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Psalms 119:94 — Word Study

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WLCלְֽךָ־ אֲ֭נִי הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ דָרָֽשְׁתִּי׃

BSAI amʼănîy [belong to you] save meyâshaʻ [rescue, deliver] forkîy I have soughtdârash [pursued, inquired about] Your preceptspiqqûwd [commands, divine principles]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 119
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 94 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (da.Ra.she.ti) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 119:94quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist expresses his belonging to God and pleads for salvation, citing his commitment to seeking God's precepts.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, likely David, directly addresses God.
Where we areThis verse is part of a meditation on God's laws and the psalmist's reliance on them.
The hard wordהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי
Take awayThe psalmist's plea for rescue is rooted in his pursuit of God's commands.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectאֲנִי verbדָּרַשׁ The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 119:94

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Meditation on God's Preceptsgenerated

93I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me.
94I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.
95The wicked wait to destroy me, but I will ponder Your testimonies.
96I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your commandment is without limit.

Psalms 119:94 is a heartfelt plea from the psalmist, who acknowledges his belonging to God and seeks divine rescue. This verse is nestled within a larger reflection on the significance of God's laws, emphasizing the psalmist's commitment to following them, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 86:2Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.
2Joshua 10:4–6“Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”
3Isaiah 41:8–10“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—
4Isaiah 44:2–5This is the word of the LORD, your Maker, who formed you from the womb and who will help you: “Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
5Isaiah 64:8–10But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי, ho.shi.'E.nigenerated

The verb הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי, transliterated as ho.shi.'E.ni, is a Hiphil imperative meaning 'save me' or 'deliver me.' It conveys a strong request for salvation, highlighting the psalmist's reliance on God for rescue from peril.

This verb is built from the root יָשַׁע (yasha`), which encompasses the broader meanings of saving, delivering, and providing safety. The imperative form indicates urgency, as the psalmist seeks immediate help in light of his commitment to God's commands.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי governs the structure of the verse, with the subject אֲ֭נִי and the object נִי forming a clear plea. The conjunction כִּי introduces the reason for this plea, linking the psalmist's request for salvation to his active pursuit of God's precepts.

The sentence flows logically, with the subject stating his identity and need, followed by the reason for that need, creating a cohesive thought that emphasizes dependence on God.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי as σώσον (sōson), meaning 'save' or 'rescue.' This choice reflects a direct and urgent appeal for divine intervention, consistent with the original Hebrew meaning.

This Greek word carries similar connotations of deliverance and safety, aligning closely with the psalmist's intent in the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalms 119:94 shows the psalmist's deep connection to God, expressing that he belongs to God and urgently asks for salvation. He states that he has actively sought God's commands, linking his plea for help to his commitment to following God's ways.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to say, 'I am Yours'?

This phrase expresses the psalmist's deep sense of belonging to God, indicating a personal relationship and commitment.

Why does the psalmist ask for salvation?

He asks for salvation because he recognizes his need for divine help and protection, especially in the face of challenges.

What are God's precepts?

God's precepts are His commands and instructions, which guide the lives of His followers and reflect His will.

How does seeking God's precepts relate to salvation?

The psalmist connects his plea for salvation to his active pursuit of God's commands, indicating that following God's ways is integral to his faith and reliance on God.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways do I express my belonging to God in my daily life?
  2. How can I actively seek God's commands and apply them to my circumstances?
  3. What challenges do I face that require me to ask God for salvation or help?
  4. How does understanding God's precepts influence my relationship with Him?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, referenced this verse to illustrate the psalmist's plea for divine assistance based on his commitment to God's righteousness.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 119 354–430
He next adds: "I am Yours: O save me, for I have sought Your righteousnesses" [Psalms 119:94].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 119 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 119:94 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

I [am] thine, save me,.... From all troubles and afflictions; from all enemies, temporal and spiritual; from Satan, and his principalities and powers, from sin, and all the wretched consequences of

