H0227b H0227b
From of old, from ancient times; also since, from the time that—marking a temporal starting point in the past.
This compound adverb-preposition (min + 'az, 'from then') anchors events in past time, either reaching back to an indefinite antiquity or pinpointing a specific moment. When the Psalmist declares God's throne established 'from of old' (Ps 93:2) or Wisdom speaks of being set up 'from everlasting' (Prov 8:22), me'az evokes primordial permanence. But in narrative contexts like Genesis 39:5 and Exodus 5:23, it functions as a conjunction—'since I came to Pharaoh'—marking the precise onset of a state of affairs.
Senses
1. from of old, long ago — Adverbial use pointing to an indefinite ancient past: 'from of old, from long ago.' Employed in elevated poetic and prophetic speech to evoke permanence or antiquity—God's throne is established me'az (Ps 93:2), Wisdom was brought forth me'az (Prov 8:22). Spanish 'desde entonces' and German 'von alt' reflect this backward-looking, open-ended temporality. Isaiah 44:8 and 45:21 use it for God's long-standing predictive power. 10×
AR["مُنْذُ-الْأَزَلِ","مُنْذُ-الْقَدِيمِ","مُنْذُ-ذَلِكَ-الْوَقْتِ","مِن قَبلُ","مِنْ-الْأَزَلِ","مِنْ-ذٰلِكَ-الوَقْتِ","مِنْ-قَدِيمٍ"]·ben["-পূর্বে","-সেই-সময়-থেকে","তখন-থেকে","পূর্বে-থেকে","সেই-থেকে","সেই-প্রাচীন-থেকে"]·DE["von-alt","von-dann"]·EN["from-of-old","from-then","long-ago","of-old"]·FR["de-alors"]·heb["מ-אז"]·HI["उस-समय-से","तब-से","पहले-से"]·ID["dahulu","dahulu-kala","dari-dahulu","dari-dulu","sejak-dahulu"]·IT["da-allora"]·jav["Saking-rumiyin","saking-rumiyin","wiwit-rumiyin"]·KO["그-때-부터라","그때부터","예부터","예전-부터","예전부터","옛적부터"]·PT["desde-então"]·RU["издавна","издревле","издревле.","с-тех-пор","тогда"]·ES["desde-entonces"]·SW["hapo-zamani","tangu-wakati-huo","tangu-wakati-ule","tangu-zamani","zamani"]·TR["eskiden","eskiden-beri","o-zamandan","onceden","önceden"]·urd["اُس-وقت","اُس-وقت-سے","قدیم-سے","پہلے-سے"]
2. since, from the time that — Conjunctional-prepositional use meaning 'since, from the time that,' introducing a clause that specifies a definite past moment. In Genesis 39:5, the Lord blessed Potiphar's house me'az—'since' Joseph took charge. Exodus 4:10 has Moses say 'since your speaking to your servant.' German 'seitdem' and Spanish 'desde cuando' mark the shift from vague antiquity to a concrete temporal anchor. Ruth 2:7 even compresses it to 'since this morning.' 9×
AR["حِينَئِذٍ","مُنْذُ","وَمُنْذُ"]·ben["ও-তখন-থেকে","তখন","তখন-থেকে","থেকে","থেকে-তখন","যখন-থেকে"]·DE["dann","seit","seitdem","und-von-dann","von-dann","von-der-Zeit-von"]·EN["and-from-then","from","from-the-time","from-the-time-of","from-then","since","then"]·FR["alors","de","de-alors","de-le-temps","depuis","et-de-alors"]·heb["אז","ו-מ-אז","מ-אז"]·HI["और-जब-से","जब-से","तब","तब-से","मे-आज़"]·ID["Dan-sejak","ketika-muncul","sejak","waktu-itu"]·IT["allora","da","da-allora","da-il-tempo","e-da-allora","poiché"]·jav["Lan-saking-nalika","nalika","saking-lajeng","saking-nalika","sasampunipun","wiwit","wiwit-wekdal"]·KO["-부터","-이래로","~때-부터","그-때-부터","그-때로부터","그리고-부터","때부터","부터-그때","이래로"]·PT["E-desde-quando","desde","desde-então","desde-quando","desde-que","então"]·RU["И-с-тех-пор","когда","от","с","с-тех-пор","с-тех-пор-как","с-того-времени-как"]·ES["Y-desde","desde","desde-cuando","desde-entonces","desde-que","entonces"]·SW["mtoka-wakati","na-tangu","tangu","wakati-huo"]·TR["-dan-beri","-den-beri","Ve-beri","beri","o-zaman","o-zamandan"]·urd["اور-جب-سے","تب","جب-سے","سے-جب","مِن-جب"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מֵאָז (cf. مُنذُ ), once (Je 44:18) מִן־אָז, lit. from that time: used (a) absol., as adv. = in time past, of old, whether of a nearer 2 S 15:34 Is 16:13, or of a remoter past Is 44:8; 45:21; 48:3, 5, 7, 8 ψ 93:2 Pr 8:22; (b) with foll. gen. or relat. clause, as prep. or conj. = from time of, since. With subst. Ru 2:7 מֵאָז הַבֹּקֶר from time of morning ψ 76:8; with infin. Ex 4:10 מֵאָז…