EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Proverbs 8:23
23He chose me as his servant from the beginning of time. That was before the world began.
Proverbs 8:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
- New International Version (NIV)I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
- New King James Version (NKJV)I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
Context of Proverbs 8:23
21In that way, people who love me will receive riches. I fill their houses with valuable things. 22The Lord created me as the first thing that he did. That was the first of his acts long ago. He chose me as his servant from the beginning of time. That was before the world began. 24I was born before the deep seas were there. There were not yet springs that poured out water. 25I was born before the mountains or the hills appeared in their places.
Read all of Proverbs 8Proverbs 8:23 word by word
מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 8:23
- Genesis 1:26Then God said, ‘We will make humans so that they are very much like us. They will rule over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the sky. They will rule over the farm animals. They will rule over the whole earth and all the animals that move along the ground.’
- Psalms 2:6‘I have put my king on his throne in Zion. I have put him on my holy mountain.’
- Micah 5:2But God tells us this: ‘Bethlehem Ephrathah is only a little town, among all the many towns in Judah,’ God says. ‘But I will choose someone who is born there. He will rule Israel for me. Long, long ago, I prepared for him to come.’
- John 17:24Father, you have given these people to me. I want them to be with me where I am. Then they will see how great I am. You made me great because you loved me. You loved me even before the world began.
- Ephesians 1:10God will make that plan happen when the time is completely right. At that time, he will bring everything together so that Christ rules all of them. That includes the things that are in heaven, and the things that are on earth.
- 1 John 1:1We have an important message to tell you. We want to tell you about the person who was already there before the beginning of the world. We have heard him speak. We have seen him with our own eyes. We watched him and we touched him. He is the Word that gives us life with God.
Commentaries on Proverbs 8:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23I was set up from everlasting - נסכתי nissachti, "I was diffused or poured out," from נסך nasach, "to diffuse, pour abroad, as a spirit or disposition," Isaiah 29:10. See Parkhurst. Or from סך sach, "to cover, overspread, smear over, as with oil;" to be anointed king. Hence some have translated it, principatum habui, I had the principality, or was a ruler, governor, and director, from eternity. All the schemes, plans, and circumstances, relative to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23I was set up - Rather, “I was anointed” (compare Psalm 2:6 margin: 2 Chronicles 28:15). The image is that of Wisdom anointed, as at her birth, with “the oil of gladness.” Or ever the earth was - literally, “from the times before the earth.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-31Verses 22-31 The Son of God declares himself to have been engaged in the creation of the world. How able, how fit is the Son of God to be the Saviour of the world, who was the Creator of it! The Son of God was ordained, before the world, to that great work. Does he delight in saving wretched sinners, and shall not we delight in his salvation?Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-25created me as His first course, before His works of old...From everlasting I was established: God's wisdom has always been. Here, wisdom is shown as a person, but it is not an actual person. Wisdom is part of God's character and nature. Unlike pagan gods, God does not need an outside advisor (see Isaiah 40:13–14). Jesus is the highest point of God's wisdom (see Colossians 1:15–17; 2:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-3122-31. Strictly, God's attributes are part of Himself. Yet, to the poetical structure of the whole passage, this commendation of wisdom is entirely consonant. In order of time all His attributes are coincident and eternal as Himself. But to set forth the importance of wisdom as devising the products of benevolence and power, it is here assigned a precedence. As it has such in divine, so should it be desired in human, affairs (compare Pr 3:19)…Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 8:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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