Ask
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
"to ask," is to be distinguished from No. 2. Aiteo more frequently suggests the attitude of a suppliant, the petition of one who is lesser in position than he to whom the petition is made; e.g., in the case of men in asking something from God, Matthew 7:7; a child from a parent, Matthew 7:9,10; a subject from a king, Acts 12:20; priests and people from Pilate, Luke 23:23 (RV, "asking" for AV, "requiring"); a beggar from a passer by, Acts 3:2 . With reference to petitioning God, this verb is found in Paul's epistles in Ephesians 3:20; Colossians 1:9; in James four times, James 1:5,6; 4:2,3; in 1John, five times, 1—John 3:22; 5:14,15 (twice) ,16. See Beg , Call For Crave , Desire , Require.
more frequently suggests that the petitioner is on a footing of equality or familiarity with the person whom he requests. It is used of a king in making request from another king, Luke 14:32; of the Pharisee who "desired" Christ that He would eat with him, an indication of the inferior conception he had of Christ, Luke 7:36; cp. Luke 11:37; John 9:15; 18:19 .
John 14:16 16:26 17:9,15,20 John 11:22 John 16:23 John 16:19 John 14:14 1—John 5:16BeseechDesireIntreatPrayRequest. Matthew 19:17
a strengthened form of No. 2 (epi, "in addition"), is frequently used in the synoptic Gospels, but only twice in the Gospel of John, 18:7,21. In Romans 10:20 it is rendered "asked of" (AV, "asked after"). The more intensive character of the "asking" may be observed in Luke 2:46; 3:14; 6:9; 17:20; 20:21,27,40; 22:64; 23:3,6,9 . In Matthew 16:1 , it virtually signifies to demand (its meaning in later Greek). See Demand , Desire , Question.
Answer.
to ask by way of enquiry, not by way of making a request for something, is found in the Gospels and the Acts, five times in the former, seven in the latter; in Matthew 2:4 , AV, "demanded," RV, "enquired," so Acts 21:33 . See Demand , Inquire , Understand.
"to search out" (ek, "out," intensive, etazo, "to examine"), is translated "ask," in John 21:12 , AV (RV, "inquire"); in Matthew 2:8 , AV, "search;" RV, "search out," expressing the intensive force of the verb, so Matthew 10:11 (AV, "inquire"). See Inquire , Search.
"to say," occasionally signifies "to ask," as of an inquiry, the reason being that lego is used for every variety of speaking, e.g., Acts 25:20 , "I asked whether he would come to Jerusalem." See Bid , Boast , Call , Describe , Give , Name , Put , Note (2), Say , Speak , Tell , Utter.
"to judge," sometimes has the meaning to ask a question; e.g., 1—Corinthians 10:25,27 . See Discern , Examine , Judge , Search.
Luke 6:30Require Luke 22:31
akin to No. 1, lit., "that which has been asked for," is used in Luke 23:24 , RV, "what they asked for" (AV, "required"); Philippians 4:6 , "requests;" 1—John 5:15 , "petitions." See Petition , Request , Require.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words [2]
A. Verb.
Shâ'al ( שָׁאֵל , Strong'S #7592), "to ask, inquire, consult." This word is found in many Semitic languages, including ancient Akkadian and Ugaritic. It is found throughout the various periods of Hebrew and is used approximately 170 times in the Hebrew Bible. The first occurrence is found in—Genesis 24:47, where the servant of Abraham asks Rebekah, "Whose daughter art thou?" It is commonly used for simple requests, as when Sisera asked for water from Jael (Judges 5:25).Since prayer often includes petition, shâ'al is sometimes used in the sense of "praying for" something: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6). In the idiomatic phrase, "to ask another of his welfare," it carries the sense of a greeting (cf.—Exodus 18:7; Judg.—18:15;—1 Samuel 10:4). Frequently, it is used to indicate someone's asking for God's direction or counsel (Joshua 9:14;—Isaiah 30:2). In—Psalm 109:10—it is used to indicate a begging: "Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg."
B. Noun.
She'ôl ( שְׁאֹל , Strong'S #7585), "place of the dead." She'ôl seems to be the basis for an important noun in the Old Testament, she'ôl . Found 65 times in the Hebrew Bible, she'ôl refers to the netherworld or the underground cavern to which all buried dead go. Often incorrectly translated "hell" in the KJV, she'ôl was not understood to be a place of punishment, but simply the ultimate resting place of all mankind (Genesis 37:35). Thus, it was thought to be the land of no return (Job 16:22;—17:14-16). It was a place to be dreaded, not only because it meant the end of physical life on earth, but also because there was no praise of God there (Psalm 6:5). Deliverance from it was a blessing (Psalm 30:3).In some instances, it may be a symbol of distress or even plague; it is often used in parallel with "the Pit," another symbol of destruction. Everything about she'ôl was negative, so it is little wonder that the concept of hell developed from it in the intertestamental and New Testament literature.
