Heretofore
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The term "heretofore" is an archaic English word that means "before this time" or "previously." In the context of the Bible, it is used to refer to events, actions, or conditions that have occurred in the past. While the word itself may not appear frequently in modern translations, its concept is integral to understanding the continuity and progression of biblical narratives and teachings.

Biblical Usage and Context

In the Berean Standard Bible , the concept of "heretofore" is often conveyed through phrases like "in times past," "formerly," or "before now." These expressions are used to highlight God's past actions, the history of Israel, or the previous state of individuals before a transformative event or divine intervention.

1. God's Faithfulness and Covenant: The Bible frequently recounts God's past dealings with His people to remind them of His faithfulness and the enduring nature of His covenant. For instance, in Deuteronomy 4:32-34, Moses urges the Israelites to consider the unprecedented acts of God "from the day that God created man on the earth" and how He delivered them from Egypt. This reflection on past events serves to strengthen their faith and commitment to God's commandments.

2. Transformation and Redemption: The concept of "heretofore" is also significant in illustrating the transformation of individuals and communities. In Ephesians 2:11-13, Paul reminds the Gentile believers of their former state "at that time" when they were "separate from Christ" and "foreigners to the covenants of the promise." This contrast with their current status as members of God's household underscores the redemptive work of Christ.

3. Prophetic Fulfillment: The Bible often refers to past prophecies and their fulfillment as a testament to God's sovereignty and the reliability of His word. In Matthew 1:22-23, the birth of Jesus is presented as the fulfillment of what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, emphasizing the continuity of God's plan from "heretofore" to the present.

4. Human Condition and Sin: The Scriptures also use the concept of "heretofore" to describe the previous sinful state of humanity. In Romans 11:30, Paul speaks of the Gentiles who "formerly disobeyed God" but have now received mercy. This acknowledgment of past disobedience highlights the transformative power of God's grace.

Theological Implications

Understanding the concept of "heretofore" in the Bible is crucial for grasping the continuity of God's redemptive history. It serves as a reminder of God's unchanging nature and His ongoing work in the world. By reflecting on past events, believers are encouraged to trust in God's promises and remain faithful to His commandments.

The use of "heretofore" also emphasizes the transformative power of God's intervention in the lives of individuals and communities. It highlights the contrast between the old and new, the past and present, underscoring the hope and renewal found in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(adv.) Up to this time; hitherto; before; in time past.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
HERETOFORE

her-too-for', Hebrew temol, "yesterday," "neither heretofore, nor since" (Exodus 4:10; compare Exodus 5:7, 8, 14 Joshua 3:4 Ruth 2:11); 'ethmol shilshom, "yesterday," "third day" (1 Samuel 4:7, "There hath not been such a thing heretofore.")

Greek
4258. proamartano -- to sin before
... sin already, heretofore sin. From pro and hamartano; to sin previously (to conversion)
-- sin already, heretofore sin. see GREEK pro. see GREEK hamartano. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4258.htm - 6k
Strong's Hebrew
865. ethmowl -- yesterday, recently, formerly
... Spelling: (eth-mole') Short Definition: time. before that time, heretofore,
of late old, times past, yesterday Or tithmowl {ith-mole'}; or ...
/hebrew/865.htm - 6k

8543. temol -- yesterday, recently, formerly
... 2), yesterday (4), yesterday* (1). before time, these three days, heretofore,
time past, yesterday. Or tmol {tem-ole'}; probably ...
/hebrew/8543.htm - 6k

8032. shilshowm -- three days ago, day before, yesterday
... Spelling: (shil-shome') Short Definition: time. before that time, heretofore,
three days, time past Or shilshom {shil-shome'}; from ...
/hebrew/8032.htm - 5k

Library

Of Good Works.
... Concerning these things preachers heretofore taught but little, and urged only childish
and needless works, as particular holy-days, particular fasts ...
/.../various/the augsburg confession of faith/article xx of good works.htm

A Description of the Sea-Coast, Out of Pliny and Strabo.
... Dorum. Sycaminum. The promontory Carmel: and, in the mountain, a town of the same
name, heretofore called Ecbatana. ... Tyrus, heretofore an island, &c. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 10 a description of.htm

The West Coast of Galilee-Carmel.
... The promontory Carmel, in Pliny, and in the mountain a town of the same name,
heretofore called Ecbatane; where probably Vespasian sometimes consulted the ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 63 the west coast.htm

Is God in the Camp?
... And they said, Woe unto us! For there hath not been such a thing heretofore""1 Samuel
4:7. ... Woe unto us! For there hath not been such a thing heretofore.". ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/is god in the camp.htm

An Account of the Organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church ...
... consecrated to their work by the imposition of hands, were distinguished as
"lay-preachers," and had not, except in the instance heretofore narrated, presumed ...
/.../chapter 3 an account of.htm

2 Cor. xiii. 1
... Ver.2. "I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand when I was present the second
time; so now being absent I write to them that sinned heretofore and to ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xxix 2 cor xiii.htm

"Thy King Cometh"
... it. Heretofore Jesus had always traveled on foot, and the disciples had
at first wondered that He should now choose to ride. But ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 63 thy king cometh.htm

Beth-El. Beth-Aven.
... Beth-el heretofore was Luz: of which the Rabbins upon Judges 1:23, &c. ... On the east
of Beth-el heretofore was Hai, Genesis 12:8; Joshua 8:9, &c. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 20 beth-el beth-aven.htm

