Come (To)

See OFFER (TO) usage notes.

"to approach, draw near, bring." Found primarily in biblical Hebrew, this word is also found in ancient Ugaritic. It occurs 125 times in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. Nagash is used for the first time in the biblical text in Gen 18:23, where Abraham is said to "draw near" to God to plead that Sodom be spared.

The word is often used to describe ordinary "contact" of one person with another (Gen 27:22; Gen 43:19). Sometimes nagash describes "contact" for the purpose of sexual intercourse (Exod 19:15). More frequently, it is used to speak of the priests "coming into the presence of" God (Ezek 44:13) or of the priests' "approach" to the altar (Exod 30:20). Opposing armies are said "to draw near" to battle each other (Judg 20:23; kjv, "go up"). Inanimate objects, such as the close-fitting scales of the crocodile, are said to be so "near" to each other that no air can come between them (Job 41:16). Sometimes the word is used to speak of "bringing" an offering to the altar (Mal 1:7).

The English versions render nagash variously, according to context: "went near" (rsv); "moved closer" (tev); "came close" (jb, neb, nasb).