The Meaning of וּלְבַקֵּר in Ps 27:4

Back to Psalm 27

Introduction

Psalm 27:4c reads as follows:

4a: אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ

4b: שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י

4c: לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ

The meaning of the word וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר in Ps. 27:4c has ‘caused considerable debate’ (Craigie, 232). The clause in which it is found could be conceptualized at least six different ways, reflected in the argument maps below:

• (1) לבקר as contemplate + implied indirect object [for a decision] + indirect object [in his temple] (emphasis internal) (e.g., NET: 'contemplate in his temple')

• (2) לבקר as inquire + an implied indirect object [for a decision] + indirect object [in his temple] (emphasis external) (e.g., KJV: 'to inquire in his temple')

• (3) לבקר as seek + implied object [YHWH] + indirect object [in his temple] (e.g., NIV: 'to seek him in his temple')

• (4) לבקר as consider + object [his temple] (e.g., LEB: “to consider his temple”)

• (5) לבקר as visit + object [his temple] (e.g., NAB: “to visit his temple”)

• (6) לבקר as visit early + indirect object [in his temple] (e.g., JPS: “to visit early in his temple”)

Argument Map(s)

Contemplate (for a decision) (preferred)

The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to contemplate' (for a decision in his temple)

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['To contemplate' (for a decision in his temple)]: The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c refers to “an action by which someone gives careful thought to a certain issue in order to make an informed decision” (SDBH).
 + <Intransitive בַּקֵּר as 'contemplate'>: When the verb בַּקֵּר is intransitive (as it probably is in Ps. 27:4c) it usually means 'to contemplate.'
  + [Intransitive בַּקֵּר as 'contemplate']: “It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,” and to reflect (לְבַקֵּר) only after making vows” (Prov. 20:25, ESV); “Do not find fault until you’ve investigated. First consider (בַּקֵר); then rebuke” (Sir. 11:7).
  <_ <2 Kgs 16:15>: In 2 Kgs 16:15 the verb is used intransitively as a technical cultic term, "to carry out an examination of the offering" (HALOT :L:, cf. Ges-18 :L:). #dispreferred
   + [2 Kgs 16:15]: וּמִזְבַּ֧ח הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֖י לְבַקֵּֽר #dispreferred
 - <'All the days of my life' כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י>: It is questionable that the psalmist would contemplate in order to make decisions all the days of his life (van Grol, 26-27). #dispreferred
 + <Context (v. 11)>: In the context, it is clear that the psalmist faces some threat and is in need of guidance. Contemplation—“an action by which someone gives careful thought to a certain issue in order to make an informed decision” (SDBH)—would be appropriate to this context.
  + [Ps. 27:11]: "Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies" (ESV).

Inquire

The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to inquire' (for a decision in his temple)

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['To inquire' (for a decision in his temple)]: The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to inquire' (for a decision in his temple). #dispreferred
 + <HB use of בקר for a decision in a cultic setting>: #dispreferred The piel בקר occurs 7 times (Lev. 13:36, 27:33; 2 Kings 16:15; Ps. 27:4; Prov. 20:25; Ezek. 34:11, 12) in the HB. Two or three times are in cultic situations in which decisions needed to be rendered.
  + <Inquiry in a cultic setting>: #dispreferred בקר could foreground inquiry rather than contemplation in a cultic setting.
  + [בקר HB examples]: Lev. 13:36, "then the priest shall examine him, and if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest need not seek for the yellow hair; he is unclean"; 2 Kings 16:15, "And King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest, saying, “On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering... but the bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by”; Lev. 27:33, "One shall not differentiate between good or bad, neither shall he make a substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed” #dispreferred
 + <The psalmist inquired (בקר) through extispicy>: #dispreferred The psalmist may have inquired through reading physical signs such as an augury or hepatoscopy (Mowinckel, 54; Gray, 78; HALOT, entry 1).
  - <Torah prohibition>: Divination was prohibited in the Torah.
   + [Torah prohibition]: E.g., Deut. 18:9-13 'When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who... practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord..." 
  + <Royal divination altar in HB>: In 2 Kings 16:15, King Ahaz made a copper altar for בקר. King Ahaz's use of the altar for augury was described using the word לבקר. #dispreferred
   <_ <King David most likely would have used the altar lawfully>: King Ahaz abandoned the prescribed design and use of the altar in favour of foreign designs and practice; David wanted to follow the Torah (Leithart, 287). 
  + <Rabbinic Hebrew usage of בקר>: Rabbinic Hebrew uses בקר to describe examining sacrifices (M Tamid, III 4 cf. Levenson, 61-62). #dispreferred
   <_ <Examination was for ritual inspection>: The בקר was done to ensure that the sacrifices were 'ritually appropriate' (Sommer, 360-1). 
  + <Ancient Near-Eastern practices>: Extispicy was practised in the ancient Near-East (Levenson, 61-62). #dispreferred
 + <The psalmist inquired (בקר) through lawful means>: The psalmist may have inquired through an ephod or urim and thummim. #dispreferred
  + <David consulted an ephod>: In 1 Samuel there are instances David seeks God's guidance by consulting an ephod with the priest (e.g., 1 Sam. 23).  #dispreferred

Seek (YHWH)

The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to seek' (the divine presence in his temple)

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['To seek' (the divine presence in his temple)]: The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means to seek (the divine presence) (cf. NIV, NEB, NJB). #dispreferred
 + <בקר as "seek">: The verb בקר sometimes means 'to seek'—"action by which someone carefully focuses his/her eyes on a group of objects in order to locate something specific among them" (SDBH :L:). #dispreferred
  + [בקר as "seek"]: “Then the priest shall examine him, and if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest need not seek for (יְבַקֵּר … ל) the yellow hair; he is unclean” (Lev. 13:36, ESV); “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out (וּבִקַּרְתִּים). As a shepherd seeks out (כְּבַקָּרַת) his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out (אֲבַקֵּר) my sheep (Ezek. 34:11–12, ESV). #dispreferred
  <_ <Intransitive>: When בקר has this meaning, it is accompanied either by the direct object or by a lamed prepositional phrase, both of which indicate the thing which is being sought. In Ps. 27:4, however, the verb is intransitive.
   - <'Double duty'>: The no'am of the Lord could also be the object of this clause: to gaze on the no'am of the Lord and to seek (the no'am) in his temple (van Grol, 27). #dispreferred
 + <Seeking accompanies gazing>: It would be natural to seek the object of intense gazing (or prophecy) from the previous clause. #dispreferred

Consider (his temple)

The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to consider' (his temple)

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['To consider' (his temple)]: The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to consider', and the following beth prepositional phrase indicates the object of consideration: 'to consider his temple.'  
 #dispreferred
 + <Ancient support>: In some ancient versions the temple is the object of בקר. #dispreferred
  + [LXX]: καὶ ἐπισκέπτεσθαι τὸν ναὸν αὐτοῦ #dispreferred
 + <בְּ of localisation indicating contact>: The preposition is a בְּ of localisation indicating contact with an object (cf. Jenni :M:). #dispreferred
  - <בְּ preposition of spatial localisation>: The בְּ preposition following וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר is more likely a בְּ preposition of spatial localisation.
   + <Parallelism between v. 4b and v. 4c>: A בְּ of spatial localisation in v. 4b would make a balanced parallel with the בְּ of spatial localisation in v. 4c. So that 'dwell in the house of YHWH' in v. 4b is parallel to לבקר in his temple in v. 4c.
  + <Syntactic and Semantic parallels in v. 4c clauses>: The clause in v. 4c לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה is syntactically and semantically parallel to the following clause וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ in v. 4c and the בְּ preposition is a בְּ of contact, not spatial localisation. #dispreferred
   <_ <V. 5 בְּ prepositions>: The בְּ prepositions might have different meanings, as they do in v. 5 (van Grol, 26-27).
+ <Similar exhortations in HB>: #dispreferred Other HB passages exhort the reader or listener to focus on an object of YHWH's work (Perowne, 240).
 + [Example of exhortations]: #dispreferred Ps. 48:12-3: 'walk about Zion... consider her ramparts'.

Visit (his temple)

The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to visit' (his temple)

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['To visit' (his temple)]: The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to visit'. #dispreferred
 + <בקר meaning evolution>: בקר changed from meaning 'carrying out an important task' to meaning 'visiting' in later Hebrew (Sommer, 360-1). #dispreferred
  + <Rabbinic Hebrew meaning: care for the sick>: The understanding of בקר in rabbinic Hebrew as examining and caring for the sick is evident in the expression: ביקור חולים (Sommer, 361; Jastrow, 187).#dispreferred
  + <DSS use of בקר>: In the DSS, מבקר means 'being in charge of' or 'taking care of' (DSS Damascus document).#dispreferred
   + [בקר in the DSS]:בקר in the DSS means 'official in charge of the community' (Sommer, 361).#dispreferred
 + <Ancient support for בקר as 'visit'>: #dispreferred There is ancient support for בקר as visit. The LXX word ἐπισκέπτεσθαι can mean to visit.
  + [Ancient support evidence]: LXX (ἐπισκέπτεσθαι), NETS: 'to visit his shrine'; Vulgate: (adtendum): 'to visit' 'attend to' Peshitta (ܘܐܦܩܘܕ ܗܝܟܠܗ), Taylor: 'attend (‘attend to’ or ‘care for’) to his temple' #dispreferred
  <_ <LXX alternate meanings>: LXX has the primary meaning 'to inquire' (Levenson, 61-62; Perowne, 240).

Visit early

The word בקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to visit early' (in his temple)

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['To visit early' (in his temple)]: The word לבקר in Ps. 27:4c means 'to visit early' in his temple.morning'.#dispreferred
 + <לבקר is from בּׂקֶר not בִּקֵּר>: #dispreferred לְבַקֵּ֥ר could be a denominative from the root בּׂקֶר.(Ibn Ezra, Rashi, Dunash, Buber, Schriftewerke, Dahood)
 + <Dispute about the meaning of לְבַקֵּ֥ר is resolved by reading it as בִּקֶּר>: #dispreferred To solve the problem, לבקר "can satisfactorily be explained as a denominative verb from boqer, 'morning', 'dawn'..." (Dahood, 165, 167).
   + <Arabic 'bakkara' has a similar meaning>: 'Ar. 'bakkara' signifies 'to arise very early in the morning'' (Dahood, 165, 167). #dispreferred
 - <Reading the verb as בקר disrupts the parallelism>: Reading בקר as 'to appear every morning' throws off the balance between לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה and וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ (van Grol, 26-27).

