Hebrew word · H7131

קָרֵב

hakarev

approaching

An adjective or participle from the root q-r-b, 'to come near'. The root is also used for approaching God or the altar, from which qorban, 'offering, what is brought near', comes. In poetic Hebrew and in Aramaic the noun qerav means 'battle, war' (Ps 55:21[22]; 68:30[31]; 144:1; Job 38:23).

Appears 12 times in 11 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

near, approaching

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Deuteronomy 20:3

Range of meaning

An adjective or participle from the root q-r-b, 'to come near'. The root is also used for approaching God or the altar, from which qorban, 'offering, what is brought near', comes. In poetic Hebrew and in Aramaic the noun qerav means 'battle, war' (Ps 55:21[22]; 68:30[31]; 144:1; Job 38:23).

Against the English

'Going into battle' (BSB) and 'approach/draw near' (KJV, WEB, YLT) are all fine. The literal 'drawing near' keeps the sense of standing on the edge of the fight.

Used elsewhere in the period

Verse 2 has the infinitive 'as you draw near' (kᵉqorovkhem). The same root gives the poetic and Aramaic noun for battle.

From the study of Numbers 18:7

Range of meaning

From qarav, 'to come near, approach'. In the sanctuary the verb is used for legitimate approach: the priests 'draw near' to offer, and offerings are 'brought near' (qorban). When the subject is a zar it means unauthorized approach: crossing a holy boundary or handling holy objects.

Against the English

'Comes near' (KJV, WEB, BSB) sounds harmless, as if just walking toward the tent were deadly. BSB adds 'the sanctuary', which narrows the sense. Milgrom and the NJPS translation render the phrase 'encroaches' (Milgrom: 'the encroacher').

How it drifted

English 'come near' means only physical closeness. In priestly Hebrew the word refers to cultic access, the right to come before God's presence and handle his holy things.

Used elsewhere in the period

Num 1:51; 3:10, 38; 18:3–4, 22 (the Israelites must 'no longer come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die'); 17:13 [17:28 Heb.] ('Everyone who comes near, who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD, will die'). Milgrom's lexical study argues that with zar the verb means 'encroach'.

From the study of Numbers 3:10

Range of meaning

The verb qārab means 'come near, approach'. Its causative form is the standard verb for 'bringing near' an offering (Lev 1:2), and the noun qorban, 'offering', comes from it. In priestly law, 'come near' with a holy object means coming forward to serve or making contact with sacred things (Exod 28:43; Lev 21:17–23; Num 18:3). Jacob Milgrom argued that in the formula 'the zar who draws near' it means 'encroach': to trespass on sacred space or duties without authorization.

Against the English

KJV 'cometh nigh' and WEB 'comes near' are literal but suggest mere physical closeness. BSB and NIV add 'the tabernacle' or 'the sanctuary', which the Hebrew does not say. The Latin Vulgate's 'who approaches to minister' captures the cultic sense.

How it drifted

English 'approach' is purely spatial. The Hebrew term carried a whole priestly vocabulary of service and offering that English cannot carry in one word.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lev 1:3: laypeople bring their offerings to the entrance of the tent of meeting, so ordinary approach to the sanctuary was expected and commanded. Num 16:5, 10: Korah's Levites are accused of 'seeking the priesthood' by coming near to offer incense. Num 17:13 (17:28 Heb): the people's terror that 'everyone who comes near the tabernacle dies' shows how frightening the term could be.

Similar words

Where it appears

Numbers · 6

  1. Numbers 1:51 הַקָּרֵ֖ב <the> approaching

    Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death.

  2. Numbers 3:10 הַקָּרֵ֖ב <the> approaching

    So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

    Here: In priestly law 'draw near' is a technical term for coming forward to do sacred service or to touch holy things. Here it describes an outsider who oversteps into the priests' area or tasks. It does not mean simply walking toward the tent.

  3. Numbers 3:38 הַקָּרֵ֖ב <the> approaching

    Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

  4. Numbers 17:13 הַקָּרֵ֧ב׀ הַקָּרֵ֛ב <the> [person] approaching

    Anyone who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to perish?”

  5. Numbers 18:7 הַקָּרֵ֖ב <the> approaching

    But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”

    Here: 'The one who draws near'. In these sanctuary laws it means crossing into a holy zone or doing a holy act you have no right to do: encroaching, not just walking toward something.

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 20:3 קְרֵבִ֥ים [are] approaching

    saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them.

    Here: A participle (a verbal adjective, like '-ing'): 'you are approaching', the battle is imminent. It picks up 'as you draw near' (kᵉqorovkhem) from verse 2.

1 Samuel · 1

  1. 1 Samuel 17:41 וְקָרֵ֖ב and approaching

    Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.

    Here: A verbal adjective, 'near / drawing near'. Paired with 'going', it means the distance kept shrinking: 'he came nearer and nearer'.

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 18:25 וְקָרֵֽב׃ and approaching

    So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,

1 Kings · 1

  1. 1 Kings 4:27 הַקָּרֵ֛ב <the> [person] approaching

    Each month the governors in turn provided food for King Solomon and all who came to his table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking.

Ezekiel · 2

  1. Ezekiel 40:46 הַקְּרֵבִ֧ים <the> approaching

    and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, the only Levites who may approach the LORD to minister before Him.”

  2. Ezekiel 45:4 הַקְּרֵבִ֖ים <the> approaching

    It will be a holy portion of the land to be used by the priests who minister in the sanctuary, who draw near to minister before the LORD. It will be a place for their houses, as well as a holy area for the sanctuary.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.