Read John Gill on Psalms 119 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts. I (am) thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts - I belong to thee, and give myself up wholly to thee (literally, I to thee), to thy Word, and thy will; save me therefore.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 119 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I am thine by creation and redemption, and manifold obligations, as also by my own choice and designation. I have devoted myself to thy service, and committed myself to thy care.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 119 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 119:94 I [am] thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.Ver. 94. I am thine, save me] Every man will see to his own, unless he be worse than an infidel; and shall not God? For I have sought thy precepts] And can thereby prove myself to be thine. Where it is implied that all that we are to seek in our obedience are the precepts themselves; the thing especially we are to aim at is obedience itself to the precepts.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 119 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 94. I am thine, save me] He who can say this need fear no evil. In all trials, temptations, dangers, afflictions, persecutions, I am thine. Thy enemies wish to destroy me! Lord, look to thy servant; thy servant looks to thee. O how sovereign is such a word against all the evils of life! I am THINE! therefore save thine OWN!

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 119 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

94. sought] Or, studied. Cp. Psalms 119:45.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 119 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I am thine - All that he had, and was, belonged to God. This is an expression of a fact, and of a purpose: a fact about which he had no doubt; a purpose ever to be the Lord’s.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 119 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

ì, Lamed.89-96. Thy word is settled in heaven—This lofty declaration of the character of the word, gives the reason why it may be trusted.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 119 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

I am yours. Save me, for I have sought your precepts.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.

NETBNew English Translation2006

I belong to you. Deliver me! For I seek your precepts.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

I am thine, save me; For I have sought thy precepts.

RVARevised Version, American1894

I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

I am thine, saue me: for I haue sought thy precepts.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

I [am] Thine, save Thou me, For Thy precepts I have sought.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

I [am] Yours, save me, for I have sought Your precepts.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Thine am I, save me; for thy precepts have I sought.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

I am yours; save me, for I seek your instructions.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

I belong to you, so please save me! I am committed to following your rules.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

I am yours, O be my saviour; for my desire has been for your rules.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseprepositional phrase · predicateלְֽ[belong].toךָyousubjectאֲ֭נִיIclauseverbהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑saveobjectנִיmeכִּ֖י(dm)clausenoun phrase · objectפִקּוּדֶ֣יpreceptsךָyourverbדָרָֽשְׁתִּיI.have.sought

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all six words matching in the Hebrew and Greek translations. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text, confirming the integrity of the verse.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

לְֽךָ־ אֲ֭נִי הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ דָרָֽשְׁתִּי׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לְֽךָ־σόςאֲ֭נִיεἰμιהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִיμεכִּ֖יὅτιפִקּוּדֶ֣יךָσουדָרָֽשְׁתִּי׃ἐχεζήτησα

6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 11Q5a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ל׳כה אני הושיע׳ני כי פקודי׳כה דרשתי

6 words on the leather.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 119:94ךָּ[belong] to[belong] to youךָּאֲנִיIIאֲנִייָשַׁעsave mesave meיָשַׁעכִּיforforכִּיפִּקּוּדprecepts yoprecepts yourפִּקּוּדדָּרַשׁI have sougI have soughtדָּרַשׁאָֽנֹכִ֫יIIאָֽנֹכִ֫יפָּקַדto reckon:to reckon: listפָּקַדיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַענְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםבַּצָּרָהdearthdearthבַּצָּרָהשִׂיחַto museto museשִׂיחַנָצַרto watchto watchנָצַרבַּעַלבַּעַללֵבָבheartheartלֵבָב
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 119:94

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

[belong] to you I save me for precepts your I have sought
לְֽךָ־le.kha- [belong] to you H9031 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

ךָּ (ka) — you.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
[belong] to you I save me for precepts your I have sought
אֲ֭נִי'A.ni I H589 Pronoun
874× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is a simple way of saying 'I' or 'me', often used for emphasis. It is used by people like David in the Psalms to express their thoughts and feelings. The word is a basic part of the Hebrew language.
Amplified meaning
belong to you
Tyndale gloss
I
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

589 'aniy an-ee'

contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X

which, X who.

see HEBREW for 0595

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.

