We are in chapter thirty-three of Exodus with our word for today. בָּקַשׁ discover, find, seek, attempt to do, possess, demand, require, request, search for. It is used 225 times in the Old Testament. What I find interesting about our word is the two main ways it is used. First we find it used to seek after someone to do them harm. 1 Samuel 23:15 David saw that Saul had come out לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ to seek his life. Psalm 35:4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor מְבַקְשֵׁ֪י who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! Psalm 37:32 The wicked watches for the righteous וּ֝מְבַקֵּ֗שׁ and seeks to put him to death. Psalm 38:12 Those מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י who seek my life lay their snares; those who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long. The other way it is used a lot is to seek after God. This is how it is used in our chapter. Exodus 33:7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. This theme of seeking after God is seen throughout the Bible. Psalm 24:6 Such is the generation of those who דֹּרְשׁוֹ seek him, מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Psalm 27:4, 7-10 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple … Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ I seek.” Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. We have some passages that use our word in both ways contrasting also those who know God and those who do not. Psalm 40:13-14, 16 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! … But may all מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥יךָ who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” I’ll close with this one that makes this point very well. Psalm 54:1-3 O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men בִּקְשׁ֣וּ seek my life; they do not set God before themselves.