Conclusion

In conclusion, though a decision is difficult, we’ve followed the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew, which glosses the word as 'contemplate' and defines it as “an action by which someone gives careful thought to a certain issue in order to make an informed decision” (SDBH). Not only is this meaning clearly attested elsewhere (e.g., in Proverbs and in Ben Sira), it also seems to fit well in the psalm. It fits well in the immediate syntactic context, where the word appears without a direct object, and it fits well in the broader context of the psalm, where the psalmist is in some kind of trouble and he’s asking for the Lord to guide him. Here in v. 4 he expresses his desire to go to the temple to see the Lord’s beauty and to contemplate in his temple—to prayerfully reflect on his situation in order to make an informed decision.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• MT: לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃
• Mp: Unique phrase (Mm 839) “James A. Sanders has emphasised this protective nature of the Massorah: “a lamed in the mp ... stands like a soldier to remind the next scribe that the word in question must be copied precisely as written... The word in question with a lamed in mp is a hapax... There is no other quite like it anywhere else in the Bible and it must be guarded in its particularity; it must retain its peculiarity and not be assimilated to another form of the word more common in the Bible or elsewhere” (Sanders 1979: 17)” (FOOTNOTE 3 in, David Marcus, Doublet Catchwords in the Leningrad Codex, 12).
• Mm 839: 29 times the word in which there is a prefixed (י) and all of HB there is a variation in form (Gen 24:23, 32:31; Exod 21:27; Num 1:51, 14:36; Deut 21:15, 32:22, 30,35; 2 Sam 19:19; Isa 57:8; Jer 8:7, 18:16, 37:12; Ezek 48:14; Zeph 2:7; Ps 18:51, 26:7, 55:4, 22, 57:7, 85:2; Job 4:4; Neh 8:2; 1 Chron 9:12, 16:38; 2 Chron 13:19, 35:13).
• LXX: τοῦ θεωρεῖν με τὴν τερπνότητα τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἐπισκέπτεσθαι τὸν ναὸν αὐτοῦ.
• Aquila: του όραματίζεσθαι εν ευπρέπεια κυρίου καὶ ἐπισκέπτεσθαι τὸν ναὸν αὐτοῦ.
• Σ. ώστε όράν τό κάλλος πιπι , και του έπισκοπεΐν εν ναψ αυτού
• Ο': του θεωρεΐν με τήν τερπνότητα τατα κυρίου, και έπισκέπτεσθαι τον ναὸν αΰτοΰ.
• BST: that I should behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and survey his temple.
• NETS: to behold the pleasantness of the Lord and to visit his shrine,
• S: ܝܓܐܢܐ݂ܕܝܢܗܝܡܢ݂ܬܶܕܐܚܙܐ݂ܒܛ݂ܒ݂ܬܗܕܡܪܐ
• TAYLOR: and that I may see the kindness (‘kindness’ or ‘sweetness’) of the Lord and attend (‘attend to’ or ‘care for’) to his temple.
• IUXTA LXX: unam petii a Domino hanc requiram ut inhabitem in domo Domini omnes dies vitae meae ut videam voluntatem Domini et visitem templum eius
• IUXTA HEBR.: unum petivi a Domino hoc requiram ut habitem in domo Domini omnibus diebus vita meae ut videam pulchritudinem Domini et adtendam templum eius
• TARGUM: למחמי בבסימותא דייי ולבשקרה/ולבקרא בהכליה׃
• STEC: to see the pleasantness of the LORD, and to inquire [lbšqr’; M lbqr’; C lbśr, “to be glad”] in his temple.
• COOK: to see the pleasantness of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

Modern

• ESV: to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.
• NIV: to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
• NLT: delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.
• KJV: to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
• NKJV: To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
• NASB: To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.
• NASB (1977): To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to meditate in His temple.
• NJB: to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh, to seek out his temple.
• ASV: To behold the beauty of Jehovah, And to inquire in his temple.
• CEB: seeing the Lord’s beauty and constantly adoring his temple.
• CEV: to see how wonderful you are and to pray in your temple.
• ERV: to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
• ESV: to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire [or meditate] in his temple.
• GNT: to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance.
• JPS (1917): To behold the graciousness of the LORD, and to visit early in His temple.
• NJPS: to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD, to frequent [Meaning of Hebrew uncertain] His temple.
• OJB: to behold the gracefulness of Hashem, and to inquire in His Heikhal.
• NAB: To gaze on the LORD’s beauty, to visit his temple.
• NET: so I can gaze at the splendor of the LORD and contemplate in his temple.
• NRSV: to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
• TLB: living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory.
• LEB: to behold the beauty of Yahweh,and to consider [or inquire in] his temple.
• NEB: to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD, and to seek [Or and to pay my morning worship] him in his temple.

German

• LutherBibel: zu schauen die schönen Gottesdienste [Wörtlich: »Schönheit«] des HERRN und seinen Tempel zu betrachten.

French

• TOB: pour contempler [Ou bien ; la douceur (90,17; 16,6,11); contempler Dieu est possible sous certaines conditions (Ex 24/11 ; Ps 63,3 î -1 7, 1 5 ; 11,7] la beauté* du Seigneur et prendre soin de son temple.
• NBS: pour voir la beauté du Seigneur et pour admirer son temple.
• BDS: afin d’admirer l’Eternel dans sa beauté, et de chercher à le connaître [autre traduction; pour l’interroger] dans sa demeure.
• FRDBY: pour voir la beauté de l'Éternel et pour m'enquérir diligemment de lui dans son temple.
• LSG: Pour contempler la magnificence de l’Éternel Et pour admirer son temple.
• NFC: pour jouir de sa douceur et prendre soin de son temple
• S21: pour contempler la beauté de l’Eternel et pour admirer son temple,

Spanish

• RVR95: para contemplar la hermosura de Jehová y para buscarlo en su Templo.
• NBLA: Para contemplar la hermosura del Señor Y para meditar en Su templo.
• DHH94I: para adorarlo en su templo y contemplar su hermosura.
• NTV: deleitándome en la perfección del Señor y meditando dentro de su templo.

Lexicons & Dictionaries

• BDB: †[בָּקַר S1239 TWOT274 GK1329] vb. inquire, seek (NH id., Aramaic בְּקַר, ܒܩܰܪ (bqar); also Ethiopic በቀለ (baqqala) in deriv.; orig. divide, discern, cf. Arabic بَقَرَ (baqara) slit, rip, split)—only Pi. Pf. 1 s. sf. וּבִקַּרְתִּים consec. Ez 34:11; Impf. יְבַקֵּר Lv 13:36; 27:33, אֲבַקֵּר Ez 34:12; Inf. cstr. לְבַקֵּר 2 K 16:15 + 2 times;—seek, look for, sq. לְ Lv 13:36; seek (to distinguish) sq. בֵּין־טוֹב לָרַע Lv. 27:33; seek (in order to care for) sq. acc. צֹאן Ez 34:11 (|| דרשׁ) v 12, fig. of י׳ seeking his people; contemplate, sq. בְּ ψ 27:4 (|| חָזָה בְּ); consider, reflect, abs. Pr 20:25 אַחַר נְדָרִים i.e. whether the vows were wise, or should be kept (cf. Str ad loc. & reff.); cf. perhaps 2 K 16:15 consider (what shall be done with the old altar); look at Klo, (so לְבַקֵּר 1 K 3:21 for 2nd בַּבֹּקֶר), AV RV to inquire by, 𝔖 for praying; perhaps denoting some religious service to be performed by king himself, cf. especially RS i.467.

• DCH: בקר I 7.1.9 vb. seek—Pi. Impf. יְבַקֶּר, אֲבַקֵּר; + waw וּבִקַּרְתִּים; impv. Si (ms A) בַּקֵּר; ptc. Q מבקר; inf. לְבַקֵּר—1. seek, inquire, examine, <SUBJ> Y. Ezk 34:11 (ǁ דרשׁ seek) 34:12 (ǁ נצל hi. rescue) 4Q521 2.25, Ahaz 2 K 16:15, רעה ptc. shepherd Ezk 34:12 (if em. כְּבַקָּרַת וֹעֶה as a shepherd’s seeking to כְּבִקַּר הָרֹעֶה as the shepherd seeks), כֹּהֵן priest Lv 13:36, worshipper Ps 27:4 (ǁ חזה see), אָדָם person Pr 20:25 (or em. לַבֹּקֶר in the morning), אִשָּׁה woman 1 K 3:21 (if em. בַּבֹּקֶר in the morning); subj. not specified, Lv 27:33; Si 11:7 (ǁ חקר investigate) 4QOrda 28; 4QDa 17.15. <OBJ> צֹאן flock Ezk 34:11, 12, עֵדֶר flock Ezk 34:12 (if em.). בְּתוּלָה young woman 4QOrda 28, חָסִיד pious (one) 4Q 521 2.25; obj. not specified, 4QDa 17.15 <PREP> בקר לְ pi. look at, + שֵׂעָר skin Lv 13:36; בְּ of place, in, + הֵיכַל Y.’s palace Ps 27:4; בֵּין between, לֹא־יְבַקֵּר בֵּין־טוֹב לָרַע one will not seek (to distinguish) between good and bad Lv 27:33 (or em. תָּמִיר טוֹב בְּרָע you will not exchange good for bad); אַחַר after, + נֵּדֶר vow Pr 20:25 (or em.). <COLL> מִזְבֵּחַ הַנְּהֹשֶׁת יִהְיֶה־לּי לְבַקֵּר the altar of bronze will belong to me for seeking 2 K 16:15, וָאֶתְבּוֹנֵן אֵלָיו לְבְקֵּר and I examined him to seek (the reason for his death) 1 K 3:21 (if em. בַּבֹּקֶר in the morning), בקר לפנים ואחר חזיף inquire first, and reprimand afterwards Si 11:7.* 2. ptc. used as noun, inspector, overseer, <SUBJ> בעל pass. have mastery CD 148. <NOM CL> המבקר … מבן שלשים שנה עד בן חמשים שנה the overseer … shall be from thirty to fifty years old CD 148. <CSTR> יד המבקר hand of the overseer CD 1413 (+ שֹׁפֵט judge) 4QDa 18.516, מאמר word of 4QDf 1.114. <PREP> לִפְנֵי before, + עמד stand CD 1511; לְפִי according to 4QDa 6.112. <SYN> דרשׁ seek, חקר investigate, נצל hi. rescue, חזה see. ▶ בַּקָרָה seeking, בִּקֹּרֶת inquiry.

