'Pursue' in the Bible

As they journeyed, there was a great [supernatural] terror [sent from God] on the cities around them, and [for that reason] the Canaanites did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

I will harden (make stubborn, defiant) Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will be glorified and honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians shall know [without any doubt] and acknowledge that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

“The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;My desire shall be satisfied against them;I will draw my sword, my hand shall dispossess them and drive them out.’

otherwise the avenger of blood might pursue the offender in the heat of anger, and overtake him, because it is a long way, and take his life, even though he did not deserve to die, since he did not hate his neighbor beforehand.

The Lord will strike you with consumption [causing you to waste away] and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew [on your crops]; and they will pursue you until you perish.

“So all these curses will come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He has commanded you.

When it was time to close the [city] gate at dark, the men left; I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly, for [if you do] you will overtake them.”

Then all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city.

but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them from the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.”

After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue [with three thousand men]? A dead dog, a single flea?

Should anyone rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound in the [precious] bundle of the living with the Lord your God; but the lives of your enemies—those He will hurl out as from the center of a sling.

And David said, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band [of raiders]? Will I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly rescue [the captives].”

Then, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight.

And David said to Abishai [his nephew], “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, so that he does not find fortified cities for himself and escape from our sight.”

So Joab’s men went after him, along with [David’s bodyguards] the Cherethites and Pelethites and all the warriors; they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

When [the body of] Amasa was removed from the highway, everyone followed after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

“Will You cause a windblown leaf to tremble?Will You pursue the chaff of the dry stubble?

“Why do you persecute me as God does?Why are you not satisfied with my flesh (anguish)?

“If you say, ‘How shall we [continue to] persecute him?’And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find [since we claim the root of these afflictions is found in him]?’

O Lord my God, in You I take refuge;Save me and rescue me from all those who pursue me,

Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;And let him trample my life to the groundAnd lay my honor in the dust. Selah.

In pride and arrogance the wicked hotly pursue and persecute the afflicted;Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

My times are in Your hands;Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who pursue and persecute me.

Turn away from evil and do good;Seek peace and pursue it.

Draw also the spear and javelin to meet those who pursue me.Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

For they have persecuted him whom You have struck,And they tell of the pain of those whom You have pierced and wounded.

Saying, “God has abandoned him;Pursue and seize him, for there is no one to rescue him.”

So pursue them with Your tempestAnd terrify them with [the violence of] Your storm.

How many are the days of Your servant [which he must endure]?When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

All Your commandments are faithful and trustworthy.They have persecuted me with a lie; help me [Lord]!

Shin.Princes persecute me without cause,But my heart stands in [reverent] awe of Your words [so I can expect You to help me].

Woe (judgment is coming) to those who rise early in the morning to pursue intoxicating drink,Who stay up late in the night till wine inflames them!

And you said, “No! We will flee on horses!”Therefore you will flee [from your enemies]!And [you said], “We will ride on swift horses!”Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.

I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with virulent disease; and I will make them a terror (warning) to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, a horror, a hissing, and a disgrace among all the nations to which I have driven them,

“The glory of Moab is no more;In Heshbon they planned evil against her,Saying, ‘Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!’You also, O [city of] Madmen, shall be silenced;The sword will pursue you.

You will pursue them in anger and destroy themFrom under the heavens of the Lord.

therefore, as I live,” says the Lord God, “I will hand you over to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you since you have not hated bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.

Israel has rejected the good;The enemy shall pursue him.

But with an overwhelming flood [of judgment through invading armies]He will make a complete destruction of its siteAnd will pursue His enemies into darkness.

“When they persecute you in one city [because of your faith in Me], flee to the next; for I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you will not finish going through all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

“Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men [interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue and persecute from city to city,

At that time many will be offended and repelled [by their association with Me] and will fall away [from the One whom they should trust] and will betray one another [handing over believers to their persecutors] and will hate one another.

Salvation from our enemies,And from the hand of all who hate us;

“But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you,

For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose].

contributing to the needs of God’s people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality.

So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].

For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy,

Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].

For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus [whose great love fills me].

But as for you, O man of God, flee from these things; aim at and pursue righteousness [true goodness, moral conformity to the character of God], godliness [the fear of God], faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.

Run away from youthful lusts—pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Continually pursue peace with everyone, and the sanctification without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.

“He must turn away from wickedness and do what is right.He must search for peace [with God, with self, with others] and pursue it eagerly [actively—not merely desiring it].