ἐκζητέω
to seek out
‘to seek out’ is one of 4 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Thayer's Greek Lexicon
From Thayer's Greek Lexicon
Where this word appears
See every Aorist-tense verb in the Greek New Testament →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Tense
- Aorist
- Action viewed as a simple whole, without regard to duration — often past (perfective aspect).
- Future
- Action expected in future time.
- Present
- Ongoing or general action in present time (imperfective aspect).
Voice
- Active
- The subject performs the action.
- Passive
- The subject receives the action.
Mood
- Indicative
- States a fact or asks a factual question (the mood of reality).
- Participle
- A verbal adjective (“writing,” “having written”).
- Subjunctive
- Expresses probability, purpose, or possibility (the mood of contingency).
Case
- Nominative
- The case of the subject (and the predicate nominative).
- Dative
- The case of the indirect object, means, or location — “to / for / with / in.”
Person
- 3rd person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one.
- Singular
- One.
2 distinct verses where G1567 appears in the Present tense, across 2 books. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Greek form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Greek New Testament; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences of this word are not indexed here.
Romans 1 verse
Hebrews 1 verse
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
“to seek out” is the headline sense of the Greek verb εκζητεω (ekzētéō). Catalogued under 4 senses, its meaning is not single-sense. It appears 7 verses across 5 books of the Greek New Testament, among its uncommon vocabulary. More than a quarter of its appearances fall in Luke. Scripture first uses it in Luke 11:50. The sections below give every sense, occurrence, and version rendering.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's G1567 catalogs a Greek word from the Greek New Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Greek New Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 7
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 7 distinct verses.
- 5 / 27
- NT books
- The word appears in 5 of 27 New Testament books.
- #1,358
- by frequency
- Top 2500 most frequent Greek words (rank 1,358 of 5,347 Greek words by occurrence).
View all 7 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the New Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Some books belong to more than one corpus (Luke is in both the Gospels and the Lukan corpus, and so on), so these shares overlap and need not total 100%. Each figure is a share of the word’s 7 distinct verses.
- Lukan (Luke–Acts) 3 verses · 43%
- Gospels 2 verses · 29%
- Hebrews 2 verses · 29%
- Pauline corpus 1 verse · 14%
- General (Catholic) Epistles 1 verse · 14%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Carefully 1×, Diligently seek 1×, Have enquired 1×
- American Standard Version: Diligently 1×, He sought 1×, May be required 1×
- Berean Standard Bible: Will be charged 2×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Arguments 1×, He sought 1×, May be required 1×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders G1567 across 8 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders G1567 across 8 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders G1567 across 7 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 5 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders G1567 across 8 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Senses in Thayer's
The 4 senses Thayer's distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency or importance). The full entry — with sub-senses — is in the Lexicon Entry tab.
- to seek out, search for
- to seek out, i.e. investigate, scrutinise
- to seek out for one's self, beg, crave
- to demand back, require
Word origin
Derived from εκ (ek) (G1537) — from.
Forms in the corpus
The 7 distinct written forms G1567 takes in the Greek New Testament, most frequent first — each parse links to that tense’s occurrences in the concordance.
