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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Proverbs 8:22

"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Earth;   Jesus Continued;   Wisdom;   The Topic Concordance - Creation;   Earth;   Heaven/the Heavens;   Wisdom;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Creation;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wisdom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Apocrypha;   Colossians, Theology of;   Create, Creation;   Understanding;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Creation;   God;   Son of God;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Deep, the;   Logos;   Mediator;   Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ethics;   Incarnation;   Logos;   Nature;   Proverbs, Book of;   Trinity;   Wisdom;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Alpha and Omega (2);   Apocrypha;   Inspiration and Revelation;   Quotations (2);   Revelation, Book of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Adam;   Glory;   Jeremiah;   Wisdom;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Proverbs book of;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Wisdom (1);  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Logos;   Mediation;   Proverbs, Book of;   Wisdom;   Wisdom of Solomon, the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Aristobulus of Paneas;   Cosmogony;   Leviathan and Behemoth;   Preexistence;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for August 16;  

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
"The Lord formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else.
Update Bible Version
Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.
New Century Version
"I, wisdom, was with the Lord when he began his work, long before he made anything else.
New English Translation
The Lord created me as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago.
Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
World English Bible
"Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, Before his deeds of old.
Amplified Bible
"The LORD created and possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old [were accomplished].
English Standard Version
"The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord weldide me in the bigynnyng of hise weies; bifore that he made ony thing, at the bigynnyng.
English Revised Version
The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD created me as His first course, before His works of old.
Contemporary English Version
From the beginning, I was with the Lord . I was there before he began
American Standard Version
Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old.
Bible in Basic English
The Lord made me as the start of his way, the first of his works in the past.
Complete Jewish Bible
" Adonai made me as the beginning of his way, the first of his ancient works.
Darby Translation
Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Easy-to-Read Version
"The Lord made me in the beginning, long before he did anything else.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The LORD made me as the beginning of His way, the first of His works of old.
King James Version (1611)
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
New Life Bible
"The Lord made me at the beginning of His work, before His first works long ago.
New Revised Standard
The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
George Lamsa Translation
The LORD created me as the first of his creations, before all of his works.
Good News Translation
"The Lord created me first of all, the first of his works, long ago.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;
Douay-Rheims Bible
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.
Revised Standard Version
The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The Lorde him selfe had me in possession in the beginning of his wayes, or euer he began his workes aforetime.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
Christian Standard Bible®
“The Lord acquired meat the beginning of his creation,before his works of long ago.
Hebrew Names Version
"The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his work, Before his deeds of old.
King James Version
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Lexham English Bible
"Yahweh possessed me, the first of his ways, before his acts of old.
Literal Translation
Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of His way, from then, before His works.
Young's Literal Translation
Jehovah possessed me -- the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The LORDE himself had me in possessio in the begynnynge of his wayes, or euer he begame his workes aforetyme.
THE MESSAGE
" God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic— before he did anything else. I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start. I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes. Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn; Long before God stretched out Earth's Horizons, and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather, And set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean, built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean, When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said no trespassing , And then staked out Earth's Foundations, I was right there with him, making sure everything fit. Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause, always enjoying his company, Delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family.
New American Standard Bible
"The LORD created me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Yahweh possessed me at the beginning of His way,Before His deeds of old.

Contextual Overview

22 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; [fn] And I was daily His delight,Rejoicing always before Him, 31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Proverbs 3:19, John 1:1, John 1:2, Colossians 1:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:1 - beginning Job 15:7 - or wast thou Job 28:27 - he prepared it Job 38:4 - Where Psalms 93:2 - Thy Psalms 104:24 - in wisdom Psalms 136:5 - General Micah 5:2 - whose John 1:15 - he was John 5:20 - and showeth John 8:58 - Before John 17:5 - glorify 1 Corinthians 1:24 - the wisdom Hebrews 1:2 - by whom 1 John 1:1 - That which 1 John 1:2 - which was Revelation 14:7 - worship

