Lexical Summary baqqashah: Request, petition, desire Original Word: בַּקָּשָׁה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance request From baqash; a petition -- request. see HEBREW baqash NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom baqash Definition request, entreaty NASB Translation request (6), requested (1), what i request (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בַּקָּשָׁה] noun masculine request, entreaty, בַּקָּשָׁתִי Esther 5:7,8; Esther 7:3; בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ; Esther 5:3; Esther 9:12; בַּקָּשָׁתוֺ Ezra 7:6. Topical Lexicon Overview בַּקָּשָׁה (bakashah) denotes a personal request or petition addressed to one in authority. Every occurrence falls within the Persian period (Ezra and Esther), framing the word within narratives of exile, restoration, and royal court intrigue. Its sparse distribution magnifies each usage, underscoring the tension between human supplication and divine providence. Biblical Occurrences • Ezra 7:6 – Ezra’s request granted by Artaxerxes. Persian Court Protocol In Persian administration, subjects could present formal petitions, but approval depended wholly on royal favor. The repeated phrase “up to half the kingdom” (Esther 5:3; 5:6; 7:2) was a stock idiom signifying generosity while retaining ultimate sovereignty. Scripture records that both Ezra and Esther gained favorable hearings, illustrating how God’s people could flourish under foreign rule without compromising covenant loyalty. Ezra’s Request and the Restoration Mission Ezra 7:6 links the king’s readiness to “grant all that he requested” directly to “the hand of the LORD his God.” The narrative ties human petition to divine initiative: Ezra’s successful request secured safe passage, temple resources, and authority to teach the Law. The episode models how prayerful preparation, scriptural grounding, and public testimony align to advance God’s redemptive purposes. Esther’s Multi-Stage Petition Esther moves from silence to speech in carefully timed steps: invitation (5:4), suspense (5:7–8), disclosure (7:3). Her courage is framed by fasting (4:16) and providential timing (“for such a time as this,” 4:14). Bakashah forms the literary hinge of the book, marking each critical turn: 1. Permission to enter the throne room. Each answered request exposes hidden antagonism (Haman) and elevates faithful stewardship (Mordecai), illustrating Proverbs 21:1 in narrative form: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD…” Covenantal Implications The petitions addressed to Persian kings echo earlier Israelite appeals to Yahweh (compare 1 Samuel 1:17). Behind earthly thrones stands the ultimate Sovereign who moves hearts and history for His covenant people. Bakashah therefore serves as a reminder that divine promise and human agency are not rivals but partners in God’s overarching plan. Christological Foreshadowing Esther’s intercession points ahead to the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ. As Esther risks her life to plead for her people, so “there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Her successful request anticipates the effectual, once-for-all petition of the Son who “always lives to intercede” (Hebrews 7:25). Ministry Application 1. Bold Intercession: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16). Summary בַּקָּשָׁה encapsulates the dynamic of petition before power—whether earthly or divine. In Ezra it enables temple reform; in Esther it secures national deliverance. Through these episodes, Scripture teaches that righteous requests, offered in humility and faith, become instruments through which God accomplishes His sovereign purposes in history and in the lives of His people. Forms and Transliterations בְּבַקָּשָׁתִֽי׃ בַּקָּשָׁתִ֑י בַּקָּשָׁתֵ֛ךְ בַּקָּשָׁתֵ֥ךְ בַּקָּשָׁתֽוֹ׃ בבקשתי׃ בקשתו׃ בקשתי בקשתך וּבַקָּשָׁתִֽי׃ ובקשתי׃ bakkashaTech bakkashaTi bakkashaTo baq·qā·šā·ṯêḵ baq·qā·šā·ṯî baq·qā·šā·ṯōw baqqāšāṯêḵ baqqāšāṯî baqqāšāṯōw bə·ḇaq·qā·šā·ṯî bəḇaqqāšāṯî bevakkashaTi ū·ḇaq·qā·šā·ṯî ūḇaqqāšāṯî uvakkashaTiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 7:6 HEB: עָלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל בַּקָּשָׁתֽוֹ׃ פ NAS: him all he requested because the hand KJV: granted him all his request, according to the hand INT: and all requested Esther 5:3 Esther 5:6 Esther 5:7 Esther 5:8 Esther 7:2 Esther 7:3 Esther 9:12 8 Occurrences |
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