The term "was" is a common past tense form of the verb "to be" and appears frequently throughout the Bible. It is used to describe states of being, existence, and occurrences in the past. In the context of the Bible, "was" often introduces narratives, historical accounts, and theological truths that are foundational to the Christian faith.

Creation and Existence

In the opening verse of the Bible, "was" is used to describe the state of the earth before God's creative work began: "Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Genesis 1:2). This sets the stage for the account of creation, emphasizing the transformation from chaos to order through divine intervention.

Divine Presence and Action

The use of "was" in the context of God's presence and actions is significant. For example, in the account of the burning bush, it is written, "When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, 'Moses! Moses!' And Moses said, 'Here I am'" (Exodus 3:4). Here, "was" indicates the presence of God in a specific moment, highlighting His active engagement with His people.

Historical Narratives

Throughout the historical books of the Old Testament, "was" is used to recount events and the lives of key figures. In the account of David and Goliath, it is noted, "David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah" (1 Samuel 17:12). This usage provides context and background, situating individuals within the broader narrative of Israel's history.

Prophetic Fulfillment

The prophets often used "was" to describe the fulfillment of God's promises and judgments. In the book of Isaiah, it is declared, "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted" (Isaiah 53:4). This prophetic passage, later understood by Christians to refer to Jesus Christ, uses "was" to convey the reality of suffering and redemption.

New Testament Revelation

In the New Testament, "was" continues to play a crucial role in the narrative of Jesus Christ and the early church. The Gospel of John begins with a profound theological statement: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). This verse establishes the pre-existence and divinity of Christ, foundational to Christian doctrine.

Resurrection and Hope

The resurrection of Jesus is central to Christian faith, and "was" is used to affirm this historical event. In the account of the empty tomb, it is recorded, "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come, see the place where he lay" (Matthew 28:6). The past tense "was" underscores the reality of the resurrection, offering hope and assurance to believers.

Eschatological Vision

In the book of Revelation, "was" is used to describe visions of the future and the ultimate fulfillment of God's plan. John writes, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet" (Revelation 1:10). This introduction to the apocalyptic vision reveals the continuity of God's presence and purpose throughout history.

In summary, the word "was" serves as a linguistic bridge connecting past events, divine actions, and theological truths within the biblical narrative. Its usage underscores the historical reality of God's interaction with humanity and the unfolding of His redemptive plan.(n.) The first and third persons singular of the verb be, in the indicative mood, preterit (imperfect) tense; as, I was; he was.1511. einai -- am, was, come, is, there is, to be, was.
... 1510, 1511. einai. 1512 . am, was, come, is, there is, to be, was. ... Word Origin
pres. inf. of eimi, qv. am, was, come, is, there is, to be, was. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1511.htm - 6k

2252. emen -- I was
... emen. 2253 . I was. Transliteration: emen Phonetic Spelling: (ay'-mane) Short
Definition: was. ... I was A prolonged form of thriambeuo; I was -- be, was. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2252.htm - 5k

1498. eien -- should be, was, were.
... 1497, 1498. eien. 1499 . should be, was, were. Transliteration: eien Phonetic
Spelling: (i'-ane) Short Definition: should. ... of eimi, qv. should be, was, were ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1498.htm - 6k

4051. perisseuma -- superfluity
... excess") -- abundance, especially as a situation (ie by its ); what is greater than
expected (thought to be the limit); what exceeds (what was measured), ie ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4051.htm - 7k

1510. eimi -- I exist, I am
... accords with the fact Christ is -- maning "I (, )." The " formula (Gk )" harks back
to , "" (OT/3068, "the lord ") -- meaning "He who always was, is, and will ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1510.htm - 9k

3195. mello -- to be about to
... the sense of purpose, duty, necessity, probability, possibility, or hesitation) --
about, after that, be (almost), (that which is, things, + which was for) to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3195.htm - 9k

