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חֵקֶר

𐤇𐤒𐤓

chêqer

H2714 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חקר to search, to investigate, to examine closely

Definition

The act or process of searching, investigating, or examining closely; also, that which is subject to investigation or search, such as depth, extent, or the object of inquiry. The term can denote both the activity of probing or exploring (especially intellectually or spiritually), and the object or field of that investigation.

Semantic Range

investigation, searching, examination, exploration, that which is searched or examined (object of inquiry), depth (especially of abstract qualities), process or result of searching, unfathomableness or inscrutability

Root / Etymology

From the root חקר, which conveys the idea of searching, inquiring, or examining. חֵקֶר is a noun formation indicating the result or process of such an inquiry or investigation, i.e., 'search,' 'inquiry,' 'examination.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֵקֶר appears mainly in poetic or wisdom literature, such as Psalms, Proverbs, and Job—often in expressions about the unfathomable depths or inscrutability of natural or divine things ('the search of his understanding is beyond finding out,' etc.). In these contexts, the term emphasizes the vastness, unsearchableness, or incomprehensibility of certain realities—frequently in relation to the divine, the universe, or the human heart. The core sense of a quest for knowledge or understanding remains, but is expanded metaphorically. The concept is related to, but distinct from, terms like דָּרַשׁ (to seek, investigate), with חֵקֶר more strongly emphasizing the process or result of deep inquiry. In later periods or post-biblical Hebrew, the word remains primarily literary and is less commonly used in daily speech. English translations often render the term with words such as 'search,' 'examination,' or 'inquiry,' but can lose the nuance of the thorough, probing nature implied in biblical contexts. Standard translations sometimes employ 'unsearchable' or 'beyond investigation' when the text emphasizes the impossibility of fully comprehending the subject.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָקַר; examination, enumeration, deliberation; finding out, number, (un-) search(-able, -ed, out, -ing).

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Root Family

חקר (ḥ-q-r) — to search, investigate, examine closely

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2713 חָקַר he searched her out
H4278 מֶחְקָר searched-out recesses of

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2714-01 חֵ֖קֶר cheqer HNcmsa search searching 7
H2714-02 חִקְרֵי chiqerey HNcmpc searchings searchings of 1
H2714-04 לְ/חֵ֣קֶר lecheqer HR/Ncmsc the search for investigation of 1
H2714-03 הַ/חֵ֣קֶר hacheqer HTi/Ncmsc by searching the investigation of 1
H2714-05 וּ/בְ/חֵ֥קֶר uvecheqer HC/R/Ncmsc in the search and in investigation-of 1
H2714-06 וְ/חֵ֖קֶר vecheqer HC/Ncmsc and-searching and investigation-of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2714-02 Judges 5:16 חִקְרֵי chiqerey HNcmpc searchings searchings of
H2714-01 Isaiah 40:28 חֵ֖קֶר cheqer HNcmsa searching searching
H2714-01 Psalms 145:3 חֵֽקֶר cheqer HNcmsa search searching
H2714-01 Proverbs 25:3 חֵֽקֶר cheqer HNcmsa search searching
H2714-06 Proverbs 25:27 וְ/חֵ֖קֶר vecheqer HC/Ncmsc and-searching and investigation-of
H2714-01 Job 5:9 חֵ֑קֶר cheqer HNcmsa search searching
H2714-04 Job 8:8 לְ/חֵ֣קֶר lecheqer HR/Ncmsc the search for investigation of
H2714-01 Job 9:10 חֵ֑קֶר cheqer HNcmsa searching out searching
H2714-03 Job 11:7 הַ/חֵ֣קֶר hacheqer HTi/Ncmsc by searching the investigation of
H2714-01 Job 34:24 חֵ֑קֶר cheqer HNcmsa investigation searching
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