ἐγγίζω G1448
Draw near, approach: spatially to a person or place; temporally of events or seasons at hand; spiritually to God.
The Greek verb eggizo carries the spatial force of its root eggys ('near') into three registers. Physically, it describes people approaching places — Jesus drawing near to Jerusalem (Matt 21:1). Temporally, it announces that moments of fulfillment are 'at hand' — the kingdom of heaven (Matt 3:2; 4:17), the hour of betrayal (Matt 26:45). Spanish acercarse and French s'approcher serve both uses without distinction, but German sometimes shifts from nahen to nahe sein for the temporal sense. A spiritually intimate sense appears in Hebrews 7:19 and James 4:8, where drawing near to God carries the weight of covenant access — 'Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.'
Senses
1. draw near temporally — Of a time, event, season, or eschatological reality approaching or being imminent — 'the kingdom of heaven has drawn near' (Matt 3:2; 4:17; 10:7). This temporal sense (20 occurrences) anchors Jesus' earliest proclamation and recurs in the Olivet Discourse (Matt 26:45-46) and apostolic expectation ('the coming of the Lord has drawn near,' Jas 5:8). Spanish se ha acercado and French s'approcher preserve the motion metaphor for time, while Korean 가까이 오다 (come close) and German nahen similarly apply spatial movement vocabulary to temporal imminence — a universal conceptual metaphor. 20×
AR["اقتَرَبَ", "اقتَرَبَت", "اقْتَرَبَ", "اقْتَرَبَتْ", "اِقتَرَبَ", "اِقْتَرَبَ", "سَيَقتَرِبُ", "قَد-اقتَرَبَ", "لِأَنَّهُ-قَدِ-اقْتَرَبَ", "يَقتَرِبُ", "يَقْتَرِبُ"]·ben["কাছাকাছি-হল", "কাছে-আসছিল", "কাছে-আসছে", "কাছে-আসবেন", "কাছে-আসে", "কাছে-এসেছে", "নিকটবর্তী-হয়েছে", "নিকটে-এসেছে;"]·DE["nahen", "naht"]·EN["Has-come-near", "Has-drawn-near", "Was-drawing-near", "approaching", "comes-near", "draws-near", "has-come-near", "has-drawn-near", "he-will-draw-near", "was-drawing-near"]·FR["approcher", "s'approcher"]·heb["הִתְקָרֵב", "יִתְקָרֵב", "מִתְקָרֵב", "מִתְקָרֶבֶת", "קָרְבָה", "קָרֵב", "קָרַב"]·HI["निकट-आ-गई-है", "निकट-आ-गया-है", "निकट-आ-रहा-था", "निकट-आई-है", "निकट-आती-हुई", "निकट-आती-है", "निकट-आया", "निकट-आया-है", "पास-आएगा", "पास-आता-है", "पास-आया-है"]·ID["Dia-akan-mendekat", "Mendekat", "Sudah-dekat", "mendekat", "sudah-dekat", "sudah-dekat.", "telah-dekat", "telah-dekat;"]·IT["avvicinarsi"]·jav["Nyedhak", "Sampun-cedhak", "Sampun-celak", "badhé-celak", "celak", "celék", "nyedhak", "sampun-cedhak", "sampun-cedhak;", "sampun-celak", "sampun-celak.", "wis-cedhak"]·KO["가까워졌느니라", "가까워졌다", "가까워졌다.", "가까웠다", "가까이-오고", "가까이-오는", "가까이-온다", "가까이-올-것이다", "가까이-왔다", "가까이-왔다고", "가까이왔다"]·PT["Aproximou-se", "aproxima-se", "aproximar-se", "aproximar-se-á", "aproximava-se", "aproximou-se", "aproximou-se;", "se-aproximou."]