draweth neigh

Hi everyone,

Could anyone explain to me the meaning of the phrase please?

e.g.
draweth neigh.

Thank you in advance!

Stella

This is a paraphrase of part of the bible, Luke chapter 21 verse 28, in the 'Authorized standard version', still much used today but written in the early 17th century. The verse is 'But when these things come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption draweth nigh.' http://bible.cc/luke/21-28.htm

'our glorious Lord' refers to Christ
draweth: the -eth is an archaic 3rd person singular ending, so 'draweth' means 'draws'.
'neigh' is spelt wrong. It should be 'nigh', meaning 'near'
'redemption' = the Christian concept that by dying on the cross Christ paid for the sins of man and therefore freed man.

So it means something like: let us look towards Jesus (and away from worldly things) because our redemption is approaching.

Thank you very much, se16teddy!

That's what I thought,too. (our redemption is approaching)
But if "draweth neigh " is a wrong spelling, why does it appear several times in the other places( if you search them by google)?

stellashi said:

Thank you very much, se16teddy!

That's what I thought,too. (our redemption is approaching)
But if "draweth neigh " is a wrong spelling, why does it appear several times in the other places( if you search them by google)?

Because there are lots of illiterates around (nasty Teddy!). Also, because no doubt computer spell checkers don't have 'nigh' (because it is archaic), but they do have 'neigh' (the sound a horse makes).

stellashi said:

Thank you very much, se16teddy!

That's what I thought,too. (our redemption is approaching)
But if "draweth neigh " is a wrong spelling, why does it appear several times in the other places( if you search them by google)?

Hi -
Because many different people make the same mistake.

It may also be commonly spelled as "neigh" because the root of "nigh" is the Middle English word "neigh."
Perhaps some people are reading vey old translations that use the older spelling.

Nigh, Nigher, Nighest = Near, Nearer, Nearest

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