| Form | Parsing | Example | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἐκζητήσας ekzētḗsas | Verb, Aorist, Active, Participle, Nominative, Singular, Masculine | Hebrews 12:17 | 1 |
| ἐκζητήσωσιν ekzētḗsōsin | Verb, Aorist, Active, Subjunctive, 3rd person, Plural | Acts 15:17 | 1 |
| ἐκζητηθήσεται ekzētēthḗsetai | Verb, Future, Passive, Indicative, 3rd person, Singular | Luke 11:51 | 1 |
| ἐκζητηθῇ ekzētēthē̂ | Verb, Aorist, Passive, Subjunctive, 3rd person, Singular | Luke 11:50 | 1 |
| ἐκζητοῦσιν ekzētoûsin | Verb, Present, Active, Participle, Dative, Plural, Masculine | Hebrews 11:6 | 1 |
| ἐκζητῶν ekzētō̂n | Verb, Present, Active, Participle, Nominative, Singular, Masculine | Romans 3:11 | 1 |
| ἐξεζήτησαν exezḗtēsan | Verb, Aorist, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural | 1 Peter 1:10 | 1 |
Same root — word family
Other Thayer's entries built from the same root as G1567, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
- εκβαλλω ekbállō G1544 to cast out
- εκβασις ékbasis G1545 exit
- εκγαμιζω ekgamízō G1547 to give in marriage
- εκγαμισκω ekgamískō G1548 to give in marriage
- εκγονον ékgonon G1549 offspring
- εκδαπαναω ekdapanáō G1550 to spend
- εκδεχομαι ekdéchomai G1551 to receive
- εκδηλος ékdēlos G1552 evident
- εκδημεω ekdēméō G1553 to depart
- εκδιδωμι ekdídōmi G1554 to give out
- εκδιηγεομαι ekdiēgéomai G1555 to relate
- εκδικος ékdikos G1558 without justice
- εκδιωκω ekdiṓkō G1559 to banish
- εκδοτος ékdotos G1560 delivered up
- εκδυω ekdýō G1562 to put off
- εκθαμβος ékthambos G1569 astonished
- εκθετος ékthetos G1570 exposed
- εκκαθαιρω ekkathaírō G1571 to cleanse
- εκκαιω ekkaíō G1572 to burn
- εκκακεω ekkakéō G1573 to be exhausted
- εκκεντεω ekkentéō G1574 to pierce
- εκκλαω ekkláō G1575 to cut off
- εκκλειω ekkleíō G1576 to shut out
- εκκλησια ekklēsía G1577 assembly
+88 more words share this root (not shown).
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 114 — not the complete family. They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint usage
The same Greek word εκζητεω appears 110 times in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), across 104 verses in 23 books.
- 110
- LXX occurrences
- Tagged occurrences of this Greek word in the Septuagint.
- 104
- verses
- Distinct Septuagint verses containing this word.
- 23 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 23 of the 39 Old Testament books.
Sample Septuagint occurrences
- Genesis 9:5 ἐκζητέω
- Exodus 18:15 ἐκζητέω
- Leviticus 10:16 ἐκζητέω
- Deuteronomy 4:29 ἐκζητέω
- Joshua 2:22 ἐκζητέω
- 1 Samuel 20:16 ἐκζητέω
- 2 Samuel 4:11 ἐκζητέω
- 1 Kings 2:40 ἐκζητέω
- 2 Kings 22:13 ἐκζητέω
- 2 Chronicles 1:5 ἐκζητέω
- Ezra 4:2 ἐκζητέω
- Psalms 9:11 ἐκζητέω
Septuagint occurrences (same lexeme)
Every verse where the same Strong’s number (G1567) appears in the Greek Septuagint — showing the first 50 of 104. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context; the Greek form is the matched word — the English is not keyword-highlighted.
- Genesis 9:5 ἐκζητέω I will surely require your blood of your lives. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, I will require the life of man.
- Genesis 42:22 ἐκζητέω Reuben answered them, saying, "Didn't I tell you, saying, 'Don't sin against the child,' and you wouldn't listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required."
- Exodus 18:15 ἐκζητέω Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
- Leviticus 10:16 ἐκζητέω Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned: and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying,
- Deuteronomy 4:29 ἐκζητέω But from there you shall seek Yahweh your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Deuteronomy 12:5 ἐκζητέω But to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, even to his habitation shall you seek, and there you shall come;
- Deuteronomy 12:30 ἐκζητέω take heed to yourself that you not be ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before you; and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
- Deuteronomy 17:4 ἐκζητέω and it be told you, and you have heard of it, then shall you inquire diligently; and, behold, if it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in Israel,
- Deuteronomy 17:9 ἐκζητέω and you shall come to the priests the Levites, and to the judge who shall be in those days: and you shall inquire; and they shall show you the sentence of judgment.
