking"]·FR["chercher"]·heb["בִּקְּשׁ-וּ","בִּקְּשׁוּ","בִּקְשׁוּ","חִפְּשׂוּ","מְבַקְּשִׁים","מְבַקֵּשׁ"]·HI["खोजते-थे","चअहते-हुए","चाहते-थे","ढूँढते-थे","ढूँढ़ते-थे","ढूंढ-रहे-थे","ढूंढती-थी","ढूंढते-थे","ढूंढ़ते-थे","ढूंढ़ते-हुए","धोओनधतअ"]·ID["berusaha","mencari","mereka-berusaha","mereka-mencari"]·IT["cercare"]·jav["madosi","ngupados","nyuwun","pados","piyambakipun-sedaya-madosi","sami-madosi","sami-ngupados"]·KO["그들이-찾았다","찾고-있었나이다","찾고-있었다","찾았다","찾으며","찾으면서"]·PT["buscavam","procurando","procuravam"]·RU["искал","искали","ища"]·ES["buscaban","buscando"]·SW["akitafuta","wakatafuta","wakitaka","walikuwa-wakimtafuta","walikuwa-wakitafuta","walimtafuta","walitafuta","walitaka","yeye"]·TR["arayan","arayarak","arıyorlardı","isteyen"]·urd["اُسے","چاہتے-تھے","چاہتے-ہوئے","چھونا","ڈھونڈ-رہے-تھے","ڈھونڈتی","ڈھونڈتے-تھے"]
Matt 2:20, Matt 7:8, Matt 12:43, Matt 12:46, Matt 12:47, Matt 13:45, Matt 21:46, Matt 26:16, Matt 26:59, Mark 8:11, Mark 11:18, Mark 12:12 (+38 more)
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
2. desire, strive to obtain — Volitional and abstract seeking: to desire, strive for, or pursue something, often intangible — glory, signs, opportunity, or the kingdom of God. Jesus' programmatic command 'seek first his kingdom' (Matt 6:33) and the promise 'seek and you will find' (Matt 7:7) operate in this register. The object is not lost but rather valued and pursued. German sucht and Spanish buscad cover this naturally, as the same verb carries both concrete and volitional weight in those languages. 50×
AR["اُطلُبوا","تَبْحَثُ","تَبْحَثُونَ","تَطلُبنَ","تَطلُبونَ","تَطلُبُ","تَطْلُبونَ","تَطْلُبُونَ","تَطْلُبْنَ","يَبْحَثُ","يَطْلُبُ"]·ben["খুঁজছ","খুঁজছো","খুঁজে","খুঁজেন","খোঁজ","খোঁজে","চায়","তোমরা-খোঁজ-করছ"]·DE["suchen","sucht"]·EN["do-you-seek","it-seeks","seek","seek-you","seeks","you-seek"]·FR["chercher"]·heb["בַּקְּשׁוּ","מְבַקְּשִׁים","מְבַקְּשִׁים-אַתֶּם","מְבַקְּשׁוֹת","מְבַקְּשׁוֹת-אַתֶּן","מְבַקֵּשׁ","מְבַקֶּשֶׁת","מְחַפְּשִׂים"]·HI["खोजता-है","खोजती-है","खोजते-हो","खोजो","चाहता-है","चाहता-है;","चाहते-हो","ढूँढता-है,","ढूँढती-है","ढूंढ-रहे-हो","ढूंढती-हो","ढूंढ़ती-हो","तुम-खोजते-हो","तुम-ढूंढते-हो","धोओनधत-है"]·ID["Carilah","itu-mencari","kamu-cari","kamu-mencari","mencari","mencari,"]·IT["cercare"]·jav["dipunpadosi.","madosi","madosi,","madosi;","nanging-padosa","nyuwun","pados","panjenengan-madosi","panjenengan-padosi","panjenengan-padosi;","panjenengan-sedaya-madosi"]·KO["구하는가","구하라","구하면서","구하지","구한다","찾고-있느냐","찾느냐","찾는","찾는가","찾는다","찾으나","찾으신다","찾지"]·PT["busca","busca,","buscai","buscais","indagais"]·RU["ищет","ищете","ищите"]·ES["busca","buscad","buscáis","me-buscáis"]·SW["Iēsoûs-mnamtafuta","anakutafuta","anatafuta","atafuta","hutafuta","kinatafuta","mnamtafuta","mnamtafuta;","mnanitafuta","mnatafuta","mnataka,","tafuteni","utafuta"]·TR["arar","arayın","araştırıyorsunuz","arıyor","arıyorsunuz","kendi şeyini arar"]·urd["چاہتے-ہو","ڈھونڈتا-ہے","ڈھونڈتی-ہو","ڈھونڈتی-ہے","ڈھونڈتے ہو","ڈھونڈتے-ہو","ڈھونڈو","ڈھونڑتی"]
Matt 2:13, Matt 6:33, Matt 7:7, Matt 18:12, Matt 28:5, Mark 1:37, Mark 3:32, Mark 8:12, Mark 16:6, Luke 11:9, Luke 11:29, Luke 12:29 (+38 more)
3. be required, be demanded — Passive voice: to be required, demanded, or sought from someone, expressing obligation or accountability. Luke 12:48 ('from the one entrusted much, much will be required') and 1 Corinthians 4:2 ('it is required of stewards to be faithful') are key passages. Spanish shifts to es requerido and sera demandado, revealing how the passive transforms the seeking verb into a demand verb. Only three New Testament occurrences carry this distinct semantic frame. 3×
AR["سَيُطْلَبُ","يُبْحَثُ","يُطْلَبُ"]·ben["খোঁজা-হত","চাওয়া-হবে","চাওয়া-হয়"]·DE["suchen","sucht"]·EN["it-is-sought","will-be-required","would-be-sought"]·FR["chercher"]·heb["יִתְבַּקֵּשׁ","נִדְרָשׁ"]·HI["खोजा-जाता-है","खोजी-जाती","माँगा-जाएगा"]·ID["akan-dituntut","dicari","dituntut"]·IT["cercare"]·jav["badhé-dipuntuntut","dipun-padosi","dipunpadosi"]·KO["구해졌으리라","구해지리라","구해진다"]·PT["buscado","requer-se"]·RU["будет-взыскано","искалось-бы","требуется"]·ES["es-requerido","se-buscaría","será-demandado"]·SW["angetafutwa","inatakiwa","yatahitajika"]·TR["aranan","aranırdı","istenecek"]·urd["تلاش-کی-جاتی","مانگا-جائے-گا","چاہیے"]
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
ζητ-έω, Doric dialect participle ζάτεισα Refs 3rd c.BC+imperfect ἐζήτουν, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular ζήτει Refs 8th c.BC+: aorist 1 ἐζήτησα Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἐζήτηκα Refs 4th c.BC+ —middle, aorist 1 ἐζητησάμην (ἀν-) Refs 3rd c.AD+:—passive, future ζητηθήσομαι Refs 2nd c.AD+; but ζητήσομαι in passive sense,Refs 2nd c.AD+:—seek, seek for, ἐμὲ δ᾽ ἔξοχα πάντων ζήτει Il.[same place]; ζ.…