The word baqqarah signifies a diligent seeking or searching out. It is the noun form of the root baqar, to search or examine thoroughly. The term implies not a casual glance but an earnest, investigative search — the kind of inquiry a shepherd makes when looking for a lost sheep, or a judge making when examining a case.
The concept of baqqarah parallels the New Testament theme of seeking God with all one's heart (Matthew 6:33; Hebrews 11:6). God himself promises to be found by those who seek him earnestly (Jeremiah 29:13). The picture is of a diligent shepherd searching for lost sheep — an image Jesus uses to describe God's pursuit of the lost (Luke 15:4–7). True discipleship involves this kind of wholehearted, thorough seeking after God.