• HALOT: I בקר: basic meaning Palache 16; Seeligman; Ug. bqr to frequent ? Aistleitner 570 :: (UTGl. 503) Arb. baqara to split; MHb. JArm.tg to examine (the entrails of a sacrificial animal); ? Arm. lw. (Wagner 45); Eth. baqala to examine, punish, BArm., Syr. to penetrate, investigate, Mnd. (MdD 68b) to split, test; Nab. pt. מבקרא title of a priest (Cantineau Nab. 2:73), 1QS and Dam. המבקר the head of the community, Wernberg-M. 105f; Maier 2:26f; Nötscher Terminologie 198b; Priest JBL 81:55ff; ? related to Akk. b/paqāru to make a claim, Speiser Fschr. Kaufmann 33ff; Stoebe WortuD. 5:170ff. pi: pf. בִּקַּרְתִּים; impf. יְבַקֵּר; inf. בַּקֵּר; —1. tech. term within the cult (Mowinckel Ps. St. 1:146; Morgenstern HUCA 21:424f; Montgomery-G. 461), to carry out an examination of the offering ? (→ I בֹּקֶר) 2K 16:15 Ps 27:4 (alt. with 2c); —2. a) to scrutinize with לְ Lv 13:36, with לְ … בֵּין 27:33; b) to attend to, to look after with acc. Ezk 34:11f, cj. 39:14 (מְבַקְּרִים); c) abs. to reflect Pr 20:25 Sir 11:7. † (HALOT) (1994:par. 1396) offer two meanings for the pi‘el of stem I 1( :בקר) a technical term within the cult, ‘carry out an examination of the offering’, (2) (a) to ‘scrutinize’ with ְל , or with ,ֵבּין ... ל ; (b) to ‘attend to’, to look after with accusative; and (c) absolute to ‘reflect’. For meaning 1, 2 Kings 16:15 and Psalm 27:4 are listed in HALOT, although sense 2(c) is also offered as an alternative. Koehler and Baumgartner (1994) offer meaning 1 with a question mark, perhaps indicating that there is doubt about this meaning (cf. Botha, 1)

• SDBH: בקר = action by which someone gives careful thought to a certain issue in order to make an informed decision -- to contemplate; to reflect; to ponder

• ZORELL: בקר Pi. pf. sfx. בקרתים, ipf. יבקר, inf. baqqer : 1) inquisivit in rem לְ Lv 13:36; לְ ... בֵּין = 'sitne... an' 27:33 ). – 2) invisit gregem, c. acc. Ez 34:11 s, templum בְּ Ps 27:4 (an hic mane invisit? a boqer, ut ar. bakkara). – 3) mente consideravit rem Pr 20:25: 2 R 16:15. sir 11:7. [ ar. baqara interogando perscrutatus est].†

• MURAOKA: [abridged – full entry on MIRO board] 1. to take interest in, concern oneself with: abs., s God, and with a punitive intent Ex 32.34, Si 2.14; to comfort and show concern about him' Jb 2.11; with a view to helping, Ho 4.14; Zc 10.3a; + inf. (task commissioned); 2. to consider, ponder, give thought to: 'has considered and found out' Nu 16.5; 'His temple' Ps 26.4 Ma 3.10. 3. to visit: Jd 15.1, 'a sick person' Si 7.35. 4. to count in a census: 'of the numbered men' Ex 39.2. 5. to pass under review: military t.t, IK 15.4, pass., Nu 1.19; Si 17.32. b. to call up for military duties: o troops, Jd 20.15. 6. to assess the quality of and appoint: as overseer Nu 27.16; pass., Ne 7.1. 7. to investigate: abs., Ps 16.3; b . to discover as a result of investigation, Ju 5.20. 8. to look for, search: b. pass., to be missing (A Greek-English Lexicon to the Septuagint, 279-280).

• JASTROW: to enter into, to clear, split; whence 1) to eat up. Denom. to enter into, to clear, split; whence 1) to eat up. Denom. to break forth, shine. Denom. 1) to enter into, examine, search, distinguish. Keth. those entrusted with the examination of sacrificial animals. Y. Bets. II, 61c top and had them examined (and declared free) from bodily defects. Hag. 9b we do not say, Examine ye a camel, a swine &c. (i. e. only the deeds of distinguished persons are scrutinized); a. fr.—Part. pass. examined and found fit. Y.Ber. IV, 7b lambs which passed examination.— 2) to inquire after one's health, to. visit the sick. Ned. IV, 4 (38b). and comes to see him. Snh. 68a; a. v. fr. [Ruth. R. to II, 15, v. infra.]. Hithpa., Nithpa. 1) to be examined. Gen. R. s. 81 his account is examined (his sins visited); Tanh. Vayishlah 8. Gen. R. s. 84, read with Yalk. Gen. 14.1 'art my account &c. 2) to be visited, attended to. Num. B. s. 18 as all sick persons are tended (by physicians). Hif. to give free, to resign ownership, to declare a property ownerless. Y. Ned. IV, 38a; Y. Peah V, beg. 19b' [read:] as soon as one declares a thing to be free, it has gone out of his control; Y. Dem. III, 23b bot. as soon as one gives a thing free and it has left his possession, his act is valid; a.fr. [Ruth.R. to II, 15] Hof. to be declared free, to be free. Y. Peah VI, 19c top—Part. my field shall befree for one day &c.; a. e. בְּקַר 1) to search, examine. Targ. O. Lev. XIII, 36; a. fr.—2) to clear, glean. Targ. Y. I Deut.. XXIV, 20.— 3) to let the herd graze, to drive unmuzzled animals. Targ. Y. Gen. XIII, 7.-4) to visit the sick. Targ. Y. Ex. XVIII, 20; a. e.—Y. Sabb. VI, 8C bot.j a. fr.—5) (=preced.Hif.) to abandon, leave unclaimed, declare free. Targ. Y. Ex. XXIII, 11 Ar. Y. Shebi. IX, 39a and I will declare it free goods in their presence. and declare ye it free property (Marcus Jastrow, A Dictionary of the Targumim, The Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi and the Midrashic Literature, 187 [abridged] - full entry on Miro board).

• DNWSI: bqr1 Nab PA'EL Part. act. s.m. emph. mbqr CIS ii 2661.4, 2667.3, 2668.3, 2669.2, IEJ xxix 219.3 (cf. Cantineau Nab i 80, CIS ii sub 2661) - JAr PA'EL Impf. 2 p.pl.m. tbqrn MPAT 53.1 (for the reading, cf. Beyer ATTM 351, 535) - ¶ verb PA'EL to examine: MPAT 53.1; Part. act. subst. one who examines the victims (i.e. a certain priest; cf. also Negev IEJ xxvii 229 :: Levinson NAI 140: = visitor (on this term, cf. also Teixidor Syr lvi 357f.)): CIS ii 2661.4, 2667.3, etc. - > Akkad. buqquru, cf. v.Soden Or xxxvii 270, Dietrich ASS 171 n. 1 - a form of this root prob. also in the Nab. text RB lxxiii 244.2 (cf. Starcky & Strugnell ibid. 246): ]tbqr ( = ITP?). v. bkr(1), bqr(1). bqr(2) Ph Sing. abs. bqr KAI 24.12 - ¶ subst. cattle, v. bqrlhš, smr(1), qr(1). bqr(3) Hebr Sing. abs. bqr KAI 194.9 (cf. Cross BASOR cxliv 24 (cf. already Elliger PJB '38, 49 n. 3, ZDPV lxii 71, Cassuto RSO xvi 175f., May BASOR xcvii 25, Albright BASOR xcvii 26), Röllig KAI a.l, Gibson SSI i p. 42f. :: Gordon BASOR lxvii 31: = PI'EL Imper. s.m. of bqr(1) :: Torczyner Lach i p. 82f.: = PI'EL Pf. 3 p.s.m. of bqr(1), cf. however ibid. 82 n. 2; cf. also Talmon BASOR clxxvi 31) - ¶ subst. morning; for the context, v. also tsbh (Dictionary of North-West Semitic Inscriptions, 187).

• TWOT: בָּקַר (bāqar) Seek, inquire (only in the Piel stem). (ASV and RSV generally similar except Prov 20:25 where RSV renders “reflect.”) Derivatives 274a בָּקָר (bāqār) cattle, herd, ox; 274b בּוֹקֵר (bôqēr) herdsman; 274c בֹּקֶר (bōqer) morning; 274d בַּקָּרָה (baqqārâ) a care, concern; 274e בִּקֹּרֶת (biqqōret) compensation. bāqar is found seven times. Much more frequent are synonyms bāqaš “seek,” “secure,” and dāraš “seek,” “study,” “seek (i.e. pray to) a deity.” bāqar, it is suggested, from the Arabic cognate, originally meant “split,” “divide” and hence “discern.” Its biblical use is largely in worship contexts, e.g. “checking” for ritual purity (Lev 13:36; cf. Lev 27:33) or “inquiry,” in the sense of meditation, possibly self-searching (Ps 27:4; cf. II Kgs 16:15). Only in Ezk does bāqar refer to search of animals (Ezk 34:11–12). In the Aramaic, bĕqar, found only in Ezr, refers to “investigation,” chiefly of records (Elmer A. Martens, “274 בָּקַר,” ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 124).

