Bible Strands
John 7:11
So the Jews were looking for Him at the feast and asking, “Where is He?”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The text records Jewish groups searching for Jesus during a religious festival. This inquiry occurs after Jesus secretly arrives at the gathering following his brothers' departure.
The words — The Greek verb ἐζήτουν (ezētoun) translates literally to "were seeking," and the noun ἑορτή (heortē) means "feast." These terms ground the narrative in a concrete, ongoing pursuit during a specific sacred event.
The thread — This motif of active searching resurfaces in John 11:56, where crowds in the temple courts ask whether Jesus will attend the feast. Both passages document the same factual pattern of inquiry during festival periods.
Why it lands — The verse requires readers to first acknowledge the factual reality of the search before analyzing the searchers' intentions. It places the burden of observation on the reader to note Jesus' concealed presence amid public expectation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
Cross-references
- John 11:56 They kept looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple courts, “What do you think? Will He come to the feast at all?”