TIP OF THE DAY 153: Logos/Verbum tools prepositions with temporal terms

MJ. Smith

I am adding these posts to the previous tip list L/V 10 Tip of the Day (when it doesn't time out)

TOPIC: Prepositions Logos/Verbum features and prepositions associated with time

Logos/Verbum has two major preposition-oriented tools:

Hebrew/Greek Grammatical constructions has a prepositional phrase search focused primarily on the case of the object noun. This is not of major interest here.

The Bible Word Study has a section Prepositional Use which is very helpful for BWS on temporal terms.

Then there is the obvious fact that we need to recognize prepositions and understand their meanings. These issues are covered in this post.

QUESTION: What prepositions are used with Sabbath in Greek? in Hebrew?

SOFTWARE: In Logos/Verbum, the Bible Word Study (under Guides menu) has a section Preposition Use which shows the available prepositions with the applicable prepositions showing in black and the inapplicable prepositions grayed out. Mouse over provides detail.

ANSWER: For Greek:

For Hebrew:

QUESTION: What prepositions are frequently used to express time relationships?

SOFTWARE: Multiple queries against grammars and textbooks teased out this answer. Because I am not fluent in either Greek or Hebrew, I started with an English base.

ANSWER:

English		Hebrew	Greek
Preposition	Example
At	Specific times (e.g., "at 3 o'clock"). Events that occur at a particular time of day (e.g., "at lunchtime"). Periods of the day (e.g., "at night"). Special occasions (e.g., "at Christmas").	בְּ (be) can mean "in" or "at" when referring to time. בַּ (ba) is used for specific times or events.	ἐν (en) can mean "at" when referring to specific times. ἐπί (epi) can also imply "at" in certain contexts.
On	Specific days (e.g., "on Sunday"). Dates (e.g., "on January 1st"). Special days or events (e.g., "on Christmas Day").	בְּ (be) can also mean "on" when referring to days or dates.	ἐν (en) is used for days or dates.
In	Months (e.g., "in May"). Years (e.g., "in 2020"). Decades or centuries (e.g., "in the 1990s"). Periods of the day (e.g., "in the morning"). Long periods or future times (e.g., "in the future").	בְּ (be) is used for months, years, or periods. בַּ (ba) can also indicate "in" for longer periods.	ἐν (en) is used for months, years, or periods.
Before	Earlier than a specific time (e.g., "before work").	לִפְנֵי (lifnei) means "before" or "in front of". קֹדֶם (qodem) can also mean "before" in a temporal sense.	πρὸ (pro) means "before" or "prior to". ἔμπροσθεν (emprosthen) can also mean "before" or "in front of".
After	Later than a specific time (e.g., "after work").	אַחֲרֵי (acharei) means "after" or "behind". מִקֵּץ (miqetz) can also indicate "after" or "from the end of".	ὀπίσω (opisō) means "after" or "behind". μετά (meta) can also imply "after" when used with a verb.
By	Up to a certain time (e.g., "by 5 PM").	עַד (ad) means "until" or "by", often used to indicate a deadline. בְּטֶרֶם (beterem) means "before" but can imply "by" in certain contexts.	ἕως (heós) means "until" or "by", often used to indicate a deadline. πρὸ (pro) can imply "by" in certain contexts.
During	Within a time period (e.g., "during the Mass").	בְּ (be) is used to indicate "during" a time period. בַּ (ba) can also mean "during" when referring to events.	ἐν (en) is used to indicate "during" a time period.
For	Duration of time (e.g., "for three minutes").	לְ (le) can mean "for" or "to" when indicating duration. בְּעַד (bead) can imply "for" or "until" a certain time.	εἰς (eis) can mean "for" or "to" when indicating duration. ὑπέρ (hyper) can imply "for" in certain contexts.
From …to	Start and end times (e.g., "from 8 AM to 5 PM").	מִן... עַד (min... ad) is used to indicate a range of time.	ἀπό... ἕως (apo... heós) is used to indicate a range of time.
From …until/til	Start and end times (e.g., "from 8AM until 5 PM").	מִן... עַד (min... ad) is used similarly to "from... to".	ἀπό... ἕως (apo... heós) is used similarly to "from... to".
Since	Starting point in time (e.g., "since 1908").	מִן (min) can mean "since" when used with a verb in the past tense.	ἀπό (apo) can mean "since" when used with a verb in the past tense.
Until/til	Up to a certain time (e.g., "until next week").	עַד (ad) means "until" or "till".	ἕως (heós) means "until" or "till".
Past	After a certain time (e.g., "past midnight").	אַחֲרֵי (acharei) can imply "past" when referring to time.	ὀπίσω (opisō) can imply "past" when referring to time.
Ago (postposition)	A certain amount of time before the present (e.g., "five years ago").	No direct equivalent, but phrases like מִן הַיּוֹם (min hayom) can imply "since that day" or "from that day on".	No direct equivalent, but phrases like ἀπό τοῦ καιροῦ (apo tou kairou) can imply "since that time" or "from that time on".