English · KJV
H1156

בְּעָא

bᵉʻâʼ /beh-aw'/ Ask about this word
Root(Aramaic) or בְּעָה
Meaning(Aramaic), corresponding to בָּעָה; to seek or ask
KJV usageask, desire, make (petition), pray, request, seek.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bᵉʻâʼ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word bᵉʻâʼ, represented by H1156, means to seek or ask. It appears 12 times across 12 unique verses. Its usage covers a range of actions, including to "ask, desire, make (petition), pray, request, seek."

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, all occurrences of H1156 are found in the book of Daniel, highlighting its role in contexts of petition and investigation. It is used when Daniel and his friends desire mercies from the God of heaven concerning a secret Daniel 2:18 and when Daniel requests time from the king Daniel 2:16. The word also carries a sense of active searching, as when Daniel's adversaries sought to find occasion against him Daniel 6:4 or when they sought for Daniel and his fellows to be slain Daniel 2:13. It is notably used for the act of prayer, where Daniel is found praying and making supplication to his God Daniel 6:11.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words provide additional context for the act of asking and seeking:

  • H1159 bâʻûw (petition): This noun is derived from H1156 and refers to the request itself. It is used in the decree that forbids anyone from asking a petition of any god or man other than the king Daniel 6:7.
  • H2604 chănan (shew mercy, make supplication): This word often appears alongside acts of prayer. Daniel was found praying and making supplication before his God, showing the earnest nature of his petitions Daniel 6:11.
  • H7912 shᵉkach (find): This verb is often the goal of the action of "seeking." The presidents and princes sought H1156 to find H7912 a fault in Daniel but could not Daniel 6:4.

Theological Significance

The significance of H1156 is seen in its application to both human and divine interactions.

  • Petitioning Authority: The word is used for making requests to both earthly kings and the God of heaven. Daniel requested that the king set his friends over the affairs of Babylon Daniel 2:49, and he and his friends desired mercy from God Daniel 2:18.
  • Faithfulness in Prayer: Daniel's unwavering commitment to God is defined by his use of H1156. He is accused of making his petition three times a day despite a royal decree forbidding it Daniel 6:13, demonstrating that prayer was a non-negotiable act of faith for him.
  • Seeking with Intent: The word demonstrates that "seeking" can have different motives. While Daniel sought knowledge from God Daniel 2:23, his enemies sought fault in him Daniel 6:4, illustrating that the same action can be driven by either righteous or malicious intent.

Summary

In summary, H1156 bᵉʻâʼ is a versatile Aramaic term that encapsulates the act of asking and seeking. Its exclusive use in Daniel highlights critical moments of petition, from formal requests directed at a king to life-defining prayers directed at God. It illustrates how the act of seeking can be a demonstration of faith, a plea for understanding, or a tool for malice.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 12 occurrences, inflected in 10 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • יִבְעֵה
  • בָּעֵא
  • יְבַעוֹן
  • אֶבְעֵא
  • בָעַיִן
  • בְעֵינָא
  • בְעוֹ
  • בְּעָא
  • מִבְעֵא
  • בְעָה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1159 בָּעוּ (Aramaic) from בְּעָא; a request; petition. H2604 חֲנַן (Aramaic) corresponding to חָנַן; to favor or (causatively) to entreat; shew mercy, make supplication. H7912 שְׁכַח (Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁכַח through the idea of disclosure of a covered or forgotten thing; to discover (literally

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

12 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.