Proverbs

Proverbs 8:22–29

²²The LORD created me as His first course,^c

before His works of old.

²³From everlasting I was established,

from the beginning, before the earth began.

²⁴When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,

when no springs were overflowing with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled,

before the hills, I was brought forth,

²⁶before He made the land or fields,

or any of the dust of the earth.

²⁷I was there when He established the heavens,

when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸when He established the clouds above,

when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

²⁹when He set a boundary for the sea,

so that the waters would not surpass His command,

when He marked out the foundations of the earth.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The LORD	יְֽהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
created me	קָ֭נָנִי	qā·nā·nî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7069 get, acquire
as His first	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	rê·šîṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H7225 beginning, chief
course	דַּרְכּ֑וֹ	dar·kōw	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
before	קֶ֖דֶם	qe·ḏem	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6924 front, east, aforetime
His works	מִפְעָלָ֣יו	mip̄·‘ā·lāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4659 work, thing made
of old	מֵאָֽז׃	mê·’āz	Preposition-m; Adverb	H227 at that time, then

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
From everlasting	מֵ֭עוֹלָם	mê·‘ō·w·lām	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
I was established	נִסַּ֥כְתִּי	nis·saḵ·tî	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular	H5258 pour out
from the beginning	מֵרֹ֗אשׁ	mê·rōš	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7218 head
before the earth	אָֽרֶץ׃	’ā·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
began	מִקַּדְמֵי־	miq·qaḏ·mê-	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H6924 front, east, aforetime

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When there were no	בְּאֵין־	bə·’ên-	Preposition-b; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
watery depths	תְּהֹמ֥וֹת	tə·hō·mō·wṯ	Noun - common plural	H8415 deep, sea, abyss
I was brought forth	חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי	ḥō·w·lā·lə·tî	Verb - Pual - Perfect - first person common singular	H2342 whirl, dance, writhe
when no	בְּאֵ֥ין	bə·’ên	Preposition-b; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
springs	מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת	ma‘·yā·nō·wṯ	Noun - masculine plural	H4599 spring
were overflowing	נִכְבַּדֵּי־	niḵ·bad·dê-	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
with water	מָֽיִם׃	mā·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Before	בְּטֶ֣רֶם	bə·ṭe·rem	Preposition-b; Adverb	H2962 not yet, ere, before that
the mountains	הָרִ֣ים	hā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
were settled	הָטְבָּ֑עוּ	hā·ṭə·bā·‘ū	Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2883 sink, sink down
before	לִפְנֵ֖י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
the hills	גְבָע֣וֹת	ḡə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H1389 hill
I was brought forth	חוֹלָֽלְתִּי׃	ḥō·w·lā·lə·tî	Verb - Pual - Perfect - first person common singular	H2342 whirl, dance, writhe

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
before	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
He made	עָ֭שָׂה	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
the land	אֶ֣רֶץ	’e·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
or fields	וְחוּצ֑וֹת	wə·ḥū·ṣō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H2351 the outside
or any	וְ֝רֹ֗אשׁ	wə·rōš	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7218 head
of the dust	עָפְר֥וֹת	ʿå̄·p̄ə·rōṯ	Noun - masculine plural construct	H6083 dry earth, dust
of the earth	תֵּבֵֽל׃	tê·ḇêl	Noun - feminine singular	H8398 world

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I	אָ֑נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
was there	שָׁ֣ם	šām	Adverb	H8033 there, thither
when He established	בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹ	ba·hă·ḵî·nōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H3559 be firm
the heavens	שָׁ֭מַיִם	šā·ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
when He inscribed	בְּח֥וּקוֹ	bə·ḥū·qōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H2710 cut in, inscribe, decree
a circle	ח֝֗וּג	ḥūḡ	Noun - masculine singular	H2329 vault
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the face	פְּנֵ֥י	pə·nê	Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
of the deep	תְהֽוֹם׃	ṯə·hō·wm	Noun - common singular	H8415 deep, sea, abyss

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
when He established	בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ	bə·’am·mə·ṣōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H553 be alert
the clouds	שְׁחָקִ֣ים	šə·ḥā·qîm	Noun - masculine plural	H7834 dust, cloud
above	מִמָּ֑עַל	mim·mā·‘al	Preposition-m; Adverb	H4605 higher part
when the fountains	עִינ֥וֹת	‘î·nō·wṯ	Noun - common plural construct	H5869 eye
of the deep	תְּהוֹם׃	tə·hōm	Noun - common singular	H8415 deep, sea, abyss
gushed forth	בַּ֝עֲז֗וֹז	ba·‘ă·zō·wz	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5810 be strong

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
when He set	בְּשׂ֘וּמ֤וֹ	bə·śū·mōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
a boundary	חֻקּ֗וֹ	ḥuq·qōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
for the sea	לַיָּ֨ם׀	lay·yām	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3220 sea
so that the waters	וּ֭מַיִם	ū·ma·yim	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
would not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
surpass	יַֽעַבְרוּ־	ya·‘aḇ·rū-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
His command	פִ֑יו	p̄îw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
when He marked out	בְּ֝חוּק֗וֹ	bə·ḥū·qōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H2710 cut in, inscribe, decree
the foundations	מ֣וֹסְדֵי	mō·ws·ḏê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4144 foundation
of the earth	אָֽרֶץ׃	’ā·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land