• TDOT: The Root. bqr is a common Semitic root, but there is no clarity about the "original meaning" and its relationship to the different "derived" or "figurative" meanings. According to Palache and Seeligmann, the original meaning is to be perceived in Arab. baqara, "to split, open." The use of bqr as a technical term for inspecting a sacrifice could be connected with this meaning; cf. the Middle Hebrew, Jewish Aramaic, "to examine (the intestines of sacrificial animals)"; Mowinckel on bqr in the piel in 2 K. 16:15; Ps. 27:4; 17 and the Nabatean mbqr' (a priestly title; cf. also mbqr, the overseer of the community, in 1QS and CD). 18 In any case, this helps explain the oft recurring meaning, "to examine, investigate," cf. the Biblical Aramaic, Syriac, "to bore through, search after"; Mandean, "to split, test"; Ethiop. baqala, "to examine, punish"; and Heb. baqar in the piel, "to examine" (Lev. 13:36); "care for (RSV search, seek)" (Ezk. 34:11f.); "to consider, reflect" (Prov. 20:25; Sir. 11:7). The Akk. b/paqāru, "to claim, demand," stands somewhat by itself; cf. Bab. b/paqrū, "(claim of) vindication," which might help explain the difficult biqqoreth in Lev. 19:20. 19 Both the common Semitic pa bāqär, "cattle," and presumably also boqer, "morning," which occurs only in Hebrew, are derivatives of bqr, although the semantic relationship is obscure in both cases (Barth, Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament II:219).

• NIDOTTE: בקר (bāqar), pi. examine, inspect (a sacrifice), care for (#1329); בָּקָר (bāqār), cattle (#1330); בֹּקֶר (bōqer I), a cultic technical term: scrutinize omen sacrifice (hapleg. in Ps 5:3 [4]; #1331); בֹּקֶר (bōqer II), morning (#1332); בַּקָּרָה (baqqārâ), care (for cattle) (#1333); בִּקֹּרֶת (biqqōret), nom. inquiry, reprimand (#1334). ANE Arab. baqara, split (HALAT 144); Ugar. bāqar, frequent (WUS, 570); OT Aram. בְּקַר, scrutinize (sacrifice); Nab. mbqr, priest (Cantineau, Nab 2,73); Syr. and Mand. baqar, examine; Eth. baqala, punish. OT 1. The vb. בָּקַר, search, is used in a legal sense to secure an already established condition. In three instances further investigation is prohibited: vows (Prov 20:25); leprosy (Lev 13:36); tithe (27:33). The vb. Aram. בְּקַר in Ezra pertains to searching documents so as to correct any neglect or abuses of decrees (Ezra 4:15, 19; 5:17; 6:1). In 2 Kgs 16:15 בָּקַר (used without an object) means “inquire (of a deity).” Ahaz installed an altar to “inquire by.” Gehman (461) specifies “omen sacrifices.” Mowinckel concurs here and argues the same for בָּכַר, inquire, frequent, in Ps 27:4 (1:146), but there is no mention of sacrifice in Ps 27. “To dwell in his house” points to reflective communion, not oracle-seeking (cf. Kraus, 334; Gerstenberger, 126; cf. Fohrer’s “take delight,” HAD, 39; “take pleasure in, frequent,” HALAT). 2. The nom. בַּקָּרָה, care, is a hapleg. in Ezek 34:12 (HAD, 39) and refers to a shepherd’s care for his flock. 3. The sense of the nom. בִּקֹּרֶת, examination, a hapleg. in Lev 19:20, is uncertain. It could mean reparation (HAD, 39) or investigation (Jastrow, 165; Harrison, 200), or it could be associated with punishment or inquisition (BDB, 134), or even compensation for damage (Lev 19:21; Noth, 143). P-B The Tg. has בָּקַר, examine, clear, abandon (Jastrow, 187); QL uses בָּקַר sim. and מְבַקֶּר as a leader’s title (Priest, 58–60). The LXX uses ἐπισκοπέω (#2174), attend to, for בָּקַר. NT The NT use applies the word esp. to leaders (Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:7). For an extended discussion on mantic practices, see קָסַם, practice divination (#7876) (Willem VanGemeren, ed., New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, 706–707).

References of bqr in the HB

• Leviticus 13:36 וְרָאָ֨הוּ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּשָׂ֥ה הַנֶּ֖תֶק בָּע֑וֹר לֹֽא־יְבַקֵּ֧ר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן לַשֵּׂעָ֥ר הַצָּהֹ֖ב טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא׃

• Leviticus 27:33 לֹ֧א יְבַקֵּ֛ר בֵּֽין־ט֥וֹב לָרַ֖ע וְלֹ֣א יְמִירֶ֑נּוּ

• 2 Kings 16:15 וּמִנְחָתָ֣ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֔ם וְכָל־דַּ֥ם עֹלָ֛ה וְכָל־דַּם־זֶ֖בַח עָלָ֣יו תִּזְרֹ֑ק וּמִזְבַּ֧ח הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֖י לְבַקֵּֽר׃

• Psalm 27:4 לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃

• Proverbs 20:25 מוֹקֵ֣שׁ אָ֭דָם יָ֣לַע קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְאַחַ֖ר נְדָרִ֣ים לְבַקֵּֽר׃

• Ezekiel 34:11 וְדָרַשְׁתִּ֥י אֶת־צֹאנִ֖י וּבִקַּרְתִּֽים׃

• Ezekiel 34:12 כְּבַקָּרַת֩ רֹעֶ֨ה עֶדְר֜וֹ בְּיוֹם־הֱיוֹת֤וֹ בְתוֹךְ־צֹאנוֹ֙ נִפְרָשׁ֔וֹת כֵּ֖ן אֲבַקֵּ֣ר אֶת־צֹאנִ֑י

Secondary Literature

• ALTER: to behold the LORD’s sweetness and to gaze on His palace. “to gaze on. The precise meaning of the verb baqer is in dispute, but the cognate noun biqoret, used in Leviticus 19:20 in the sense of “observation,” suggests it may mean here to take in with the eyes, to enjoy the sight of" (Robert Alter, The book of Psalms : a translation with commentary, 202, 205).

• ANDERSON: to inquire is a problematic term. Mowinckel (PIW, 1, p. 54) relates it to 'some sort of interpretation of signs in connexion with the sacrifices. . .’ something like 'taking omens' (see on 5:3). This may suggest some kind of divination, perhaps, by means of the entrails of the sacrificial animal, the behaviour of the victim, or a similar practice (cf. J. Gray, I & II Kings, (OTL, 1964), p. 578); it is doubtful, however, whether this is what the Psalmist had in mind. It is more likely that he may have looked for an oracular sign or an oracle (not unlike the one quoted in verse 14). Weiser (POTL, p. 245) has suggested that 'to inquire' may mean 'to say prayers', while Cohen (PSon, p. 79) renders 'to visit early (in His temple)' (cf. V to visit his sanctuary"). Dahood (PAB, 1, p. 167) has taken the verb as denominative of böker ('morning, dawn') and translates the above phrase 'awakening each dawn’. Out of this medley of suggestions, the most appropriate meaning seems to be: to ask for a divine answer, or decision, without specifying, as to how it was obtained” (A. A. Anderson, The New Century Bible Commentary, Psalms 1-72 I:222-223).

• AUFFRET: pour contempler la douceur de YHWH et pour m’occuper de son temple. "En 4c-f est présenté l’objet de la recherche, en 6cd le rituel qui précède chant et musique. En 4ab la structure s’ordonne autour de YHWH, car on lit en parallèle avant et après: une chose + j’ai demandée // elle + je cherche, les deux verbes constituant une paire stéréotypée (voir ci dessus à la n.7). En 4c-f on peut considérer que 4e et 4f reprennent et développent en ordre inversé les termes de l’expression finale de 4c et percevoir la structure suivante: habiter dans la maison* de YHWH // tous les jours de ma vie // pour contempler la douceur de YHWH // et pour m’occuper de son temple // Les termes maison et temple constituent une paire stéréotypée8. Si l’on considère l’ensemble de 4 on voit que la première ligne de chacun des deux volets s’achève sur YHWH.(Pierre Auffret, “Mais YHWH m’accueillera”. Nouvelle etude structurelle du Psaume 27," 481-82).

• AVRAHAMI: The different Hebrew terms for “prophet” provide another hint in this direction. חוזה and רואה, both meaning “Seer,” are derived from the field of sight, and show that the prophetic experience is similar to the visual experience. Furthermore, the root חזה, whose primary meaning is “to see,” is nearly always used to describe prophecy [FOOTNOTE: As well as presence in non-prophetic revelation; see, e.g., Pss 17:15; 27:4; 46:9), cf. the nouns חזון and מחזה] (Yael Avrahami, The Senses of Scripture: Sensory Perception in the Hebrew Bible, 266-67).