I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Pronoun
HPp1bs
[belong] to you I save me for precepts your I have sought
הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִיho.shi.'E.ni save me H3467 Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
206× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to save or be delivered, used in the Bible to describe being freed from danger or trouble, like in battle or from moral struggles, as seen in the Psalms and Proverbs.
Amplified meaning
rescue, deliver
Tyndale gloss
to save
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁע (yasha`) is a Hebrew root meaning to save or deliver. It encompasses various forms of salvation, including liberation from physical and moral troubles, victory in battle, and general safety. The word can appear in different grammatical forms, such as Niph. (to be saved) and Hiph. (to save).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָשַׁע] vb. Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass.

Niph.

be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)

be saved in battle, victorious

Hiph.

deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)

save from moral troubles

give victory to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3467 [יָשַׁע] Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass. . . be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)

. be saved in battle, victorious

. . deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)

. save from moral troubles

. give victory to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3467 yasha` yaw-shah'

a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e.

(by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or

succor:--X at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help,

preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation,

save(-iour), get victory.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁע (ya.sah) — to save.

1) to save, be saved, be delivered

1a) (Niphal)

1a1) to be liberated, be saved, be delivered

1a2) to be saved (in battle), be victorious

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to save, deliver

1b2) to save from moral troubles

1b3) to give victory to

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVhv2ms/Sp1bs
[belong] to you I save me for precepts your I have sought
כִּ֖יki for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[belong] to you I save me for precepts your I have sought
פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָfi.ku.Dei.cha precepts your H6490 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a precept or commandment from God, like a law or statute. It appears in the Bible as a mandate or instruction, and is translated in the KJV as commandment, precept, or statute, emphasizing its importance as a divine instruction.
Amplified meaning
commands, divine principles
Tyndale gloss
precept
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פִּקּוּד (piqqud) refers to a precept or mandate, specifically one that is appointed by God. It is derived from a root meaning to appoint and is used in a plural form to collectively denote commandments or statutes within the Law.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פִּקּוּד] 24 n.m. precept

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6490 [פִּקּוּד] precept

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6490 piqquwd pik-kood'

or piqqud {pik-kood'}; from 6485; properly, appointed, i.e. a

mandate (of God; plural only, collectively, for the

Law):--commandment, precept, statute.

see HEBREW for 06485

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פִּקּוּד (piq.qud) — precept.

precept, statute

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp2ms
[belong] to you I save me for precepts your I have sought
דָרָֽשְׁתִּי׃da.Ra.she.ti I have sought H1875 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
164× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To seek or ask is the meaning of this Hebrew word, often used to describe seeking God or worshiping him. It can also mean to investigate or enquire about something.
Amplified meaning
pursued, inquired about
Tyndale gloss
to seek
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּרַשׁ (darash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to seek or inquire. It encompasses a range of actions from frequenting a place to consulting deities in prayer and worship. The word can imply a diligent search or demand, and it appears in both Qal and Niphal forms, indicating various nuances of seeking and being sought. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּרַשׁ 162 vb. resort to, seek

Qal

(tread a place,) resort to, frequent

seek, consult, inquire of

seek deity in prayer and worship

seek, with idea of demanding, require

inquire, investigate (a matter)

ask for, require, demand

seek with application, study, follow, practise

seek with care, care for

Niph.

let oneself be inquired of, consulted, only of God

be sought out

be required, of blood

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1875 דָּרַשׁ resort to, seek

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1875 darash daw-rash'

a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to

follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or

ask; specifically to worship:--ask, X at all, care for, X

diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-)mancer,

question, require, search, seek (for, out), X surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּרַשׁ (da.rash) — to seek.

1) to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place)

1a2) to consult, enquire of, seek

1a2a) of God

1a2b) of heathen gods, necromancers

1a3) to seek deity in prayer and worship

1a3a) God

1a3b) heathen deities

1a4) to seek (with a demand), demand, require

1a5) to investigate, enquire

1a6) to ask for, require, demand

1a7) to practice, study, follow, seek with application

1a8) to seek with care, care for

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to allow oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God)

1b2) to be sought, be sought out

1b3) to be required (of blood)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singular
HVqp1cs
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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