- Deuteronomy 23:22 ἐκζητέω But if you shall forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in you.
- Joshua 2:22 ἐκζητέω They went, and came to the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but didn't find them.
- Joshua 22:23 ἐκζητέω that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Yahweh; or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings thereon, let Yahweh himself require it;
- 1 Samuel 20:16 ἐκζητέω So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], Yahweh will require it at the hand of David's enemies.
- 2 Samuel 4:11 ἐκζητέω How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
- 1 Kings 2:40 ἐκζητέω Shimei arose, and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.
- 2 Kings 22:13 ἐκζητέω Go you, inquire of Yahweh for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.
- 2 Chronicles 1:5 ἐκζητέω Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, was there before the tent of Yahweh: and Solomon and the assembly sought to it.
- 2 Chronicles 12:14 ἐκζητέω He did that which was evil, because he didn't set his heart to seek Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 14:3 ἐκζητέω for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim,
- 2 Chronicles 14:6 ἐκζητέω He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest.
- 2 Chronicles 15:2 ἐκζητέω and he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear you me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: Yahweh is with you, while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
- 2 Chronicles 15:13 ἐκζητέω and that whoever would not seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
- 2 Chronicles 17:3 ἐκζητέω Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn't seek the Baals,
- 2 Chronicles 17:4 ἐκζητέω but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 19:3 ἐκζητέω Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.
- 2 Chronicles 20:3 ἐκζητέω Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek to Yahweh; and he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
- 2 Chronicles 20:4 ἐκζητέω Judah gathered themselves together, to seek [help] of Yahweh: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 25:20 ἐκζητέω But Amaziah would not hear; for it was of God, that he might deliver them into the hand [of their enemies], because they had sought after the gods of Edom.
- 2 Chronicles 26:5 ἐκζητέω He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God: and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper.
- 2 Chronicles 28:23 ἐκζητέω For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which struck him; and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, [therefore] will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 30:19 ἐκζητέω who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, though not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.
- 2 Chronicles 31:21 ἐκζητέω In every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
- Ezra 4:2 ἐκζητέω then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' [houses], and said to them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.
- Ezra 6:21 ἐκζητέω The children of Israel who had come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate,
- Ezra 9:12 ἐκζητέω now therefore don't give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.
- Ezra 10:16 ἐκζητέω The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, [with] certain heads of fathers' [houses], after their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
- Psalms 9:11 ἐκζητέω Sing praises to Yahweh, who dwells in Zion, And declare among the people what he has done.
- Psalms 9:13 ἐκζητέω Have mercy on me, Yahweh. See my affliction by those who hate me, And lift me up from the gates of death;
- Psalms 9:25 ἐκζητέω
- Psalms 9:34 ἐκζητέω
- Psalms 13:2 ἐκζητέω How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?
- Psalms 21:27 ἐκζητέω
- Psalms 24:10 ἐκζητέω Who is this King of glory? Yahweh of Hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.
- Psalms 26:4 ἐκζητέω I have not sat with deceitful men, Neither will I go in with hypocrites.
- Psalms 30:24 ἐκζητέω
- Psalms 33:5 ἐκζητέω He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loving kindness of Yahweh.
- Psalms 33:11 ἐκζητέω The counsel of Yahweh stands fast forever, The thoughts of his heart to all generations.
- Psalms 43:22 ἐκζητέω
- Psalms 52:3 ἐκζητέω You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah.
- Psalms 60:8 ἐκζητέω Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my shoe on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia."
These are occurrences of the same Greek lexeme (G1567) in the Septuagint — not a translation of any one Hebrew word. The store carries no word-level Hebrew↔Greek alignment, so no Hebrew original is asserted here. Counts come from the recovered LXX Strong's tagging — high-frequency vocabulary is well covered, while rare or late forms may be untagged — so they reflect tagged occurrences and may slightly undercount.