• BOTHA: "to gaze upon the kindness of YHWH and to reflect in his temple. “What is it that the psalmist wants to do in the temple of YHWH? He wants to ‘dwell’ in the temple so that he can ‘gaze’ upon the ‘kindness’ (or ‘delightfulness’ or ‘pleasantness’) of YHWH but then also to ֵבִּקּר in his temple. Since the time of Mowinckel, this second verb was interpreted in terms of a cultic act of ‘inspecting’ a sacrifice. It is evident that this exposition of Psalm 27:4 gave rise to meaning (1) in HALOT (there is a reference to Mowinckel’s Psalmen studien 1:146 at this entry). This interpretation should be regarded as questionable as the verb does not have an object in Psalm 27:4. The intended meaning is probably 2(c), to ‘reflect’ as in Proverbs 20:25. The ‘sacrifices’ which Mowinckel uses to justify his interpretation are only mentioned two verses later (Ps 27:6). These are described as ‘sacrifices of jubilation’ described in parallel to ‘sing’ and ‘make music’. The sacrifices are, thus, not real. In Psalm 51:21, the זבחי צדק (‘sacrifices of righteousness’) are not real sacrifices but describe an ethical lifestyle because they are compared to ‘a broken spirit and a crushed heart’ in Psalm 51:19 (Janowski 2014:193–194). In a similar way, the זבחי תרועה of Psalm 27:6 should be understood as ‘sacrifices of joyous thanksgiving’ for salvation, not as sacrifices accompanied by joyful shouting. As Janowski (2014:199) remarks concerning the זבח תודה in the Psalms, the זבחי תרועה in Psalm 27:6 reflect a theology of gratefulness which defines the relationship between God and humanity in a new way, transcending the cult but without abandoning its context. The temple became the (symbolic) centre for a personal, direct encounter with YHWH (thus, without the priest’s mediation). The context of Psalm 27:4 is one of thanksgiving by a worshipper, not inquiry by a priest. Concerning the final part of the verse, Gunkel (1986 [1926]:113) says that one can visualise how the psalmist imagined he would stroll through the sanctuary, looking at everything with love and joy. Included in his desire is also the need to be saved from his distress because this is the reason for the wish in verse 5. Therefore, the image that the psalmist used is a combination of two images: that of the sanctuary as a place of pilgrimage and that of it as a place of asylum for the persecuted (Gunkel 1986 [1926]:113). Gunkel (1986 [1926]:115) goes on to say that, to see YHWH’s ‘kindness’ is a poetic variation of seeing YHWH as it is expressed (נעם) in Psalm 42:3 (cf. Psalms 11:7; 17:15; 63:3), a description of visiting God in the temple. Gunkel explains the combination of בקר with בְּ as ‘perceiving with inner participation, with delight’ (Gunkel 1986 [1926]:115). Accordingly, he denies explicitly that it can be represented with ‘nachsinnen’ (‘reflect, ponder, meditate’), because this does not fit the parallel לחזות; or with performing a cultic act, as the psalmist desires proximity to God and inner elevation, not a cultic duty; neither with conducting an ‘Opferschau’ (inspection of the sacrifice, as Mowinckel thought), because this also does not fit into the context (Gunkel 1986 [1926]:115). Gunkel (1986 [1926]:115), thus, interpreted ‘seeing’ the נעם of YHWH as referring to being granted a divine audience, and the parallel part of ‘ולבקר בהיכלו’ as looking with joy at the temple complex itself. I think that Gunkel is mistaken regarding the second part. The two sections of verse 4c indeed form a grammatical parallel, but they do not have to be semantic parallels in all respects… to gaze upon the friendliness of Yahweh and to reflect in his temple. The two phrases form a synthetic parallel rather than a synonymous parallel. The combination of חזה plus ב occurs only six times in the Hebrew Bible. It refers to perceiving the great work of God (Job 36:25), gazing upon the friendliness of YHWH (Ps 27:4), the audience looking upon the Shulamite girl (Song 7:1 x 2), the counsellors of the Babylonians gazing at the stars (Is 47:13) and the nations desiring to gaze upon (the destruction of) Zion (Mi 4:11). Whilst ‘gaze upon’ is encountered six times in the Hebrew Bible, the combination of בקר and בְּ occurs only in Psalm 27:4. For ‘scrutinise’, the preposition ְל is used with בקר (as in Lv 13:36); for ‘differentiate’, the preposition ֵבּין is used (as in Lv 27:33). In the meaning ‘search out’ (parallel to דרשׁ, as in Ezk 34:11), the accusative is used. Therefore, the verb cannot be a complete parallel of .27:4 in Psalm חזה" (Botha, P.J., 2021, ‘Psalm 27:4 – To reflect in his temple: Communion with YHWH as the culmination of the journey of life’, HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 77(4), a6623. https://doi. org/10.4102/hts.v77i4.6623 1-4).

• BRUEGGEMANN: to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. “To inquire in the temple may refer to a request for direction in living or may refer more specifically to seeking a divine word of protection in the current crisis. Inquiring in the temple, beholding the beauty of God, and dwelling in the temple are taken to be one request: encountering the life-giving divine presence” (Walter Brueggemann, Psalms, New Cambridge Bible Commentary, 138, 140).

• CRAIGIE: to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. “(“to inquire”); the meaning of the term has caused considerable debate, conveniently summarized in Anderson, Psalms I, 222–23. Ugaritic bqr may have the sense “to divine,” and the parallel Hebrew term used here probably implies “inquire (by seeking a divine oracle)”; cf. Gray, The Legacy of Canaan, 2, 194 (note)” (Peter Craigie, Psalms 1–50, 2nd ed., vol. 19, Word Biblical Commentary, 2004, 229–230). “The psalmist specifies two consequences that would follow from his permanent residence in God’s presence. (1) He would be able “to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord,” not to be interpreted literally, but as implying the extraordinary experience of God’s beauty and glory as symbolized in the temple, specifically in the Ark. (2) He would be able to “inquire in his temple” (see v 4, note c). The military context may provide the specific nuance of the expression; the king, prior to departing for war, would be able to enter the temple and to seek an oracle from God pertaining to his military plans. But the expression may have more precise implications with respect to the actual liturgy in which the king was participating; he was about to sacrifice (v 6) and sought guidance from God, and v 14 (see below) may contain the oracle for which he made inquiry” (Craigie, Psalms 1–50, 2nd ed., vol. 19, Word Biblical Commentary, 2004, 232).

• DAHOOD: Gazing upon the loveliness of Yahweh, awaking each dawn in his temple. “The much-disputed baqqer can satisfactorily be explained as a denominative verb from boqer, "morning, dawn," just as šihar, "to seek diligently," may originally have meant "to arise at dawn." Ar. bakkara signifies "to arise very early in the morning" (Mitchell Dahood, Psalms AB I:165, 167).

• DAY: "The root in the Piel has certainly this sense in 2 Kings xvi, 15, where it refers to divination by 'inspection' of entrails, cf. Leviticus xxvii, 33, where the verb means 'to discriminate' between good and evil. The phrase לְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ in Psalm xxvii, 4 probably refers to divination, in this case by consulting the oracle, so MOWINCKEL (The Psalms in Israel's Worship II, 1962, p. 54) and in Prov xx, 25, מוֹקֵ֣שׁ אָ֭דָם יָ֣לַע קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְאַחַ֖ר נְדָרִ֣ים לְבַקֵּֽר׃ It is a snare for a man to say rashly 'It is holy', And after vows to take auspices’” (John Gray, The Legacy of Canaan, 194 fn. 2).

• ERBELE-KÜSTER: to gaze upon the loveliness of the Eternal and to contemplate in God’s temple. "The I of the Psalm desires to see afresh to see in (sic!) the light of the goodness of the Eternal. The gaze of the I may be brightened by Gods radiance and goodness. “Beauty is not some quality in the beautiful object, but rather the attraction between the perceiver and the object.”27) Psalm 27 unfolds how the human perception changes in the light of beauty and loveliness as we are seeing beatific loveliness which sheds light on violence. The awesome beauty of God destabilizes the order as critique of unjust situations. Justice as relational term is realized in the uniqueness of the event. This is what Kryszof Ziarek calls poietic justice: “Quite distinct from legal and ethical senses of justice, this ‘justice’ is eminently poetic, calling for a measure which displaces and decisively reorients the debates about justice.” 28) Esthetics reveals itself in acting over against those who do unjust and treacherous deeds. The loveliness of God radiates on those who are disregarded. In this sense beauty saves" (D. Erbele-Küster, "Poetics and Ethics: Psalm 27 as an Exemplary Reading," 45, 49).

• FLETCHER: "In order to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. “The psalmist expresses his desire to be awed by the presence of God in the temple. Again, the reader should not miss the direct association of the "house of the LORD" and the "temple". The presence of God is felt in a unique way at the temple. This does not suggest a literal viewing of God's beauty and glory but rather that which is symbolized by the temple.236 In addition to being consumed by the presence of God, the king "inquires" of him. Once again, a divine oracle might be intended, but the language is ambiguous. If an oracle is indeed meant, the image is of the king, prior to departing for war, being able to enter the temple complex and to seek an oracle from God pertaining to his military plans. Either way, the thought is similar to the one expressed earlier in v. 1: the king seeks to encounter the presence of God in a unique and powerful way at the temple. Seen in the overall military context of Ps 27, he seeks a genuine sanctuary experience that provides confidence in battle” (Daniel H, Fletcher, "Seeking Solace in the Sanctuary- The Canonical Placement of Psalm 27," 109).

• GREENFIELD: "to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, to frequent his temple. “Psalm 27 is a composite psalm containing disparate elements. One of these is the unit contained in verses 4-6. In verse 4, the Psalmist does not ask for life as such but expresses his deeply felt desire… to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, to frequent his temple." If this verse is examined from a purely structural point of view, three terms are found in parallelism-bêt YHWH / no’am YHWH / hêkal. If this observation is correct then the translation proposed for no’am is wrong. In the passage from CTA 3 iii 26-28 quoted above, n’m is in appositive parallelism with qdš "sanctuary" and thus n’m, the pleasant or goodly place, serves as an epithet for the sanctuary. Taking a hint from this use of ncm II qds, one could very well say that the Psalmist asks to spend his life not looking at the Lord's beauty but rather at the Lord's pleasant place. He desires to be on a sort of perpetual pilgrimage. The numinous effect of the verse has been reduced, the meaning has been enhanced" (”The Cluster in Biblical Poetry,” in Al Kanfei Yonah Collected Studies of Jonas C. Greenfield on Semitic Philology Volume II, II:794-5).

• van GROL: to see the sweetness of the YHWH, to pay attention in his temple. “A rather difficult question is found in vs. 4c" where there is a verb and a modifier with ב. The meaning of the verb is unclear and the modifier with ב can be seen as an object of the verb or as a modifier of place. One possible interpretation is: 'to inquire by seeking a divine oracle'. This reading has good testimonials if it concerns this little clause itself, but it is senseless, if we take vs. 4b seriously: '(I go on seeking) to dwell in the house of YHWH all the days of my life (to...)'. An oracle every day? A second proposal, 'to be in his temple at dawn', is lexicographically less plausible [FOOTNOTE: The proposal originates from the Jewish tradition: Ibn Ezra, Rashi, Buber, Schriftwerke: ‘morendlich in seiner Halle zu sein’. Compare Dahood, Psalms, 165: ‘awaking each dawn in his temple, and 167.]. Moreover, in this manner a semantic balance between the two cola of verse line 4c is lacking. The usual meanings of the verb בקר Piel are: 'genau untersuchen' (with preposition ל; in Aramaic and later Hebrew with preposition ב, 'sich kümmern' (with accusative) and 'bedenken' (without object). A common denominator of these meanings seems to be 'to pay attention to'. Many translation proposals are based on this. If we confine ourselves to this domain of meaning, the question is whether the psalmist wants to direct the attention to the temple (object) or to something else in the temple (place). If we restrict ourselves to classical Hebrew, the answer is simple. The verb בקר Piel is nowhere else with classical Hebrew followed by an object with preposition ב. This construction does not occur until (biblical) Aramaic and later Hebrew. The temple, in this classical Hebrew text, is the place of action rather than the object of it. The parallelism makes the matter less simple. In vs. 4c', the parallel colon, we find an object with ב. This could create a nice balance: 'to see (A) the sweetness of YHWH (B) / to pay attention (A') to his temple (B')'. This parallelism of the two adjuncts introduced by ב, however, does not lose its validity if these adjuncts were to have a different syntactic function. Moreover, the preposition has different functions in vs. 5 as well. Even if this phrase is a modifier of place, a full balance exists between in the house of YHWH (vs. 4b") and 'in his temple' (vs. 4c"). All in all it is more likely that the temple is the place of action. The question remains as to what the psalmist wants to give attention to in the temple. Many answers are given, e.g., the architecture (interior and exterior)," the Scriptures," God's way," or God himself." In my translation I leave the object of attention open, but I prefer the last mentioned proposal. Nowhere does this psalm betray special attention to the architecture of the temple, to any writing whatsoever or to God's way," whereas in the parallel colon attention is explicitly directed to God himself. I think it sensible to take the object of this parallel clause, 'the sweetness of YHWH', as the object of our clause, too (double duty)" (Harm W. M. van Grol, "Psalm 27.1-6 A Literary Stylistic Analysis" in Give Ear to My Words, 26-27).

