ba.qar denotes making a careful inquiry or examination, whether of a person, flock, offering matter, or sacred commitment.

The verb consistently marks careful inquiry or examination: a priest examines a condition and an owner considers animals, while other clauses describe inquiring after vows, at the temple, concerning an altar, or after a scattered flock.

1. Careful inquiry or examination · dominant

   In Leviticus 13:36 and Leviticus 27:33, the Piel imperfect forms occur where a priest examines a skin condition and an owner is not to examine animals for good or bad. The infinitive construct is used for inquiry concerning the bronze altar in 2 Kings 16:15, vows in Proverbs 20:25, and the temple in Psalm 27:4. In Ezekiel 34:11 and Ezekiel 34:12, the first-person Piel forms describe inquiring after a flock in the context of seeking and rescuing those scattered.

   Leviticus 13:36Leviticus 27:332 Kings 16:15Proverbs 20:25Psalm 27:4Ezekiel 34:12

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly uses “examine” in the Leviticus clauses and “inquire” or “enquire after” elsewhere; in Ezekiel 34:11 and Ezekiel 34:12 it also places the term alongside “seek.” These renderings confirm the clauses' overall presentation rather than supplying separate definitions.