Before
King James Dictionary [1]
BEFO'RE, prep. be and fore, that is by fore, near the fore part.
1. In front on the side with the face, at any distance used of persons. 2. In presence of, with the idea of power, authority, respect.
Abraham bowed before the people of the land. Genesis 23
Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord. Micah 6 .
3. In sight of as before the face. 4. In the presence of, noting cognizance of jurisdiction. 5. In the power of, noting the right or ability to choose or possess free to the choice.
The world was all before them.
My land is before thee. Genesis 20
6. In front of any object as before the house before the fire. 7. Preceding in time.
Before I was afflicted, I went astray. Psalms 119
Before Abraham was, I am. John 8 .
Here the preposition has a sentence following for an object.
8. In preference to.
And he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Genesis 48
Poverty is desirable before torments.
9. Superior preceding in dignity.
He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. John 50
10. Prior to having prior right preceding in order as, the eldest son is before the younger in succession. 11. Previous to in previous order in order to.
Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary.
12. Before the wind, is to move in the direction of the wind by its impulse.
BEFO'RE, adv. In time preceding.
You tell me what I knew before.
1. In time preceding, to the present, or to this time hitherto as, tumults then arose which before were unknown. 2. Further onward in place, in progress, or in front.
Reaching forth to those things which are before. Philippians 3
3. In front on the fore part.
The battle was before and behind. 2 Chronicles 13
In some of the examples of the use of before, which Johnson places under the adverb, the word is a preposition governing a sentence as, "Before the hills appeared." This is the real construction,however overlooked or misunderstood.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): (prep.) In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house.
(2): (prep.) Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; - sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that.
(3): (prep.) An advance of; farther onward, in place or time.
(4): (adv.) Earlier; sooner than; until then.
(5): (prep.) Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than.
(6): (prep.) In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing.
(7): (prep.) Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of.
(8): (prep.) Open for; free of access to; in the power of.
(9): (adv.) On the fore part; in front, or in the direction of the front; - opposed to in the rear.
(10): (adv.) In advance.
(11): (adv.) In time past; previously; already.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [3]
Before . In Genesis 11:28 ‘Haran died before his father Terah,’ the meaning is ‘in the presence of’ as RV [Note: Revised Version.] , literally ‘before the face of.’
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [4]
bē̇ - fōr ´: The translation of a great variety of Hebrew and Greek words. "Haran died before (the English Revised Version "in the presence of," literally "before the face of") his father Terah" ( Genesis 11:28 ). To be "before" God is to enjoy His favor ( Psalm 31:22 ). "The Syrians before" ( Isaiah 9:12 the Revised Version, margin "on the east," as "behind," owing to the position of Canaan, relative to Syria, implies the west).