• GUNKEL: "Occasionally the complaint songs express desire for YHWH and Zion. The singer painfully misses the marvelous surroundings of the holy temple. He would like to walk there and "see YHWH's face," "go to the altar," and "be YHWH's guest forever." He buries himself in the majestic reminiscence of earlier pilgrimage journeys, etc. These and similar psalms could only be spoken at a site removed from the sanctuary, and thus it would be impossible that they accompanied a worship act. The same is true for those complaint songs which speak in shorter, partially pictorial suggestions, and for those in which the singer believes himself to be cut off from YHWH's sight," so that he states his desire "to see YHWH's face," to "be satisfied with the sight of your form," "to find refuge in the shadow of your wings, etc. One can readily see that these desires are not conceivable in the sanctuary from Ps 27:4, where the singer demands only one thing from YHWH: "to see YHWH's friendliness and to observe his temple." This kind of passionate desire could only arise in a heart of one who is painfully lacking what he most desires at the present time (Hermann Gunkel, Introduction to Psalms: The Genres of the Religious Lyric of Israel, 127). In other petitions, the one complaining appears as one imploring help as he seeks justice before the judge's bench. "Judge me. "Vindicate me." "Take my case." Correspondingly, the Babylonian prays to Šamaš or Ištar: "Judge me rightly, decide my case. The psalmist further petitions YHWH to recognize the psalmist's honor. He petitions for the restoration of his standing before the opponents, or for protection when approaching God. The complaint about being removed from YHWH's sanctuary and his blessed nearness corresponds to the petition for a pilgrimage" (Hermann Gunkel, Introduction to Psalms: The Genres of the Religious Lyric of Israel, 160 fn Pss 27:4; 61:5; cf. also 43:4).

• HARTENSTEIN: "Mit Lust zu schauen auf die Schönheit JHWHs und innig zu betrachten seinen (Thron-)Saal/Palast. [To behold the beauty/graciousness of YHWH, And to meditate his (throne) room/temple] (Friedhelm Hartenstein, Das Angesicht JHWHs Studien zu seinem höfischen und kultischen Bedeutungshintergrund in den Psalmen und in Exodus 32-34, 67 and "Iconicity of the Psalms, 336). "In Ps 27:1–6, the focus is on the deep desire to stay near to God, in his “temple/throne room” (hekhal), “house” (bayit), “hut/pavilion” (sukka), and “tent” (’ohæl). These four terms for the divine dwelling have royal connotations and are related to the building’s architectural structure (hekhal for the main room, sukka and ’ohæl for the inner sanctuary or naos, otherwise in the Old Testament technically called the debir). The wish to enter this “inner space” is by no means restricted to a superficial or neutral experience. Instead, the temple is imagined in the splendor of God’s presence with all its salvicic and protecting effects for anyone who is allowed access. The prayer’s vision of God follows not a neutral architectural notion of space, but a symbolic model of an audience before a benevolent ruler. Again, on the level of a theory of images or metaphors it is important to distinguish two possible levels of reading: a) In concrete terms, it is about a visit to the temple or, better, the “temple imaginaire” as stated above. This image field always remains oriented towards the existing temple and its rituals. This is the reason why some scholars have tried to identify the longing “to meditate [in] his throne room” in v. 4 with hepatoscopy, an interpretation that in my opinion goes astray" (Friedhelm Hartenstein, "Iconicity of the Psalms", 336).

• HARTENSTEIN: "Die Formulierung in V.4aß (שבתי בבית ־יהוה כל־ימי חיי) hat - wie schon oft gesehen wurde - eine nahe Sprach- und Sachparallele am Ende des bekannten Vertrauensliedes Ps 23, in dem der Beter ebenfalls angesichts von Feindbe- drohung sein sicheres Vertrauen auf die gastliche Aufnahme im »Haus« JHWHs zum Ausdruck bringt (Ps 23,5f.): »Gutes und Gnade/Gemeinschafts- treue werden mir folgen mein ganzes Leben lang (כל־ימי חיי) und (es wird sein) mein Wohnen im Haus JHWHs (שבתי בבית ־יהוה) für Länge von Tagen (= für lange Zeit)«. Nach allem, was wir oben zur Besonderheit der Vorstel- lung von »Leben« in der Nähe Gottes, d.h. im Heiligtum und »in« der dort zugänglichen göttlichen Sphäre gesagt haben, erscheint es sinnvoll, die Zeitangaben in Ps 27,4 (wie diejenigen in Ps 23,6) nicht einfach wörtlich zu nehmen, sondern für sie eine weitergehende metaphorische Qualität zu veran- schlagen. Der Aufenthalt »im Haus JHWHs« für »alle Tage meines Lebens« ist dann kaum - wie man es besonders vor dem Hintergrund einer institutio- nellen Deutung der einschlägigen Psalmen auf ein Tempelasyl oder auf levitische Verfasserschaft getan hatte - nur konkret zu verstehen, sondern führt auf die auch im folgenden Halbvers Ps 27,4b artikulierte besondere Qualität der Gottesnähe, die die Sprache der Psalmen in nur scheinbar quantifizierenden Begriffen umschreiben kann. In Syntax und Sprachgebrauch ganz analog zu Ps 27,13 spricht nämlich V.4b - wie oben bereits erwähnt - in einem Parallelismus membrorum davon, wie der durch den Beter erwünschte Aufenthalt in der Sphäre JHWHs näher charakterisiert ist: Entsprechend Ps 27,13 steht auch hier jeweils in einer finalen Infinitiv-Konstruktion mit ל ein Verb der visuellen Wahrnehmung zusammen mit der Kontakt herstellenden Präposition ב und einem Objekt, das durch Suffix oder Constructus-Verbindung als JHWH zu- gehörig gekennzeichnet wird und somit jeweils auch determiniert ist (V. 4ba: »die Schönheit/das Liebliche JHWHs«, V.4bß: »sein [Thron-]Saal/Palast«, V.13: »das Gute JHWHs«), Zur Verdeutlichung seien die drei Formulierun- gen nebeneinandergestellt: Ps 27,4ba ל + Verb חזה + ב + Objekt נעם־יהוה // Ps 27,4bß ל + Verb בקר + 3 + Objekt היכלו // Ps27,13 ל + Verb ראה +2 + ב + Objekt טוב־יהוה //. "Diese dreifache formal genau übereinstimmende Konstruktion stellt eine entscheidende Übersetzungsund Deutungshilfe für die schwierigen und dementsprechend vielfältig interpretierten Verse dar. Da es sich nämlich in dem oben untersuchten V.13 bei ראה »sehen« und in V.4ba bei חזה »schauen« jeweils um Verben der visuellen Wahrnehmung handelt, legt es sich schon von daher nahe, auch das nicht sicher zu deutende Verb בקר Pi'el in V.4bß analog zu verstehen. Zumal die oben schon (so etwa zu Hi 33,28) mehrfach erwähnte Verbindung eines Seh-Vorgangs mit der Präposition ב stets eine besondere Betonung im Sinne einer hohen emotionalen Beteiligung und eines intensiven Affiziertwerdens durch das erblickte Objekt zum Ausdruck bringt. Nicht selten findet sich nun aber in der Forschungohne die genannte Konstruktionsparallele der drei Verse ausreichend in Rechnung zu stelleneine Auslegung von V. 4bß, die hier eine spezielle (eventuell nur dem König vorbehaltene) kultische Handlung im Tempelinneren (Leberschau) finden will. Dabei wird nicht nur das Verständnis des Verbs von außen an die Stelle herangetragen, sondern auch vor dem Hintergrund dieser Annahme einer technischen Verwendung von absolut gebrauchtem בקר Pi'el (»die Leberschau vornehmen«) die Konstruktion mit ב entgegen dem Parallelismus mit V.4ba nicht transitiv, sondern rein lokal aufgefaßt (»im Tempel«). Zu diesem verbreiteten, u.a. bereits von Mowinckel und von Rad erwogenen Verständnis von ולבקר בהיכלו (für das v.a. religionsgeschichtliche Argumente angeführt wurden) sei nur kurz angemerkt, daß der einzige dafür überhaupt in Frage kommende alttestamentliche Beleg in 2 Kön 16,15 ebenfalls alles andere als eindeutig ist (neben vielen hier nicht näher darzulegenden Schwierigkeiten hinsichtlich der literarkritischen und inhaltlichen Beurteilung des offensichtlich stark zusammengesetzten Textes, steht vor allem die Tatsache der absoluten Verwendung des Verbs בקר [als eine in Bezug auf den »ehernen Altar« stehenden Tätigkeit des Königs] der direkten Übertragung auf Ps 27,4 entgegen). Nur noch in Prv 20,25 wird בקר Pi in zweites Mal absolut gebraucht (wohl im Sinne einer »Überprüfung« eines Opfers, bevorman das entsprechende Gelübde einlöst). Diese Stelle gehört aberdarin anders als der singulare Beleg 2 Kön 16,15 - deutlich in einen sachlichen Zusammenhang mit den weiteren drei Vorkommen des Verbs (Lev 13,36; Lev 27,33; Ez 34,11f.), die alle für eine Bedeutung in Richtung einer visuellen Wahrnehmung (an bestimmten Objekten) sprechen. Dabei ist als Näherbestimmung jeweils die Komponente eines genauen, prüfenden und unterscheidenden, also besonders intensiven »Hinschauens« enthalten. Ein Blick auf die Kontexte vermag das zu verdeutlichen: die beiden Leviticus-Stellen handeln von einer prüfenden Tätigkeit der Priester (Lev 13,36: »suchen« nach [ל] einem goldgelben Haar zur Feststellung der Unreinheit bei Aussatz [hier erscheint בקר Pi ausdrücklich als Sonderform des übergeordneten ראה »sehen/beschauen« V.34.36]; Lev 27,33: »untersuchen«, ob der Zehnte »gut« oder »schlecht« ist [Präpositionen בין und ל). Am nächsten kommt der Verwendung in Ps 27,4 wohl das zweifache Vorkommen in Ez 34,11f., wo בקר Pi das »Ausschauhalten« und »Suchen« des Hirten nach seinen verlorenen Tieren meint (parallel mit דרש »suchen«). Sachlich ist bei dem Hirtenbild für JHWH, der das Volk aus der Zerstreuung sammelt, wie in Ps 27,4bß eine besondere emotionale Beteiligung vorauszusetzen, die Objekte (»mein Kleinvieh/meine Herde«) stehen hier allerdings jeweils mit der Nota accusativi את־צאני). Insofern hat die Kombination mit ב in Ps 27,4 keine direkte Konstruktionsparallele, wohl aber weist der semantische Befund für den alttestamentlichen Gebrauch des Verbs - trotz geringer Belegzahl und mit Ausnahme der singulären und kaum aufzuklärenden Stelle 2 Kön 16,15 - in Richtung der oben gewählten Übersetzung. Nimmt man nun für בקר Pi'el eine Bedeutung im Bereich visueller Wahrnehmung an, so muß die Betrachtung des Parallelismus in V.4b weiteren Auf- schluß über deren inhaltliche Bedeutung geben. Hält man sich hierzu die oben herausgearbeiteten Sinnbezüge der Aussage von Ps 27,13 vor Augen, nach der das »Sehen« des »Guten JHWHs« »im Land von Lebenden« mit der Erwartung eines Aufenthalts am Heiligtum und der Erfahrung heilvoller Gottesnähe (gnadenhafte Annahme in einer Audienzsituation) verbunden ist, so stellt sich die Frage, ob die ebenfalls JHWH zugehörigen Objekte des Sehens in Ps 27,4 ähnliche Konnotationen aufweisen" (Friedhelm Hartenstein, Das Angesicht JHWHs Studien zu seinem höfischen und kultischen Bedeutungshintergrund in den Psalmen und in Exodus 32-34, 101-103).