She'ôl is translated variously in the English versions: "hell, pit, grave" (KJV); "netherworld" (NAB). Some versions simply give the transliteration, Sheol" (Rsv, Jb, Nasb )
King James Dictionary [3]
'ASK, Gr. In former times, the English word was pronounced ax, as in the royal style of assenting to bills in Parliament. "Be it as it is axed."
1. To request to seek to obtain by words to petition with of before the person to whom the request is made.
Ask counsel of God. Judges 18 .
2. To require, expect or claim.
To whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12 .
3. To interrogate, or inquire to put a question, with a view to an answer.
He is of age, ask him. John 9 .
4. To require, or make claim.
Ask me never so much dowry. Genesis 34 . Daniel 2 .
5. To claim, require or demand, as the price or value of a commodity to set a price as, what price do you ask? 6. To require, as physically necessary.
The exigence of a state asks a much longer time to conduct the design to maturity.
This sense is nearly or entirely obsolete ask being superseded by require and demand.
7. To invite as, to ask guests to a wedding or entertainment ask my friend to step into the house.
'ASK,
1. To request or petition, followed by for as, ask for bread or without for.
Ask and it shall be given you. Matthew 7 .
2. to inquire, or seek by request sometimes followed by after.
Wherefore dost thou ask after my name? Genesis 32 .
This verb can hardly be considered as strictly intransitive, for some person or object is always understood.
Ask is not equivalent to demand, claim, and require, at least, in modern usage much less, is it equivalent to beg and beseech. The first three words, demand, claim, require, imply a right or supposed right in the person asking, to the thing requested and beseech implies more urgency, than ask. Ask and request imply no right, but suppose the thing desired to be a favor. The French demander is correctly rendered by ask, rather than by deman.
Webster's Dictionary [4]
(1): (v. i.) To make inquiry, or seek by request; - sometimes followed by after.
(2): (n.) A water newt.
(3): (v. t.) To request; to seek to obtain by words; to petition; to solicit; - often with of, in the sense of from, before the person addressed.
(4): (v. t.) To require, demand, claim, or expect, whether by way of remuneration or return, or as a matter of necessity; as, what price do you ask?
(5): (v. t.) To interrogate or inquire of or concerning; to put a question to or about; to question.
(6): (v. t.) To invite; as, to ask one to an entertainment.
(7): (v. t.) To publish in church for marriage; - said of both the banns and the persons.
(8): (v. i.) To request or petition; - usually followed by for; as, to ask for bread.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [5]
ask ( שׁאל , shā'al "to inquire," "to seek for counsel," "to demand"): It is the word commonly used in the Old Testament and is equivalent to ἐπερωτάω , eperōtáō , "to request," used in the New Testament. It does not imply any inferiority on the part of the person asking ( Psalm 2:8 ). It is the Son who is bidden to ask, and therefore the word expresses the request of an equal. It has also the meaning "to inquire": "Wherefore ... ask after my name?" ( Genesis 32:29 ) signifying, "Surely you must know who I am." "Ye shall ask me no question" ( John 16:23 ), i.e. "about the true meaning of My words, for all will then be clear to you" (Dummelow). αἰτέω , aitéō , is the word commonly used with reference to prayer. It means "to ask," "to implore," and presents the petitioner as an inferior asking from a superior ( Matthew 6:8; Matthew 7:7 , Matthew 7:8; Mark 10:35; John 14:13 , and in many other places). It is not, however, asking in the sense of the word beg, but rather that of a child making request of its father. The petitioner asks both because of his need and of the assurance that he is welcome. He is assured before he asks that the petition will be granted, if he asks in accordance with God's will ( 1 John 3:22; 1 John 5:15 ). Moreover the Spirit leads us to such asking in that He reveals our need and the goodness of God to us. See Amiss; Prayer .
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [6]
in Norse mythology, is the first created man. The three mighty Asas-Odin, Wile, and We-once assembled together on the sea-shore. There they found two trees, an ash and an alder. 'Odin gave them breath and life; Wile (or Honir), spirit and power of motion; We (or Lodur), blood, speech, beauty, and the sense of hearing and seeing. The Asas called one of them A s (Ash), and the other Enibla (Alder). Thus originated. the first man and the first woman.
