בַּקָּרָה
a looking after
Definition
The Hebrew noun בַּקָּרָה (baqqârâh) refers to a thorough, diligent, or intensive act of seeking out, examining, or looking after something. It conveys a sense of careful inspection or oversight. Its sole biblical occurrence is in Ezekiel 34:12, where God describes His shepherding role: 'As a shepherd seeks out (בַּקָּרָה) his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out My sheep and deliver them.' Here, the word powerfully describes God's personal and meticulous care in searching for and rescuing His scattered people.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 34:12. It appears in a prophetic context where God, through the prophet Ezekiel, condemns the failed shepherds (leaders) of Israel and contrasts their neglect with His own faithful shepherding. The usage is metaphorical, applying the concept of a shepherd's diligent search for his scattered flock to God's redemptive action toward His people.
Etymology
בַּקָּרָה is an intensive noun form derived from the root בָּקַר (bāqar, H1239), which fundamentally means 'to seek, search out, or inquire.' This root is also the source for common words like 'cattle' (בָּקָר, bāqār), reflecting the ancient practice of carefully inspecting or tending to livestock. The intensive form (the 'piel' stem) emphasizes a thorough, diligent, or repeated action of seeking.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it provides a profound image of God's character. In Ezekiel 34:12, it moves beyond simple oversight to depict God's proactive, determined, and compassionate pursuit of His scattered and vulnerable people. It enriches the reading of this passage by highlighting the depth of God's commitment to redemption and restoration, framing Him as the Shepherd who actively searches for every lost sheep, a theme later echoed in the New Testament (e.g., Luke 15:4-7).
In its original setting, the imagery of 'seeking out' would have been intimately connected to the daily life of a shepherd in ancient Near Eastern pastoral societies. A shepherd's responsibility was not passive; it involved actively roaming, inspecting, and searching difficult terrain to account for and protect every member of the flock, especially when scattered by danger. This cultural reality gives weight to the metaphor, portraying God's care as hands-on, risky, and deeply personal.
דָּרַשׁ (dāraš, H1875) — a more general term for seeking, inquiring, or requiring, often used for seeking God or studying law. בָּקַשׁ (bāqaš, H1245) — a common verb for to seek, search for, or desire, with a broader range of application than the intensive focus of בַּקָּרָה.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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