Showing How the Inward Man Should Exercise Himself, that He May be ...
... yet there is here a great distinction, for the creature never becomes God, nor does
God ever become the creature; as I explained to you heretofore in the ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter viii showing how the.htm

Of the Threefold Prayer of Christ, that we Might be one with God
... new gifts, and whosoever is aware of this is fulfilled with new virtues and holy
exercises and with all good, in the way that I told you heretofore: and this ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter xiii of the threefold.htm

Thesaurus
Heretofore (25 Occurrences)
... (adv.) Up to this time; hitherto; before; in time past. Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. HERETOFORE. ... Multi-Version Concordance Heretofore (25 Occurrences). ...
/h/heretofore.htm - 15k

Man-slayer (20 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 4:42 for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, who slayeth his neighbour
unknowingly, and he is not hating him heretofore, and he hath fled unto ...
/m/man-slayer.htm - 13k

Hating (95 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 4:42 for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, who slayeth his neighbour
unknowingly, and he is not hating him heretofore, and he hath fled unto ...
/h/hating.htm - 33k

Unknowingly (3 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 4:42 for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, who slayeth his neighbour
unknowingly, and he is not hating him heretofore, and he hath fled unto ...
/u/unknowingly.htm - 7k

Gored (3 Occurrences)
... Exodus 21:29 But if the ox have gored heretofore, and it have been testified to
its owner, and he have not kept it in, and it kill a man or a woman, the ox ...
/g/gored.htm - 7k

Watch (203 Occurrences)
... Exodus 21:29 and if the ox is 'one' accustomed to gore heretofore, and it hath been
testified to its owner, and he doth not watch it, and it hath put to death ...
/w/watch.htm - 40k

Yesterday (13 Occurrences)
... is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been
such a thing heretofore. (See JPS). 1 Samuel 20:27 It ...
/y/yesterday.htm - 10k

Quantity (18 Occurrences)
... Exodus 5:8 and the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore
ye do put on them, ye do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore ...
/q/quantity.htm - 13k

Knewest (11 Occurrences)
... of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land
of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. ...
/k/knewest.htm - 10k

Nativity (9 Occurrences)
... of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land
of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. ...
/n/nativity.htm - 11k

Resources
What is the “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon? | GotQuestions.org

Heretofore: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Heretofore (25 Occurrences)

2 Corinthians 12:21
lest again when I come my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and repented not of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed.
(ASV)

2 Corinthians 13:2
I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:
(KJV ASV WBS)

1 Peter 3:5
For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands;
(DBY)

1 Peter 3:20
heretofore disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing, into which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:
(DBY)

Genesis 31:2
and Jacob seeth the face of Laban, and lo, it is not with him as heretofore.
(YLT)

Genesis 31:5
and saith to them, 'I am beholding your father's face -- that it is not towards me as heretofore, and the God of my father hath been with me,
(YLT)

Exodus 4:10
And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Exodus 5:7
Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Exodus 5:8
And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Exodus 5:14
And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Exodus 21:29
But if the ox have gored heretofore, and it have been testified to its owner, and he have not kept it in, and it kill a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.
(DBY YLT)

Exodus 21:36
Or if it be known that the ox have gored heretofore, and its owner have not kept him in, he shall in any case restore ox for ox; and the dead shall be his.
(DBY YLT)

Deuteronomy 4:42
for the fleeing thither of the man-slayer, who slayeth his neighbour unknowingly, and he is not hating him heretofore, and he hath fled unto one of these cities, and he hath lived:
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 19:4
And this 'is' the matter of the man-slayer who fleeth thither, and hath lived: He who smiteth his neighbour unknowingly, and is not hating him heretofore,
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 19:6
lest the redeemer of blood pursue after the man-slayer when his heart is hot, and hath overtaken him (because the way is great), and hath smitten him -- the life, and he hath no sentence of death, for he is not hating him heretofore;
(YLT)

Joshua 3:4
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Joshua 4:18
And it cometh to pass, in the coming up of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the midst of the Jordan -- the soles of the feet of the priests have been drawn up into the dry ground -- and the waters of the Jordan turn back to their place, and go as heretofore over all its banks.
(YLT)

Ruth 2:11
And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Samuel 4:7
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Samuel 10:11
And it cometh to pass, all his acquaintance heretofore, see, and lo, with prophets he hath prophesied, and the people say one unto another, 'What 'is' this hath happened to the son of Kish? is Saul also among the prophets?'
(YLT)

1 Samuel 14:21
And the Hebrews 'who' have been for the Philistines as heretofore, who had gone up with them into the camp, have turned round, even they, to be with Israel who 'are' with Saul and Jonathan,
(YLT)

1 Samuel 19:7
And Jonathan calleth for David, and Jonathan declareth to him all these words, and Jonathan bringeth in David unto Saul, and he is before him as heretofore.
(YLT)

2 Samuel 3:17
And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, 'Heretofore ye have been seeking David for king over you,
(YLT)

2 Samuel 5:2
also heretofore, in Saul's being king over us, thou hast been he who is bringing out and bringing in Israel, and Jehovah saith to thee, Thou dost feed My people Israel, and thou art for leader over Israel.'
(YLT)

2 Kings 13:5
and Jehovah giveth to Israel a saviour, and they go out from under the hand of Aram, and the sons of Israel dwell in their tents as heretofore;
(YLT)

Subtopics

Heretofore

Related Terms

Heretofore (25 Occurrences)

Herewith (4 Occurrences)

Hereupon (1 Occurrence)

Haste (106 Occurrences)

Hasten (49 Occurrences)

Heretick
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