חָקַר (cha.qar)
cha.qar
to search
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 23 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The verb chaqar describes a thorough, penetrating search that goes beyond surface observation. Its primary sense involves digging or exploring deeply to uncover hidden details, whether examining a physical space like a country or investigating the inner thoughts of a person. This intensity distinguishes it from casual inquiry; it implies a rigorous effort to find what is concealed.
In Scripture, this word often highlights human limits against divine omniscience. Psalm 139:1 and Jeremiah 17:10 use it to show that God searches the heart with perfect clarity. Conversely, Proverbs 25:2 celebrates the joy of discovery when humans "search out" matters that are hidden from view. The sources note its root likely relates to digging or penetrating earth, reinforcing this image of deep excavation.
The word appears most frequently in Job and Proverbs, where it underscores the pursuit of wisdom and truth. It suggests that understanding requires persistent effort. When used in the passive voice, as in Jeremiah 31:37, it indicates that certain divine promises are so vast they cannot be fully measured or exhausted by human investigation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew verb chaqar describes a search that goes far deeper than a casual glance. It implies digging into the earth to find hidden treasures or examining the innermost thoughts of a person with total clarity. When we read that God searches us, we are not looking at a distant observer but One who knows every detail of our lives. This knowledge can feel overwhelming, yet it is also the foundation of true comfort.
Psalm 139 invites us to ask God to search our hearts. This is not a demand for perfection but an invitation to honesty. When we allow Him to see what is hidden, we find that He knows us completely and still loves us. The same word appears in Proverbs to describe the joy of discovering truth. We are encouraged to seek wisdom with the same diligence, trusting that God rewards those who look for Him.
Lamentations 3:40 uses this term to call believers to examine their own ways. It is a gentle prompt to turn back to God when we feel lost. This deep search is not about condemnation but about restoration. By inviting God into our hidden places, we find the peace that comes from being fully known and fully accepted by Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 23 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it was ascertained2×
- you searched for/ !1×
- you have examined/ me1×
- we have examined/ it1×
- to/ explore1×
- to/ examine1×
- to search out1×
- to explore1×
- so/ they may be explored1×
- it will be searched1×
- he will examine1×
- he examines thoroughly/ him1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֶחְקַ֖ר2×
- תַּחְקְר֥וּ/ן1×
- לַ/חְקֹ֨ר1×
- לַ/חְקֹ֥ר1×
- יַחְקֹ֣ר1×
- יַחְקְרֶֽ/נּוּ\׃1×
- יֵֽחָקֵ֑ר1×
- חוֹקֵ֑ר1×
- חֹקֵ֥ר1×
- חָקְרֵ֣/נִי1×
- חִקְר֣וּ1×
- חֲקֹ֣ר1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 139:1
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me.
This verse establishes God's intimate knowledge of the individual, showing that divine searching is an act of personal awareness rather than distant observation.
-
Jeremiah 17:10
“I, Yahweh, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
Here the word emphasizes God's ability to judge accurately based on the true motives hidden within the human heart.
-
Lamentations 3:40
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.
This occurrence shifts the focus to human responsibility, urging believers to actively examine their own lives and return to God.
-
Job 28:3
Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
The verse uses the imagery of digging for silver to illustrate how humans can uncover hidden things in the earth, contrasting with divine wisdom.
-
Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
This proverb highlights the honor found in seeking truth, suggesting that discovering hidden matters is a reflection of royal wisdom.