Cross-References

Genesis 8:8
He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground.
Genesis 8:9
But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself.
Genesis 8:11
Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth.
Genesis 8:12
So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.
Genesis 8:16
"Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you.
Genesis 8:17
Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth."
Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 45:6
For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
Exodus 34:21
"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
Jeremiah 5:24
They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way,.... Not "created me", as the Targum and the Septuagint version; which version Arius following gave birth to his pernicious doctrine; who from hence concluded Christ is a creature, and was the first creature that God made, not of the same but of a like nature with himself, in some moment or period of eternity; and by whom he made all others: the Word, or Wisdom of God is never said to be created; and if as such he was created, God must have been without his Wisdom before he was created; besides, Christ, as the Word and Wisdom of God, is the Creator of all things, and not created, John 1:1; but this possession is not in right of creation, as the word is sometimes used, Genesis 4:1; it might be more truly rendered, "the Lord begat me", as the word is translated by the Septuagint in Zechariah 13:5; it denotes the Lord's having, possessing, and enjoying his word and wisdom as his own proper Son; which possession of him is expressed by his being with him and in him, and in his bosom, and as one brought forth and brought up by him; as he was "in the beginning of his way" of creation, when he went forth in his wisdom and power, and created all things; then he did possess his Son, and made use of him, for by him he made the worlds: and "in the beginning of his way" of grace, which was before his way of creation; he began with him when he first went out in acts of grace towards his people; his first thoughts, purposes, and decrees concerning their happiness, were in him; the choice of their persons was made in him; God was in him contriving the scheme of their peace, reconciliation, and salvation; the covenant of grace was made with him, and all fulness of grace was treasured up in him: the words may be rendered, "the Lord possessed me, the beginning of his way" h; that is, who am the beginning, as he is; the beginning of the creation of God, the first cause, the efficient of it, both old and new; see Colossians 1:18. So Aben Ezra, who compares with this Job 40:19. This shows the real and actual existence of Christ from eternity, his relation to Jehovah his Father, his nearness to him, equality with him, and distinction from him: it is added, for further illustration and confirmation's sake,

before his works of old; the creation of the heavens and the earth; a detail of which there is in the following verses.

h קנני ראשית דרכו "possidet me principium viae suae", Pagninus, Michaelis, Schultens; "habuit me principium viae suae", Cocceius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A verse which has played an important part in the history of Christian dogma. Wisdom reveals herself as preceding all creation, stamped upon it all, one with God, yet in some way distinguishable from Him as the object of His love Proverbs 8:30. John declares that all which Wisdom here speaks of herself was true in its highest sense of the Word that became flesh John 1:1-14 : just as Apostles afterward applied Wisd. 7:22-30 to Christ (compare Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3).

Possessed - The word has acquired a special prominence in connection with the Arian controversy. The meaning which it usually bears is that of “getting” Genesis 4:1, “buying” Genesis 47:22, “possessing” Jeremiah 32:15. In this sense one of the oldest divine names was that of “Possessor of heaven and earth” Genesis 14:19, Genesis 14:22. But the idea of thus “getting” or “possessing” involved, as a divine act in relation to the universe, the idea of creation, and thus in one or two passages the word might be rendered, though not accurately, by “created” (e. g., Psalms 139:13). It would seem accordingly as if the Greek translators of the Old Testament oscillated between the two meanings; and in this passage we find the various renderings ἔκτισε ektise “created” (Septuagint), and ἐκτήσατο ektēsato “possessed” (Aquila). The text with the former word naturally became one of the stock arguments of the Arians against the eternal co-existence of the Son, and the other translation was as vehemently defended by the orthodox fathers. Athanasius receiving ἔκτισεν ektisen, took it in the sense of appointing, and saw in the Septuagint a declaration that the Father had made the Son the “chief,” the “head,” the “sovereign,” over all creation. There does not seem indeed any ground for the thought of creation either in the meaning of the root, or in the general usage of the word. What is meant in this passage is that we cannot think of God as ever having been without Wisdom. She is “as the beginning of His ways.” So far as the words bear upon Christian dogma, they accord with the words of John 1:1, “the Word was with God.” The next words indeed assert priority to all the works of God, from the first starting point of time.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 8:22. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way — Wisdom is not acquired by the Divine Being; man, and even angels, learn it by slow and progressive degrees; but in God it is as eternally inherent as any other essential attribute of his nature. The Targum makes this wisdom a creature, by thus translating the passage: אלהא בראני בריש בריתיה Elaha barani bereish biriteiah, "God created me in the beginning of his creatures." The Syriac is the same. This is as absurd and heretical as some modern glosses on the same passage.


 
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