·RU["Приближался", "Приблизилось", "поэтому", "приближается", "приближалось", "приближающийся", "приблизилось", "приблизилось.", "приблизился", "приблизился.", "приблизится"]·ES["Se-acercaba", "Se-ha-acercado", "acercándose", "se-acerca", "se-acercaba", "se-acercará", "se-ha-acercado"]·SW["Ilikuwa-inakaribia", "Imekaribia", "Umekaribia", "amekaribia", "atawakaribia", "hakaribu", "imekaribia", "inakaribia", "kumekaribia", "ulikaribia", "umekaribia", "umekaribia;"]·TR["Yaklaşıyordu", "yaklaşacak", "yaklaşan", "yaklaşmıştır", "yaklaştı", "yaklaştıkça", "yaklaşır", "yaklaşıyor"]·urd["آ-گئی", "آ-گیا", "آتا", "قریب-آ-رہی-تھی", "قریب-آ-گئی", "قریب-آ-گئی-ہے", "قریب-آ-گیا-ہے", "قریب-آئے-گا", "قریب-آتا", "قریب-آیا", "قریب-ہے", "قریب-ہے۔"]
Matt 3:2, Matt 4:17, Matt 10:7, Matt 26:45, Matt 26:46, Mark 1:15, Mark 14:42, Luke 10:9, Luke 10:11, Luke 12:33, Luke 21:8, Luke 21:20 (+8 more)
2. approach spatially — To approach physically in space — drawing near to a person, city, or location. With 20 occurrences, this literal spatial sense appears when Jesus and the disciples approach Jerusalem (Matt 21:1; Mark 11:1), when the messengers from Cornelius draw near to Joppa (Acts 10:9), and when sinners and tax collectors approach Jesus to listen (Luke 15:1). Spanish acercándose, French approcher, and German nahen all deploy standard motion verbs. Luke particularly favors eggizo for narrative scene-setting, using the approach of characters to signal that pivotal encounters are about to unfold (Luke 7:12; 19:29, 37, 41). 20×
AR["اقتَرَبوا", "اقتَرَبَ", "اقتِرابِ-هِ", "اقْتَرَبا", "اقْتَرَبَ", "مُقْتَرِبًا", "مُقْتَرِبِينَ", "يَقْتَرِبَ", "يَقْتَرِبُ", "يَقْتَرِبُونَ"]·ben["কাছে-আসছিল", "কাছে-আসতে", "কাছে-আসলে", "কাছে-আসলেন", "কাছে-এল", "কাছে-এলেন", "কাছে-এলো", "কাছে-এসে", "কাছে-এসেছিলেন", "তারা-কাছে-এলেন", "তারা-নিকটে-আসছিল", "নিকটবর্তী-হতে", "নিকটে-আসিতে"]·DE["nahen", "naht"]·EN["drawing-near", "drew-near", "having-approached", "having-drawn-near", "he-approached", "he-came-near", "he-drew-near", "they-draw-near", "they-drew-near", "to-draw-near"]·FR["approcher", "s'approcher"]·heb["בְּהִתְקָרְבִי", "הִתְקָרְבוֹ", "הִתְקָרְבוּ", "הִתְקָרֵב", "הִתְקָרֵב,", "מִתְקָרְבִים", "מִתְקָרֵב", "נִגַּשׁ", "קְרֵבִים", "קָרְבוּ", "קָרֵב", "קָרַב"]·HI["नज़दीक-आते-हुए", "नज़दीक-आया", "निकट-आए", "निकट-आकर", "निकट-आते-हुए", "निकट-आते-हैं", "निकट-आने-पर", "निकट-आया", "निकटआनेसे", "पहुँचते-हुए", "पहुंचते-हुए", "पास-आए", "पास-आकर", "पास-आया", "वह-करेएब-अअय,"]·ID["Ia-mendekat", "dia