2223. zone -- a belt
... zone Phonetic Spelling: (dzo'-nay) Short Definition: a girdle, belt, purse Definition:
a girdle, belt, waistband; because the purse was kept there, also: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2223.htm - 7k

3801. ho on kai ho en kai ho erchomenos -- to come
... ho with the present participle and imperfect of eimi and the present participle
of erchomai by means of kai; the one being and the one that was and the one ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3801.htm - 6k

931. basanos -- a touchstone (a dark stone used in testing metals) ...
... 931 () was "originally (from oriental origin) a touchstone; a 'Lydian stone' used
for testing gold because pure gold rubbed on it left a peculiar mark. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/931.htm - 7k

5303. husterema -- that which is lacking, need
... from hustereo Definition that which is lacking, need NASB Word Usage lacking (1),
need (3), needs (1), poverty (1), what is lacking (1), what was deficient (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5303.htm - 7k

1023. beth hammerchaq -- Beth-ham-Merchak, a place in Palestine ...
... Beth-ham-Merchak, a place in Palestine -- place that was far off. Transliteration:
beth hammerchaq Phonetic Spelling: (bayth ham-mer-khawk') Short Definition ...
/hebrew/1023.htm - 6k

3747. Kerith -- a brook where Elijah was hidden
... 3746, 3747. Kerith. 3748 . a brook where Elijah was hidden. Transliteration:
Kerith Phonetic Spelling: (ker-eeth') Short Definition: Cherith. ...
/hebrew/3747.htm - 6k

5514. Sinay -- the mountain where the law was given
... 5513, 5514. Sinay. 5515 . the mountain where the law was given. Transliteration:
Sinay Phonetic Spelling: (see-nah'-ee) Short Definition: Sinai. ...
/hebrew/5514.htm - 6k

6935. Qadmoni -- "easterners," a tribe whose land Abraham was to ...
... Qadmoni. 6936 . "easterners," a tribe whose land Abraham was to inherit.
Transliteration: Qadmoni Phonetic Spelling: (kad-mo-nee') Short Definition: Kadmonite ...
/hebrew/6935.htm - 6k

4179. Moriyyah -- a mountain where Isaac was to be sacrificed
... a mountain where Isaac was to be sacrificed. Transliteration: Moriyyah or Moriyyah
Phonetic Spelling: (mo-ree-yaw') Short Definition: Moriah. ...
/hebrew/4179.htm - 6k

5489. Suph -- "reed," a place near which the law was given
... 5488, 5489. Suph. 5490 . "reed," a place near which the law was given.
Transliteration: Suph Phonetic Spelling: (soof) Short Definition: Suph. ...
/hebrew/5489.htm - 6k

369. ayin -- nothing, nought
... one (101), no* (1), no...have (1), none (18), none other (1), none* (1), nor (12),
nor are there (2), nor is there (3), nor is there one (1), nor was there (2 ...
/hebrew/369.htm - 7k

4166. mutseqeth -- a pipe, casting
... piece. Word Origin from yatsaq Definition a pipe, casting NASB Word Usage
piece (1), spouts (1). when it was cast, pipe. Or mutsaqah ...
/hebrew/4166.htm - 6k

7628. shbiy -- captive
... shbiy. 7628a . captive. Transliteration: shbiy Phonetic Spelling: (sheb-ee') Short
Definition: captive. captivity, prisoners, take away, that was taken ...
/hebrew/7628.htm - 5k

6496. paqid -- commissioner, deputy, overseer
... overseers (3). which had the charge, governor, office, overseer, that was set.
From paqad; a superintendent (civil, military or religious ...
/hebrew/6496.htm - 6k

Was Christ Born in Bethlehem?
Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? . Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? Sir William
Mitchell Ramsay. Table of Contents. Title Page. PREFACE. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/ramsay/was christ born in bethlehem/

"And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. "
... Book II. 1. "And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.". "And the
Word was with God, and the Word was God." In the preceding ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/1 and the word was.htm

