to approach: approach
na.gash describes drawing near to a person, place, battle, or sacred setting, and in Hiphil bringing someone or something forward.
The verb most often marks someone’s movement into nearness—toward another person, a city or battle, or a specified sacred place. In Hiphil forms, it marks causing an item or person to be brought forward, including offerings, the ark, an ephod, food, and Joseph’s sons.
Senses in use
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Drawing near or advancing · dominant
The Qal and Niphal forms show people moving into proximity for speech, encounter, conflict, or a stated location. In 1 Kings 18:30 the APB renders Elijah’s command and the people’s response, “Come near to me” and “came near to him”; in 1 Samuel 17:40 it places David’s approach immediately before the Philistine. The same movement is directed toward battle in 1 Chronicles 19:14 and 1 Samuel 7:10, and toward the altar or sacred service in Exodus 30:20 and Ezekiel 44:13.
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Bringing or presenting forward · common
Hiphil forms place a person or thing before a recipient or designated place. In 1 Samuel 13:9 Saul commands that the burnt offering and peace offerings be brought to him; 1 Samuel 23:9 similarly commands that the ephod be brought near. In Genesis 48:10 and Genesis 48:13 Joseph brings the boys near to Israel, while 2 Chronicles 29:23 places goats for the sin offering before the king and assembly.
In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses, the APB commonly uses “approached,” “came near,” “drew near,” or “bring/brought near.” It also renders some Hiphil clauses with “bring” or “brought,”.