Question 1

What does "Seek" mean in the King James Bible?

Accepted Answer

In the KJV, "Seek" means "look for." The whole-being urgency. 'Seek the Lord with all your heart' meant pursue God the way a drowning person pursues air -- with your entire being, because your life depends on it. Darash was the intensity of a detective investigating a case, not someone glancing around a room.

Question 2

Why did the word "Seek" disappear from modern English?

Accepted Answer

Hebrew baqash/darash ('to seek with urgency/inquire diligently/pursue with your whole being') flattened into 'look for.' The desperation and whole-life commitment of seeking God became casual searching. The word was at peak usage around 1611 and declined by still used but casualized (~1900).

Question 3

What modern word replaced "Seek"?

Accepted Answer

"Seek" was replaced by: "look for" (though this casual and visual; baqash was an all-consuming pursuit with everything at stake); "search" (though this methodical and detached; darash was urgent, personal, and involved the whole person); "try to find" (though this half-hearted; seeking god was not 'trying' but committing everything to the pursuit).

What Does “Seek” Mean in the Bible?

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