'Seek' in the Bible

Do not turn to the spirits of the dead and do not seek familiar spirits to become unclean by them. I am the Lord your God.

He has brought you near and all your brothers, the sons of Levi, with you. Do you now seek the priesthood also?

When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to seek for omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. At his command they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community."

But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul.

But you must seek only the place he chooses from all your tribes to establish his name as his place of residence, and you must go there.

You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict.

You must not seek peace and prosperity for them through all the ages to come.

Gilead stayed put beyond the Jordan River. As for Dan -- why did he seek temporary employment in the shipyards? Asher remained on the seacoast, he stayed by his harbors.

They said to him, "Seek a divine oracle for us, so we can know if we will be successful on our mission."

David realized that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the desert of Ziph.

"Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, it is the Lord who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands. Now may your enemies and those who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal.

Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you by following his instructions and obeying his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish,

The king pled with the prophet, "Seek the favor of the Lord your God and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored." So the prophet sought the Lord's favor and the king's hand was restored to its former condition.

Then Jehoshaphat added, "First seek an oracle from the Lord."

The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord's will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say such things."

But the Lord's angelic messenger told Elijah the Tishbite, "Get up, go to meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Say this to them: 'You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are on your way to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub the god of Ekron.

Elijah said to the king, "This is what the Lord says, 'You sent messengers to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron. You must think there is no God in Israel from whom you can seek an oracle! Therefore you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.'"

Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the Lord here that we might seek the Lord's direction?" One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, "Elisha son of Shapat is here; he used to be Elijah's servant."

"Go, seek an oracle from the Lord for me and the people -- for all Judah. Find out about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord's fury has been ignited against us, because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this scroll by doing all that it instructs us to do."

Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the Lord: "This is what the Lord God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard:

He did not seek the Lord's guidance, so the Lord killed him and transferred the kingdom to David son of Jesse.

Let's move the ark of our God back here, for we did not seek his will throughout Saul's reign."

Boast about his holy name! Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

Seek the Lord and the strength he gives! Seek his presence continually!

But David could not go before it to seek God's will, for he was afraid of the sword of the Lord's messenger.

Now seek the Lord your God wholeheartedly and with your entire being! Get up and build the sanctuary of the Lord God! Then you can bring the ark of the Lord's covenant and the holy items dedicated to God's service into the temple that is built to honor the Lord."

"And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one's thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.

if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

He ordered Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors and to observe his law and commands.

He met Asa and told him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The Lord is with you when you are loyal to him. If you seek him, he will respond to you, but if you reject him, he will reject you.

They solemnly agreed to seek the Lord God of their ancestors with their whole heart and being.

Anyone who would not seek the Lord God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old, male or female.

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a foot disease. Though his disease was severe, he did not seek the Lord, but only the doctors.

The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in his ancestor David's footsteps at the beginning of his reign. He did not seek the Baals,

Then Jehoshaphat added, "First seek an oracle from the Lord."

The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord's will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say such things!"

Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he decided to seek the Lord's advice. He decreed that all Judah should observe a fast.

King Joash disregarded the loyalty his father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada's son. As Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!"

In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David. In his twelfth year he began ridding Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images.

"Go, seek an oracle from the Lord for me and those who remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord's fury has been ignited against us, because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord by doing all that this scroll instructs!"

Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the Lord: "This is what the Lord God of Israel says concerning the words you have heard:

they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders and said to them, "Let us help you build, for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him from the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here."

The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel.

I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey for us, our children, and all our property.

Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your children forever.'

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard all this, they were very displeased that someone had come to seek benefit for the Israelites.

"But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would set forth my case.

And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, and you will seek me diligently, but I will be gone."

You will lie down with no one to make you afraid, and many will seek your favor.

Your loyal followers trust in you, for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help.

Let the oppressed eat and be filled! Let those who seek his help praise the Lord! May you live forever!

Such purity characterizes the people who seek his favor, Jacob's descendants, who pray to him. (Selah)

Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated! May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed!

The Lord helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from evil men and delivers them, for they seek his protection.

Those who seek my life try to entrap me; those who want to harm me speak destructive words; all day long they say deceitful things.

How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and does not seek help from the proud or from liars!

May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you! May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually, "May the Lord be praised!"

Rich people from Tyre will seek your favor by bringing a gift.

For foreigners attack me; ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. (Selah)

You have given your loyal followers a rallying flag, so that they might seek safety from the bow. (Selah)

Enemies seek to destroy my life, but they will descend into the depths of the earth.

Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me, O sovereign Lord and king! Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me, O God of Israel!

The oppressed look on -- let them rejoice! You who seek God, may you be encouraged!

May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you! May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually, "May God be praised!"

Cover their faces with shame, so they might seek you, O Lord.

O God, arrogant men attack me; a gang of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life.

Boast about his holy name! Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

Seek the Lord and the strength he gives! Seek his presence continually!

How blessed are those who observe his rules, and seek him with all their heart,

With all my heart I seek you. Do not allow me to stray from your commands!

I will be secure, for I seek your precepts.

I seek your favor with all my heart. Have mercy on me as you promised!

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

The wicked have no chance for deliverance, for they do not seek your statutes.

Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.

if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure,

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

Making a fortune by a lying tongue is like a vapor driven back and forth; they seek death.

It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable for people to seek their own glory.

Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it all.

Bloodthirsty people hate someone with integrity; as for the upright, they seek his life.

Many people seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one receives justice.

Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.

The Maidens to the Beloved: Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned? Tell us, that we may seek him with you.

Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, the powerful ruler of Israel, says this: "Ah, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries, I will take revenge against my enemies.

They will say to you, "Seek oracles at the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, from the magicians who chirp and mutter incantations. Should people not seek oracles from their gods, by asking the dead about the destiny of the living?"

The people did not return to the one who struck them, they did not seek reconciliation with the Lord who commands armies.

The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.

Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, those who rely on war horses, and trust in Egypt's many chariots and in their many, many horsemen. But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel and do not seek help from the Lord.

The one who lives uprightly and speaks honestly; the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures and rejects a bribe; the one who does not plot violent crimes and does not seek to harm others --

I have not spoken in secret, in some hidden place. I did not tell Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain!' I am the Lord, the one who speaks honestly, who makes reliable announcements.

"Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, who seek the Lord! Look at the rock from which you were chiseled, at the quarry from which you were dug!

Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby!

Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love; they, they are the object of your devotion. You pour out liquid offerings to them, you make an offering. Because of these things I will seek vengeance.

They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.

to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn,

Sharon will become a pasture for sheep, and the Valley of Achor a place where cattle graze; they will belong to my people, who seek me.

What good will it do you then to go down to Egypt to seek help from the Egyptians? What good will it do you to go over to Assyria to seek help from the Assyrians?