mendekat", "dia-mendekat", "ketika-mendekat", "mendekat", "mereka-mendekat"]·IT["avvicinarsi"]·jav["Nalika-nyedhak", "Panjenenganipun-nyedhak", "Panjenenganipun-nyedhak,", "celak", "nyedhak", "nyedhaki", "nyedhaki,", "nyelaki,", "piyambakipun-nyedhak", "sami-celak", "sasampunipun-celak"]·KO["가까워졌을-때", "가까워지는-것-이", "가까워지는-동안", "가까이-갔을-때에", "가까이-오기", "가까이-오는", "가까이-오셨다", "가까이-오시고", "가까이-오시는-동안", "가까이-오시면서", "가까이-오심", "가까이-온", "가까이-왔노라,", "가까이-왔다", "가까이-왔을-때", "그들이-가까이-오다", "다가와"]·PT["aproximando-se", "aproximar-se", "aproximaram-se", "aproximou-se", "chegou", "tendo-se-aproximado,"]·RU["приближаться", "приближаются", "приближающемуся", "приближающиеся", "приближающихся", "приближения", "приблизившегося", "приблизившись", "приблизившись,", "приблизились", "приблизилось", "приблизился"]·ES["acercarse", "acercándome", "acercándose", "se-acercan", "se-acercaron", "se-acercó"]·SW["-", "Hierosolyma", "akamkaribia", "akikaribia", "alikaribia", "kukaribia", "nikikusogea", "wakikaribia,", "wakimkaribia", "walikaribia", "wanakaribia"]·TR["yaklasti", "yaklaşan", "yaklaşanların", "yaklaşarak", "yaklaşmak", "yaklaşmasından", "yaklaştı", "yaklaştılar", "yaklaşınca", "yaklaşıp", "yaklaşırken", "yaklaşırlar"]·urd["آتے-ہوئے", "قریب-آ-کر", "قریب-آئے", "قریب-آتے-ہوئے", "قریب-آتے-ہیں", "قریب-آنا", "قریب-آیا", "نزدیک-آ-کر", "نزدیک-آئے", "نزدیک-آتے-ہوئے", "نزدیک-آنے", "نزدیک-آنے-پر", "نزدیک-آیا"]
Matt 21:1, Matt 21:34, Mark 11:1, Luke 7:12, Luke 15:1, Luke 15:25, Luke 18:35, Luke 18:40, Luke 19:29, Luke 19:37, Luke 19:41, Luke 22:47 (+8 more)
3. draw near to God — To draw near to God in worship, prayer, or spiritual approach — a relational and cultic use where the verb carries the weight of covenant access. Only 2 clear occurrences: Hebrews 7:19, where the better hope enables believers to 'draw near to God,' and the famous imperative of James 4:8, 'Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.' Spanish acercaos a Dios, French approchez-vous de Dieu, and German nahet euch Gott all preserve the spatial metaphor for spiritual intimacy. The LXX background is rich: eggizo regularly translates Hebrew qarav in priestly contexts of approaching the altar, giving this NT sense deep cultic resonance. 2×
AR["اقتَرِبوا", "نَقْتَرِبُ"]·ben["কাছে-এসো", "নিকটে-আসি"]·DE["nahen"]·EN["Draw-near", "we-draw-near"]·FR["approcher"]·heb["הִתְקָרְבוּ", "מִתְקָרְבִים"]·HI["निकट-आते-हैं", "पास-आओ"]·ID["Mendekatlah", "kita-mendekat"]·IT["avvicinarsi"]·jav["celaka", "kita-nyedhak"]·KO["가까이-가는니라", "가까이-오라"]·PT["aproximai-vos", "aproximamo-nos"]·RU["приближаемся", "приблизьтесь"]·ES["acercaos", "nos-acercamos"]·SW["mkaribieni", "tunakaribia"]·TR["yaklaşın", "yaklaşıyoruz"]·urd["قریب-آؤ", "نزدیک-ہوتے-ہیں"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐγγίζω, aorist ἤγγισα Refs 4th c.BC+: perfect ἤγγικα LXX+NT: (ἐγγύς):—bring near, bring up to, τῇ γῇ τὰς ναῦς LXX+2nd c.BC+ __II mostly intransitive, approach, LXX+4th c.BC+; εἰς θάνατονLXX; ἕωςLXX+NT; to be imminent, ἤγγικεν ἡ παρουσία τοῦ Κυρίου NT: also, with genitive, approximate to, Refs 1st c.BC+ __II.2 to be next of kin, LXX __III with infinitive, to be on the point of doing, ναοῦ -οντος συμπεσεῖν Refs