• HAUGE: "to behold the beauty of Yahweh, to contemplate in his temple. “biqqer is often understood as a technical term for divination… With the verb parallel to hdza, Lev. 13.36 is of special importance for a parallel usage. Here rd'a is used for the immediate visual impression, biqqer for a continued visual examination. This corresponds to the usages in Lev. 27.33 and Ezek. 34.11-12, while Prov. 20.25 refers to mental examination. In addition, 2 Kgs 16.15 refers to the copper-altar reserved for the royal biqqer. While other royal rites take place at the other altar and with a priestly officiant (v. 15a), the language of 15b suggests that biqqer refers to the king's own activities. These activities must be related to the qualification of the copper-altar in v.14 as located lifne Yahweh. This qualification together with the use of biqqer could correspond to the language of Ps. 27.4 seen together with the special relationship to Yahweh and his face in these texts. Whatever the possible connotations of biqqer it must in this context be connected with the 'seeing' of the divine 'beauty' and thus also with the relationship to the divine face, w . 8-9, and probably also the concluding 'seeing' of the divine 'goodness', v. 13. The relationship between the parallel verbs of 'seeing' in 4b (cf. Lev. 13.36) can be compared to Ps. 17.15. Moreover, ended by the motifs of v. 6, the contents of v. 4b should be related to 43.4 and thus to the other expressions for the intimate relationship to Yahweh in the temple in Ps. 42 and the other texts. Motifs connected with visual impressions of the divine presence seem to be central for this relationship” (Martin Ravndal Hauge, Between Sheol and Temple: Motif Structure and Function in the I-Psalms, 121-22).

• HOLTZ: "to gaze at the Lord’s beauty and to contemplate [The precise meaning of lebaqqer remains elusive. The translation above follows BDB, and derives from the use of the verb to mean “to inspect (visually)” in Leviticus 13:36 and Ezekiel 34:11–12 and from the parallelism with the verb lahazot earlier in the verse. For the use of the verb in a similar context, compare 2 Kings 16:15, called to my attention by my colleagues Richard Steiner and Shawn Zelig Aster] in His palace" (Shalom Holtz, "God As Refuge And Temple As Refuge" In, The Psalms In The Temple of Jerusalem From Moses to the Messiah, 20).

• IBN EZRA: AND TO VISIT EARLY IN HIS TEMPLE. "Le-vakker (to visit early) is related to the word yevakker (inquire) in He shall not inquire whether it be good or bad (Lev. 27:33) [FOOTNOTE: I.E. renders our clause: and to inquire in His temple]. The meaning of le-vakker be-hekhalo (to visit early in his temple) is that the Kohanim who are always in the house of God will instruct and teach him. Others say that the meaning of le-vakker be-hekhalo is to go each morning to God’s temple [FOOTNOTE: In other words le-vakker is related to the word boker]. It is similar to morning and evening (1 Sam. 17:16)" (Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the First Book of Psalms: Chapter 1-41, 199).

• LEITHART: "Ahaz visits Tiglath-pileser at Damascus, perhaps to seal their alliance, and there Ahaz’s alliance with Gentile imperialists goes beyond the political (2 Kgs. 16:10). He spies an attractive altar and sends the blueprints back to Jerusalem. The word for “model” is תבנית, used elsewhere to describe the heavenly prototypes for Israel’s sanctuaries (Exod. 25:9, 40). In place of the heavenly תבנית, Ahaz follows a Gentile model. Ahaz puts himself in the place of Yahweh or Yahweh’s prophet, instructing his priest[4] like a sacred architect to do “according to all King Ahaz sent from Damascus” (2 Kgs. 16:11), a perversion of the demand to do “according to all that Yahweh had commanded” (Exod. 40:16). The establishment of regular sacrifice at the altar parodies the initiation of Israel’s tabernacle worship (Exod. 29; Lev. 8–9), and like Solomon at Yahweh’s temple, Ahaz dedicates his new sanctuary with sacrifice (2 Kgs. 16:12–13). Meanwhile, Yahweh’s altar, made in conformity to the heavenly pattern is put to the side (16:15), used only for consultations (Deut. 18:9–13)" (Peter J. Leithart, 1 & 2 Kings, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible, 287).

• LEVENSON: "Four interpretations of this term dominate the history of its translation. Perhaps the LXX… and certainly the Vulgate (visitem templum ejus) have been influenced by one rabbinic meaning of bigger,"to visit". Although this translation makes sense in context, it remains doubtful that the verb had this meaning in biblical times. Rashi, following Dunash ibn Labrat and followed by Mitchell Dahood (although Dahood does not cite either Rashi or Dunash), interprets the word as a denominative from boqer, "morning": thus, "to appear there every morning." Although plausible, this translation,too, seems to lack a biblical parallel. The third m translation is influenced by Ezek. xxxiv11-12, in which biqqer seems synonymous with address,"to seek, search out". This is another sense of LXX ἐπισκέπτεσθαι, and it underlies the King James rendering, "to inquire in his temple". Rudolf Kittel gives the verb a spiritual nuance along the same lines(zu sinnen). 2 The fourth interpretation of ulebaqqer is a more practical specification of the third: it sees the inquiry in question as a form of omen-taking.Such an interpretation fits nicely with the use of the verb in connection with Priestly inspection of skin disorders(Lev. xiii 36) and with the examination of animals consecrated for donation (Lev. xxvii 33). It also fits nicely with the occurrence of the infinitive in 1 Kgs xvi 15, where it specifies what Ahaz wishes to do at the rebuilt altar. 3 It is noteworthy that one meaning of biqqer in rabbinic Hebrew means "to examine a sacrificial animal for blemishes" (e.g. M. Tamid III4). The likelihood is that the psalmist in Ps. xxvii 4 is expressing a wish to perform some sort of augury in the Temple. Although the semantics of biqqer, buttressed by comparative Near Eastern evidence, might suggest extispicy,4 any specification of the form of augury would be speculation" (Jon D. Levenson, "A Technical Meaning for nʿm in the Hebrew Bible," 61-62).

• MAGIN: to behold the beauty of Yahweh, and to inquire in his temple. “The next three lines of verse 4 provide details concerning the one thing. Together, these three lines represent the purpose of his first statement. Here David is undertaking actions to obtain what he desires and work as the means to reach that purpose. The three lines of this purpose statement either can be viewed as acting as a triplet with a general-specific-specific relationship, or as a general-specific relationship with the second and third lines holding a base-addition sub-relation. This second understanding is my choice... The initial line states the place and duration of the request. The second and third lines describe the activities David desires to carry out within the house of the Lord" (Harry Magin, "An Analysis of Psalm 27," 3).

