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…