'Ask' in the Bible

Thus says the Lord,“Stand by the roads and look; ask for the ancient paths,Where the good way is; then walk in it,And you will find rest for your souls.But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’

“For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem,Or who will mourn for you,Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

The Lord said, “Surely [it will go well for Judah’s obedient remnant for] I will set you free for good purposes;Surely [Jeremiah] I will [intercede for you with the enemy and I will] cause the enemy to plead with you [for help]In a time of disaster and a time of distress.

“Therefore thus says the Lord,‘Ask now among the nations,Who has heard of such things?The virgin IsraelHas done a very vile and horrible thing.

“Now when this people or a prophet or a priest asks you [in jest], ‘What is the oracle of the Lord [the burden to be lifted up and carried]?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘What oracle [besides the one that declares you people to be the burden]!’ The Lord says, ‘I will unburden Myself and I will abandon you.’

‘Ask now, and seeWhether a man can give birth [to a child].Why then do I see every manWith his hands on his loins, as a woman in labor?Why have all faces turned pale?

Then King Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance that is in the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah, “I am going to ask you something; hide nothing from me.”

Then all the princes (court officials) came to Jeremiah and asked him [just what King Zedekiah had anticipated they would ask], and he reported to them in accordance with all that the king had commanded. So they stopped questioning him, since the conversation [with the king] had not been overheard.

“Take him and look after him; do nothing to harm him, but rather deal with him just as he asks of you.”

“O inhabitant of Aroer,Stand by the road and keep watch!Ask [of] him who flees and [ask of] her who escapes,Saying, ‘What has happened?’

They will ask the way to Zion, with their faces in that direction, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.’