Lexical Summary qereb: midst, inner part, inward part, among, within Original Word: קְרֵב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance approach, come near, nigh, draw near (Aramaic) corresponding to qarab -- approach, come (near, nigh), draw near. see HEBREW qarab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to qarab Definition to approach NASB Translation approached (2), came forward (1), came near (1), come near (1), offer (2), offered (1), presented (1). Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Conceptual Overview The term denotes the act of approaching, presenting, or drawing near, whether of people to other people, worshipers to God, or sacrificial animals to the altar. Because the occurrences lie in post-exilic Aramaic sections of Scripture, the vocabulary serves as an interpretive bridge between earlier Hebrew worship language and the later Greco-Roman milieu in which the New Testament was penned. The word therefore stands at a historical crossroads, portraying the continuity of covenant nearness from the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem to the climactic approach of the “Son of Man” to the Ancient of Days. Cultic and Sacrificial Applications (Ezra 6:10; 6:17; 7:17) When Darius decreed support for temple worship, he stipulated that the priests should “offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons” (Ezra 6:10). The vocabulary of approach highlights two truths: • Presentation: Bulls, rams, and lambs are intentionally brought near to the altar, underscoring that acceptable worship requires divinely prescribed means. The dedication ceremony of Ezra 6:17 (“they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams…”) not only restored sacrificial order but also reenacted Mosaic patterns, proving that exile had not annulled covenant responsibilities. Ezra 7:17 extends the idea by authorizing priests to purchase animals “and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem,” an explicit mandate to maintain continual access to God. Covenantal Nearness and Restoration Theology The post-exilic community’s ability to bring offerings confirms that God’s covenant mercy outweighs former judgment. Nearness is a privilege reclaimed, not a human achievement. Thus the term becomes a theological statement: the people may stand again in proximity to the Holy One, yet only through blood shed according to divine ordinance (cf. Leviticus 17:11). The rebuilt temple becomes a type pointing forward to the once-for-all offering of Christ (Hebrews 10:12), in whom every shadow finds substance. Witness in the Book of Daniel Daniel’s narrative shifts the word from cultic presentation to personal approach: • Civil Proceedings (Daniel 3:8; 3:26; 6:12; 6:20): Courtiers and kings “came near” to accuse, investigate, or address God’s servants. The verb accentuates crisis moments when fidelity to the Lord is tested before earthly authorities. Messianic and Eschatological Outlook Daniel 7:13 anticipates the New Testament’s identification of Jesus Christ as the Son of Man (Matthew 26:64; Revelation 1:13). His approach fulfills every earlier instance of drawing near: • As sacrifice, He offers Himself once for all. Thus the Aramaic verb becomes a prophetic marker of the transition from shadow to reality, from earthly altar to heavenly throne. Doctrinal Reflection 1. Mediated Access: Sinful humanity cannot initiate approach; God ordains the means. Practical Ministry Implications • Worship: Congregations are called to “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). Summary Strong’s Hebrew 7127 portrays movement toward relationship—worshipers to the altar, servants to kings, and ultimately the Son of Man to the Ancient of Days. It binds together temple ritual, prophetic vision, and eschatological triumph, revealing a consistent biblical pattern: God provides the way to Himself, and He will consummate that nearness in the age to come. Forms and Transliterations הַקְרְבֽוּהִי׃ הקרבוהי׃ וְהַקְרִ֗בוּ וּכְמִקְרְבֵ֣הּ וּתְקָרֵ֣ב והקרבו וכמקרבה ותקרב מְהַקְרְבִ֛ין מהקרבין קְרִ֖בוּ קְרִ֨יבוּ קְרֵ֣ב קִרְבֵ֗ת קרב קרבו קרבת קריבו hakreVuhi haq·rə·ḇū·hî haqrəḇūhî keRev keRivu kirVet mə·haq·rə·ḇîn mehakreVin məhaqrəḇîn qə·rêḇ qə·ri·ḇū qə·rî·ḇū qərêḇ qəriḇū qərîḇū qir·ḇêṯ qirḇêṯ ū·ḵə·miq·rə·ḇêh ū·ṯə·qā·rêḇ uchemikreVeh ūḵəmiqrəḇêh utekaRev ūṯəqārêḇ vehakRivu wə·haq·ri·ḇū wəhaqriḇūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 6:10 HEB: דִּֽי־ לֶהֱוֹ֧ן מְהַקְרְבִ֛ין נִיחוֹחִ֖ין לֶאֱלָ֣הּ NAS: that they may offer acceptable sacrifices INT: forasmuch they may offer acceptable to the God Ezra 6:17 Ezra 7:17 Daniel 3:8 Daniel 3:26 Daniel 6:12 Daniel 6:20 Daniel 7:13 Daniel 7:16 9 Occurrences |
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