What Does Leviticus 22:18 Mean?
Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, Whoever he is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, who brings near his drawing near for any of their vows, and for any of their willing gifts, which they bring near to the LORD for an ascent.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering;THE KEY
The Hebrew uses one root for both the offering and the act of offering it: what is given is, at its root, what is brought near.
THE MEANING
You are included in this verse’s field of approach whether you are of Israel’s house or a stranger living among Israel, and whether your gift arises from a vow or free choice. The verse holds the gift and the act of bringing it near to the LORD as one movement. In the burnt offering, that movement is given over wholly.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that nearness belongs only to those born within the community: the stranger living in Israel appears in the same sentence as the house of Israel.
THE ROOT
קָרְבָּן
qorbān
GROWS FROM
קרב
q-r-b
Approach, be near; in this verb form, bring near.
“drawing near” in this verse is qorbān. The forms קָרְבָּן (qorbān, offering) and יַקְרִיב (yaqrîv, brings near or offers) share the root קרב (q-r-b, approach or be near). The gift and the act of offering it are thus presented as one movement: something brought near to the LORD.
ALSO GROWS
qārōv: Near, close.
קָרוֹב
This branch makes the offering’s nearness plain: what is brought is brought close.
qerev: The midst or inner part.
קֶרֶב
This branch carries the root’s sense of being within or close at hand, deepening the image of an offering brought into the LORD’s presence.
THE PATTERN
Approach is expressed as bringing near: an offering and drawing near share the movement toward God.
Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, If anyone of you brings near a drawing near to the LORD, you shall bring near your drawing near from the cattle, from the herd and from the flock.But for me, drawing near to God is good; I have set my shelter in the Lord LORD, to recount all your works.Let us draw near with a true heart in the fullness of trust, our hearts sprinkled from a burdened shared sight, and our bodies bathed in clean waters.THE THREAD
But for me, drawing near to God is good; I have set my shelter in the Lord LORD, to recount all your works.The Hebrew root קרב (q-r-b, approach or be near) links the offering brought near in Leviticus with the psalmist’s drawing near to God. Here, the approach moves from a gift brought before the LORD to nearness itself.
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