What Does Leviticus 21:17 Mean in the King James?
Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse’s “approach” and “offer” are forms of one root: the priest’s nearness and the offering’s being brought near are one motion.
THE MEANING
A descendant of Aaron with a bodily blemish is barred from approaching to offer the bread of his God. The boundary concerns access to this priestly act, and the verse gives no further explanation.
THE ROOT
יקרב
yikrav
GROWS FROM
קרב
qarav
Come near; draw close.
“approach” in this verse is yikrav. The verse uses two forms of this root: the priest approaches, and the offering is brought near. The boundary therefore governs nearness itself, including the act of presenting the bread of his God.
ALSO GROWS
hiqriv: Bring near; offer.
הקריב
This is the root’s causative form in the verse’s phrase “to offer,” joining presentation of the offering to the act of coming near.
qorban: Offering; that which is brought near.
קרבן
The word for an offering carries the same root, showing how the act of giving and the motion of nearness belong together.
THE PATTERN
Nearness to sacred service is governed by explicit conditions on the person and the act of approach.
When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.THE THREAD
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.The same root קרב appears as “causest to approach” here and as both “approach” and “offer” in Leviticus. Psalm names nearness as granted, while Leviticus places a specific boundary on who may perform this offering; the shared root makes the difference in access visible.
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