This block quote is from William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words and it doesn't tell anyone "Don't Ask"

ASK Old Testament Verb: שָׁאֲל (šāʾal), GK 8626 (S 7592), 176×. šāʾal is often translated “ask” or “inquire.” It is used to ask for a drink (Jdg 5:25), to be in someone’s presence (Jdg 4:20; cf. Gen 26:7), to ask for a song (Ps 137:3), and to inquire about the fate of person (Num 27:21; cf. Jdg 18:5). Hannah names her son Samuel, because she “has asked” the Lord for him (1 Sam. 1:20). The Lord gives Israel a king because they have asked for one (1 Sam. 12:13; cf. 8:10; Jdg 1:1). He appears to Solomon and tells him to ask for whatever he wants (1 Ki. 3:5). Job laments that if one where to ask the animals regarding his tragedy, they would answer that it is the Lord’s doing (Job 12:7). In prophetic literature, Ahaz tries the patience of God because he refuses to “ask” the Lord for a sign (Isa 7:10–11). The Lord, speaking through his prophet Jeremiah, tells Judah to “stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls” (Jer 6:16). The Lord is angry when his people act without asking him for direction first (Isa 30:2; cf. Hos 4:10). However, it is important theologically to know that God reveals himself even to those who do not know how to ask for him (Isa 65:1 “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek for me”). God’s salvation is always by grace and not by anything we can do or ask. New Testament Verb: αἰτέω (aiteō), GK 160 (S 154), 70×. aiteō generally means “to ask, request, demand.” On a human level, such asking is usually made of a superior (Mt 27:20; Acts 9:2). Most often, however, it is used in passages that address prayer to God (also a superior!), such as Mt 21:22, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” In its simplest form, Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you” (Mt 7:7). Most uses of aiteō occur in the gospels (e.g., Mt 6:8; 7:7–11; Mk 11:24; Lk 11:9–13; Jn 16:23–26). In prayer, we are to trust that God is a loving, caring Father who delights in giving what we ask for. James uses the word five times in his letter, most notably in Jas 4:2–3 “You have not because you ask not. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.” James also uses aiteō to emphasize that asking for the things that God has promised us (such as wisdom) must be done without doubting that God will indeed fulfill his promises (1:5–6). The apostle John too uses this verb 4× in 1 Jn. 5:14–16, where he emphasizes that when we ask God for anything, it must be “according to his will.” While aiteō is most often used in reference to a petition, it is also used in reference to a requirement or demand. In these cases, the verb is usually spoken by a superior to a subordinate person. The jailer in Philippi, for example, “called for lights” when he heard Paul’s voice after the earthquake. Note too what Jesus says in Lk 12:48: “to whom much is given, much will be required.” This helps to understand Paul’s message in 1 Cor. 1:22, that “the Jews require a sign.” They ask for such a sign from the God, as it were calling him to answer their resumptive demands. See NIDNTT-A, 23. Verb: ἐπερωτάω (eperōtaō), GK 2089 (S 1905), 56×. eperōtaō means “to ask a question, to question, interrrogate someone.” Generally speaking, this verb is a synonym for erōtaō (GK 2263), having for the most part the same meaning. Whereas erōtaō is the preferred word for “ask” used by John, eperōtaō is the common word used by Mark (25×). For example, Mark uses this verb when Jesus asks the disciples who the people say that he is (Mk 8:29), when the disciples ask Jesus why they could not cast out demons (9:28), and when Jesus asks the demon-possessed boy’s father how long he had been afflicted (9:21). In Matthew and Luke, these 2 vbs. are equally divided. eperōtaō can also be used in a narrower sense of questioning someone as a part of an interrogation, such as Pilate’s interrogation of Jesus (Mt 27:11; Mk 15:2, 4), the high priest’s interrogation of Jesus (Mk 14:60), and the Pharisees’ interrogation of the blind man’s parents (Jn 9:19). See NIDNTT-A, 209–10. Verb: ἐρωτάω (erōtaō), GK 2263 (S 2065), 63×. erōtaō means “to ask a question, inquire,” or “to request” something be done. It is commonly used to describe what someone does when seeking information. The disciples ask Jesus questions about the meaning of his teachings, e.g., when they do not understand his parables (Mk 4:10), when they do not know why a man was born blind (Jn 9:2), or when they do not know what Christ means when he says that they will not see him in a little while (16:19). Jesus uses this manner of questioning in order to teach the disciples, asking them, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Mt 16:13). erōtaō is especially used by John in his gospel. There is often introduces a doubting, probing question, such as when John the Baptist is questioned by the Levites (Jn 1:19) as to whether he is Elijah (Jn 1:21) and why he baptizes if he is not the Christ (1:25). erōtaō is also used for making a request. This is most clearly seen in Acts, where 12 of the 13 uses of this verb are requests rather than questions seeking information. For example, a beggar asks Peter and John for money (Acts 3:3), those with Cornelius ask Peter to remain with them (10:48), and the Jews request Paul to be brought before the Sanhedrin (23:20). When Jesus’ disciples become frustrated with the Canaanite woman’s pleas, they “urge” Jesus to send her away. See NIDNTT-A, 209–10. Verb: παρακαλέω (parakaleō), GK 4151 (S 3870), 109×. parakaleō variously means “to ask, summons, exhort, comfort, or encourage” (see exhort, comfort). Within the Synoptic Gospels, parakaleō means “to ask, implore, summons.” The contexts of this imploring are often the needy who come to Jesus with their requests (Mt 8:5, 31; 18:29; Lk 15:28). Verb: πυνθάνομαι (pynthanomai), GK 4785 (S 4441), 12×. pynthanomai means “to ask.” This verb tends to be used in a situation where information is being sought, such as Herod asking where the Israel’s Messiah would be born (Mt 2:4) or a blind man asking what the commotion was all about (Lk 18:38). In Acts, this verb is mostly used for questions being asked in a legal setting, such as the Sanhedrin questioning Peter and John (Acts 4:7) or the Roman commander asking who Paul was and what he had done to cause such a riot (21:33; cf. 23:19–20). Noun: δέομαι (deomai), GK 1289 (S 1189), 22×. deomai is a general word for prayer where a request is being made, either of a person or of God. It can be translated as “to pray, beseech, ask, beg, plead.” ASLEEP

William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 41–43.

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