What does בָּקַשׁ · נֶפֶשׁ mean in the Bible?
בָּקַשׁ · נֶפֶשׁ is a Hebrew phrase meaning "those seeking my life".
Hebrew · H1245, H5315
מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי
To search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after · properly, a breathing creature , i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality ; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
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What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
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Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
בָּקַשׁ H1245 to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
Pronunciation bāqash
To seek God through worship and prayer; also means to strive after or desire something earnestly.
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נֶפֶשׁ H5315 properly, a breathing creature , i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality ; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
Pronunciation nafsho
Vitality or lifeforce of a creature; ranges from physical breath to desire, appetite, and personal identity or selfhood.
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What does מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי (mevaqshei nafshi) mean in the Bible?
בָּקַשׁ · נֶפֶשׁ is a Hebrew phrase meaning "those seeking my life".
Full entry for מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי (H1245, H5315) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H1245, H5315?
H1245, H5315 is connected to 982 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. those seeking my life
Source Gloss
those seeking my life
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 123
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 122×
Participle active 1Chr 16:10 · 1Kgs 10:24 · 1Kgs 11:22 · 1Kgs 20:7 · 1Sam 19:2 · 1Sam 20:1 · 1Sam 23:10 · 1Sam 24:10 · 2Chr 9:23 · 2Sam 3:17 · 2Sam 16:11 · 2Sam 17:3 · 2Sam 20:19 · Exod 10:11 · Exod 33:7 · Ezek 34:6 50×
Imperfect 1Chr 21:3 · 1Sam 22:23 · Eccl 3:15 · Isa 40:20 · Josh 22:23 · Prov 11:27 · Prov 15:14 · Prov 17:11 · Prov 18:1 · Zech 11:16 · 2Sam 4:11 · Ezek 3:18 · Ezek 3:20 · Ezek 33:8 · Ezek 34:16 · Nah 3:7 35×
Perfect Eccl 7:29 · Esth 6:2 · Ezra 2:62 · Lam 1:19 · Neh 7:64 · Neh 12:27 · Ps 54:5 · Ps 86:14 · Zeph 1:6 · 1Sam 13:14 · 1Sam 14:4 · 2Sam 4:8 · Dan 1:20 · Deut 13:11 · Eccl 12:10 · Isa 1:12 22×
Sequential imperfect 1Chr 16:11 · 1Sam 28:7 · Ps 27:8 · Ps 105:4 · Zeph 2:3 · 1Sam 9:3 · Ps 34:15 · Ps 119:176 10×
Jussive Esth 2:2 · Jer 45:5 · Lev 19:31 3×
Cohortative Ps 122:9 · Song 3:2 2×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 1×
Imperfect Jer 50:20 1×
Word Origins
מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Cross-Language Connections
Greek words that correspond to or develop the meaning of this Hebrew word in the New Testament.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain