ba.qash denotes directed searching or pursuit—of people, things, God, understanding, or an outcome.

The verb most often marks an active effort to locate or obtain a person, object, or place; it also describes hostile pursuit, turning to God, and the pursuit of understanding or peace. In several clauses, the APB presents the action as requiring an accounting or as something being sought and found.

1. Active search for a person, object, or place · dominant

   The verb marks efforts to locate something concrete: Saul is sent to look for missing donkeys in 1 Samuel 9:3, David's servants search for a young woman in 1 Kings 1:2, and men are proposed to look for Elisha in 2 Kings 2:16. In 1 Chronicles 4:39, the infinitive construct introduces the journey to find pasture for the flock.

   1 Samuel 9:31 Kings 1:21 Kings 1:32 Kings 2:161 Chronicles 4:391 Kings 2:40
2. Pursuit directed against a person · common

   The term can describe pursuit aimed at taking life or causing harm. In 1 Samuel 19:2, the active participle describes Saul's continuing intention to put David to death; in 1 Samuel 23:14, the sequential imperfect is used of Saul's daily pursuit of David. Esther 9:2 similarly speaks of those pursuing harm against the Jews.

   1 Samuel 19:21 Samuel 23:141 Samuel 23:151 Kings 19:10Esther 6:2Esther 9:2
3. Turning toward God or his presence · common

   With God as the stated object, the verb describes a directed religious quest. The imperatives in 1 Chronicles 16:11 call for seeking the LORD, his strength, and his face continually, while Deuteronomy 4:29 joins seeking God with finding him through wholehearted searching. In Ezra 8:22, those who seek God are contrasted with those who forsake him.

   1 Chronicles 16:101 Chronicles 16:11Deuteronomy 4:292 Chronicles 15:15Ezra 8:22Ezra 8:23
4. Pursuit of understanding, peace, or schemes · occasional

   The verb can take nonmaterial goals as its object. In Daniel 8:15, Daniel's first-person sequential imperfect occurs as he seeks understanding after seeing the vision; in Ezekiel 7:25, people seek peace but find none. Ecclesiastes 7:29 uses it of people pursuing many schemes.

   Daniel 8:15Ezekiel 7:25Ecclesiastes 7:28Ecclesiastes 7:29
5. Calling for what is due from someone · occasional

   In several judicial or accountability clauses, the action is presented as requiring something from another person. Genesis 31:39 uses the second-masculine-singular imperfect where the APB renders, "You may require it from my hand," and Ezekiel 33:8 similarly has the speaker require the wicked person's blood from the watchman's hand.

   Genesis 31:392 Samuel 4:11Ezekiel 33:8
6. Being searched for · rare

   The supplied Pual forms present the subject as the object of a search. Esther 2:23 says that the matter was investigated and found, while Ezekiel 26:21 states that the addressed city will be sought but never found again.

   Esther 2:23Ezekiel 26:21

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across the cited verses, the APB commonly uses "seek" or "sought," but also uses "search," "looking for," "require," and "investigated." These renderings show the verse-level presentation rather than fixed English equivalents for the lemma.