• MELTZER: "In Psalms 27:4 we read "One thing I asked from G-d is that I will ask, when I live in G-d's house all the days of my life, to see Noam of G-d and to visit his temple". This is how Dunash interpreted it, but he comments: And Menachem is his friend with "He shall not judge between good and evil" (Leviticus 26). It seems that in our language today it is very common that the meaning of the verb to visit, to visit, is to conduct (???). Rashi himself interprets in 2 Kings 16:15: "I will have to visit", sometimes when it occurs to me to visit him. And in Ezekiel 34:11 from Rashi's interpretation: "I will search for my sheep my sheep and seek them out" - a tongue in the mouth of the sick (?). It seems to us that the original biblical meaning of the verb baqar should be considered: to come in to visit. In a people where most of them work the land, if you want to find the person in his house, you have to visit him - come to him in the morning. Or to dawn, as in Proverbs 7:15 "I went out to meet you at dawn." In our opinion, this is the first meaning of baqar, and it should be heard in the prayer "to see Naam D and visit his temple", to come to him in the morning (or every morning). And we found it in Psalms 5:4: "In the morning, hear my voice, in the morning I will prepare for you and watch." However, on the one hand, there is no doubt that this verb, baqar, has already developed in biblical times into meanings whose exact meaning is not precisely visit, such as in Ezekiel 34:12: "As a shepherd seeks out his flock... so will I seek out my flock." On the other hand, it is possible that it is very, very useful to first see the meaning of the verb seek (?), even with such an "independent" name, such as control, and perhaps even with the name control. We have already quoted from Ezekiel 34:12 "as the shepherd of his flock". And this exactness at the beginning of the verb beckon, perhaps we should also hear in the scriptures where the verb, shahar, comes: "And in the morning they will find me" (Proverbs 8:17), "It will be difficult for them to find me" (Hosea 5:15), "They will make me desolate and they will not find me" (Proverbs A, power). And perhaps we also say in relation to dawn what we said in relation to dawn, that it is possible that the beginning of this meaning can be found in the scripture: "And evil has come upon you, you will not know dawn", meaning: You will not know its beginning = source = its grandmother, and this can also include the content "you will not know its extent(fn 23)" [FOOTNOTE: 23 It should be noted that today's lexicons do not see any associations between the verb baqar and the noun "boqer". In one of the lexicons, four meanings are given: test and check, control value, notice the quality - evaluate - come - to visit" (S. F. Meltzer, "Original Biblical Meaning," Beit Mikra: Journal for the Study of the Bible and Its World 18 [1973]: 302-26, 319-20).

• MILGROM: [commentary on Levitus 27:33. seek out. yēbaqqēr. This can also be rendered as "search out, examine" (Levine 1989; see NOTE on 13:36). This verb is applied metaphorically by Ezekiel: "I am going to take thought for my flock, and I will seek them out [ûbiqqartîm]. As a shepherd seeks out [kebaqqarat] his flock (when some of the animals have gotten separated), so will I seek out ['abaqqer] my flock" (Ezek 34:11b-12; see NOTE on 19:20). [Commentary on Leviticus 13:36] 36. look. yěbaqqēr, in other words, inquire, investigate. This interpretation of biqqer seems clear from this context as well as from that of 27:33, and is adopted by Tg. Ps.-J., Tg. Neof., Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Rashbam (cf. Ezek 34:11, 12; Prov 20:25). It becomes problematical with its nominal form, a hapax, biqqoret (cf. the detailed, NOTE on 19:20 and, in the interim, Milgrom 1976f: 129 n. 460; Loewenstamm 1980) (Jacob Milgrom, Leviticus, AB vols 1, 3).

• MOWINCKEL: “From what we know about the oracles of the ancient Israelite seer priests it appears that the answer of the deity was often found by means of so-called technical = instruments of oracle, such as casting lots with the holy ‘Urim and Thummim’ or by means of ‘looking* for special ‘signs in the sacrificial animal, and by interpreting them. Casting of lots might be used to learn whom Yahweh had appointed king of Israel, as we can read in the stories of the younger saga about the election of king Saul, and also in order to find out who the unknown culprit might be who on some occasion or other had roused the wrath of Yahweh, as we hear in the stories about Jonathan’s breach of the taboo, and about the theft of Achan. It is to some sort of interpretation of signs in connexion with the sacrifice that the term biqqēr in Ps. 27.4 refers; it must mean something like ‘find out (the tokens)’, ‘take omens’. Ps. 5.4 explicitly mentions this ‘sacrifice for omens’ (boqēr).* References in some of the psalms seem to show that the so-called oracle of incubation and dreams was also used, oracles being received in their dreams by people passing the night in the Temple or at the sanctuary” (S. Mowinckel, Psalms in Israel’s Worship, II:54-55).

• PEROWNE: To behold the beauty of Jehovah, and to consider his temple. “Consider," to look at a thing earnestly," to "mark," "survey it with care," etc., so as to take pleasure in it; see Lev. xiii. 36; Prov. xx. 25, and comp. Ps. xlviii.12 [13], which expresses at length the same thing. The LXX, ἐπισκέπτεσθαι; E.V., "to inquire in his temple" (Perowne, The Book of Psalms : a new translation with introductions and notes, explanatory and critical, I:240).

• RASHI: “TO FREQUENT HIS TEMPLE,2 [i.e.], to appear there each morning; so did Dunash [Ibn Labrat] explain [the meaning of the verb levaqer(4)” (FOOTNOTE 4: “Teshuvot Dunash, p. 75. Dunash explains there that the infinitive levaqer attested in Ps. 27:4 cannot be connected with the root bqr ‘test, investigate’ attested in Lev. 13:36; 19:20 (contrast Mahberet Menahem, p. 89; Rabbenu Tam in his hakra-‘ôt, i.e., defenses of Menahem against Dunash; see Teshuvot Dunash Ben Labrat ‘im Hakra-‘ôt Rabbenu Tam, ed. Z. Filipowski [London & Edinburgh: Me’orerey Yeshenim 1855], p. 53). Dunash sees levaqqēr as a denominative verb derived from the noun boqer ‘morning’, and he holds that it means ‘appear each morning’; similarly Dahood, here. Ibn Ezra in his commentary here notes that the verb biqqēr ‘to appear each morning [boqer]’ is to be compared to the verb he’erîb ‘to appear every evening [‘ereb]’ in 1 Sam. 17:16” (M. Gruber, Rashi's Commentary on the Psalms, 276, 278).

• RIDDERBOS: “Die Sicherheit, die der Sprechende rühmt, v. 1-3, wird vor allem im Heiligtum erfahren; allgemeiner formuliert: Die Gemeinschaft mit dem Gott, der dem Sprechenden Sicherheit gibt, findet im Heiligtum statt. Darum beherrscht den Dichter das Verlangen, im Heiligtum zu wohnen, v. 4a-d; dort wird ihm in den kultischen Begehungen die Lieblichkeit Jahwes vor Augen geführt, dort kann er den Willen Jahwes erforschen, v. 4e” (Nic Ridderbos, Die Psalmen, 212).

• ROSS: “The last infinitive “to seek” or “inquire”(HEB) is probably a reference to seeking the LORD’s will for guidance [FOOTNOTE: Kraus says it means he is longing for a sign of salvation in the temple (Psalms 1-59, p. 334). Mowinckel suggests a more spectacular interpretation of seeking omens, as in interpreting signs in the sacrifices (The Psalms in Israel’s Worship, II:54)]. To do this in the temple in God’s presence would inspire greater confidence for an answer, because in the sanctuary he would hear the praises and be reminded of God's covenant blessings and promises. He could recall these anywhere, but in the sanctuary he would be surrounded by a cloud of witnesses to these blessings as well as priests who would assist his inquiry with appropriate sacrifices and words of assurance that God accepted him” (Allen Ross, Commentary on the Psalms, I:629).

• SOMMER: To gaze upon the marvel that is Yhwh, And to serve in His palace. “To serve Contrary to NJPS,15 which translates “to frequent,” in ancient ,לבקר forms of Hebrew this verb does not mean to visit or to come regularly to a particular place; that meaning of the verb develops only in modern Hebrew. Rather, in biblical, Qumran, and rabbinic Hebrew, this verb has a range of meanings relating to “carrying out important tasks.” It can mean “to examine, to check,” especially to examine sacrificial offerings so as to ensure that they are ritually appropriate. It can also mean “to be in charge, to take care of.” Thus in the Dead Sea Scrolls the מבקר is the official in charge of the community [FOOTNOTE: This meaning appears in particular in Seraḥ Hayaḥad (the Community Rule) and in the Damascus Document.]. In rabbinic Hebrew, the sense of “take care of ” appears in reference to the sick, in the well-known phrase, ביקור חולים. In modern Jewish parlance, this phrase is used to refer to visiting the sick, an ethically commendable action that generally involves dropping by to cheer up a sick person. But in ancient times, when there were no hospitals and few physicians, ביקור חולים had a different meaning that fits the basic definition of the verb לבקר noted above: it denoted examining and taking of a sick person, attending to their needs in the ways that medical professionals (especially nurses) and hospital staff members do today. Neighbors and relatives who performed the act of ביקור חולים in antiquity were not just coming over to chat. They fed and bathed the patient, applied ointments and salves to their sores, or prepared medicinal herbs for them. In modern Hebrew, the meaning of this verb meaning extends much further, to include social visits, tourism, and vacations (one can מבקר Disney World, for example, without providing medicine for Mickey Mouse or drugs for Donald Duck). This broader sense of the verb developed out of the much more specific meaning of the phrase in older forms of Hebrew. Thus the worshiper in our verse is not asking to be able to stop in at the temple on frequent occasions. The worshiper wants [sic.] some responsibility that will keep him there on a long-term basis (FOOTNOTE: Some scholars attempt to identify the job more specifically. Malul (in Sarna, ʿOlam Hatanakh) maintains that the worshiper wants to be employed examining offerings. Craigie & Tate as well as Goldingay follow Jon Levenson, “A Technical Meaning for NʿM in the Hebrew Bible,” VT 35 (1985): 61–67, in surmising that the worshiper wishes to work as a diviner or temple prophet who seeks out oracles or performs some sort of augury in the temple. But it is neither possible nor necessary to pin down what job the worshiper wants in the temple. The verb לבקר suffices to make clear, as Terrien concludes (267), that “the psalmist favours ardently the holy ambition of ‘serving’ in the temple without interruption.” Some commentators on this verse (Rashi, ibn Ezra, Ḥakham, and Mitchell Dahood, Psalms: Introduction, Translation, and Notes, 3 vols., AB [Garden City, NY: Double- day, 1966–1970]) suggest another possible meaning of לבקר here, based on its similarity to the noun בקר (morning): to come to the temple each and every morning. This meaning would give warrant to NJPS’s translation, “to frequent.” But there are no clear attestations of such a verb, and the normal meanings of the verb in ancient Hebrew (“examine” and “be in charge”) fit the cultic context of our verse perfectly well, making the recourse to an otherwise unattested meaning unnecessary.]. What emerges from this verb (viz., that the speaker wants to remain at the temple permanently, not simply to visit it) matches what we see earlier in this verse: the speaker wants to dwell in Yhwh’s house all the days of my life. What circumstances might have led the speaker of this psalm to want to remain at the temple will be discussed below in “Interpretation” (Benjamin D. Sommer, "From Confidence to Confusion: Structure and Meaning in Psalm 27," in Hakol Kol Yaakov, 360-61).

References

27:4