The Hebrew word qadmôwnîy, represented by H6931, carries a dual meaning related to both time and space. Its definition includes concepts like anterior, ancient, and (thing of) old, as well as oriental or east. It appears 10 times across 10 unique verses, serving to orient the reader either chronologically in the distant past or geographically toward the east.
In biblical usage, H6931 points to things that are temporally distant. God instructs his people not to dwell on "the things of old" Isaiah 43:18 when he is doing a new thing. It is used to refer to the "proverb of the ancients" 1 Samuel 24:13 and the faithfulness of God in "former years" Malachi 3:4. The word also has a clear directional sense, frequently denoting the east. Prophetic visions describe the "east gate" of the LORD's house (Ezekiel 10:19, Ezekiel 11:1) and the "east sea" as a significant boundary (Joel 2:20, Ezekiel 47:18).
Several related words help clarify the temporal and spatial meanings of H6931:
- H7223 riʼshôwn (first, former): This word often describes things that are first in a sequence or from a former time. It is used in parallel with H6931 to contrast "former things" with "things of old" Isaiah 43:18.
- H314 ʼachărôwn (hinder, last, western): As a direct opposite, this term is used to denote the last in time or the western direction. It is explicitly contrasted with H6931 in the vision of living waters flowing to the "former sea" and the "hinder sea" Zechariah 14:8.
- H6921 qâdîym (east, eastward): This word is closely tied to the geographical meaning of H6931. Ezekiel describes the "east gate" H6931 of the Lord's house as one that "looketh eastward" H6921 Ezekiel 11:1.
The theological weight of H6931 is evident in its application to God's long-standing plans and his sacred geography.
- Prophetic History: The term affirms the ancient roots of prophecy, as God references what he has "spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel" Ezekiel 38:17, grounding current events in his eternal foreknowledge.
- Sacred Direction: The "east" is established as a direction of spiritual significance. The "east gate" is a focal point of divine activity in Ezekiel's visions Ezekiel 10:19, linking H6931 to the movements of God's glory.
- Temporal Perspective: The word is used to frame human perspective in relation to God's work. While the "proverb of the ancients" 1 Samuel 24:13 provides wisdom, the command to not focus on the "things of old" Isaiah 43:18 calls for faith in God's ongoing, future actions.
In summary, H6931 is a versatile word that defines both the past and the east. It is used to recall ancient wisdom, God's historic faithfulness, and the long-established word of the prophets. At the same time, it orients the biblical narrative geographically, marking the "east sea" and the "east gate" as places of divine action and demarcation. The word illustrates how scripture uses language to place God's work within the dimensions of both time and space.
TRV