Was, Is, is to Come
... VOLUME I: ST. LUKE Chaps. I to XII WAS, IS, IS TO COME. '... ... '... While He blessed
them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven...'"Luke 24:51. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/was is is to come.htm

'That which was Lost'
... LUKE Chaps. XIII to XXIV 'THAT WHICH WAS LOST'. 'An hundred sheep ... ... There was a
far deeper truth to be spoken about the condition of humanity than that. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/that which was lost.htm

"And, as I was that Morning Going to My Sheep...
... [Way-2-5] "And, as I was that morning going to my sheep? "And, as I was
that morning going to my sheep, thought I to myself, this ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/law/the way to divine knowledge/way-2-5 and as i was.htm

He (This One) was in the Beginning with God.
... Book II. 5. He (This One) Was in the Beginning with God. To those who fail
to distinguish with care the different propositions of ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/5 he this one was.htm

But when I was in the Twenty-Sixth Year of My Age...
... Section 3. But when I was in the twenty-sixth year of my age? 3. But when
I was in the twenty-sixth year of my age, it happened ...
/.../josephus/the life of flavius josephus/section 3 but when i.htm

And what was it that I Delighted In, but to Love...
... Book II Chapter II And what was it that I delighted in, but to love? And
what was it that I delighted in, but to love, and be loved? ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter ii and what was.htm

The Boy who was to be Manager
... THE BOY WHO WAS TO BE MANAGER. ... He went to the office, and as he was a bright,
neat-looking boy, he made a good impression upon the manager. ...
/.../chidley/fifty-two story talks to boys and girls/the boy who was to.htm

How the Appointment was Kept.
... VI An Appointed Tryst Unexpectedly Kept (John xx.) How the Appointment
Was Kept. Let ... aside. It was too much for their strength. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on johns gospel/how the appointment was kept.htm

Was (46399 Occurrences)
... (n.) The first and third persons singular of the verb be, in the indicative mood,
preterit (imperfect) tense; as, I was; he was. ...Was (46399 Occurrences). ...
/w/was.htm - 6k

Timothy-was (1 Occurrence)
Timothy-was. Timothy's, Timothy-was. Tin . Multi-Version Concordance
Timothy-was (1 Occurrence). 2 Corinthians 1:19 ...
/t/timothy-was.htm - 6k

Zacchaeus (3 Occurrences)
... "The collection of customs at Jericho, which at this time produced and exported
a considerable quantity of balsam, was undoubtedly an important post, and would ...
/z/zacchaeus.htm - 10k

Vashti (10 Occurrences)
... Beautiful, the queen of Ahasuerus, who was deposed from her royal dignity because
she refused to obey the king when he desired her to appear in the banqueting ...
/v/vashti.htm - 12k

Kedesh (12 Occurrences)
... (3.) A "fenced city" of Naphtali, one of the cities of refuge (Joshua 19:37; Judges
4:6). It was assigned to the Gershonite Levites (Joshua 21:32). ...
/k/kedesh.htm - 14k

Shishak (6 Occurrences)
... His reign was one of great national success, and a record of his wars and conquests
adorns the portico of what are called the "Bubastite kings" at Karnak, the ...
/s/shishak.htm - 13k

Spinning
... Wool was first cleansed and then carded. ... Flax was treated in ancient times as today,
if the Egyptian sculptures have been rightly interpreted. ...
/s/spinning.htm - 9k

Yearling (48 Occurrences)
... lambs. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab. (DBY). ... lambs.
This was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar. (DBY). ...
/y/yearling.htm - 19k

Zarephath (4 Occurrences)
... Here Elijah sojourned with a poor widow during the "great famine," when the "heaven
was shut up three years and six months" (Luke 4:26; 1 Kings 17:10). ...
/z/zarephath.htm - 11k

Kirjathjearim (17 Occurrences)
... City of jaars; ie, of woods or forests, a Gibeonite town (Joshua 9:17) on the
border of Benjamin, to which tribe it was assigned (18:15, 28). ...
/k/kirjathjearim.htm - 13k

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