Hebrew word · Strong's H7592

שָׁאַל

shâʼal · shaw-al' · word · “to ask, inquire, request”

In a sentence

Sha'al means to ask, inquire, request — the verb behind Saul's name ("asked of God") and the prophetic call to "ask for the ancient paths."

Sha'al covers asking a question, inquiring of the LORD, and requesting a gift. It includes "asking after" someone — checking on their welfare.

Jeremiah 6:16 calls Israel to "ask (sha'alu) for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it" — wisdom is found in honest asking.

Strong's reference

Definition: to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand

KJV usage: ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, [idiom] earnestly, enquire, [phrase] greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, [phrase] salute, [idiom] straitly, [idiom] surely, wish.

Reference gloss from Strong's Concordance (1890, public domain).

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

Psalms 122:6 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper.” Jeremiah 6:16 “This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’” 1 Samuel 1:20 “So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.””

Original BibleDawn word study. Original-language data and the public-domain Strong's (1890) gloss are referenced; see sources.