Bible Dictionary
ENQUIRE
An older English form of inquire, meaning to ask, seek information, or investigate. Modern translations commonly replace it with inquire, ask, seek, or search out.
Definition
Enquire is an old English form of inquire, meaning to ask, seek information, investigate, or search out.
Biblical Usage
The King James Version uses the word in many passages. Modern versions variously render it “inquire,” “seek,” “ask,” “search out,” or “learned exactly,” according to the context.
Historical Background
The word had become obsolescent, so the American Standard Revised Version generally replaced it with more modern and precise expressions.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>en-kwir':</p><p>This is an Old English word now obsolescent. It is common in the King James Version. In the American Standard Revised Version it is nearly always replaced by the more modern "inquire," a few times by "seek" and "ask," once by "salute" (1Ch 18:10). With this one exception in the Old Testament the change does not affect the meaning. In Ac 23:15, "enquire something more perfectly" is substituted by "judge more exactly." In Mt 10:11, "search out" replaces it. In Mt 2:7,16, "learned exactly" replaces "inquired diligently."</p><p>See INQUIRE.</p>