Proverbs 8:23 kjv
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
Proverbs 8:23 nkjv
I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
Proverbs 8:23 niv
I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
Proverbs 8:23 esv
Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
Proverbs 8:23 nlt
I was appointed in ages past,
at the very first, before the earth began.
Proverbs 8 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 1:1 | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. | Christ's pre-existence as the Divine Word. |
| John 1:3 | All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made... | Christ as the agent of creation. |
| Col 1:15 | He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. | Christ's supremacy and priority in creation. |
| Col 1:16 | For by him all things were created... all things were created through him and for him. | Christ's role as Creator and sustainer. |
| 1 Cor 1:24 | ...Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. | Christ embodied as divine Wisdom. |
| 1 Cor 1:30 | ...Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness... | Christ as the source of true wisdom. |
| Heb 1:2 | ...his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. | Son of God as creator of the universe. |
| Rev 3:14 | ...the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. | Christ as the ultimate origin. |
| Ps 90:2 | Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. | God's eternal existence prior to creation. |
| Isa 40:21 | Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? | God's eternal truth and ancient wisdom. |
| Isa 40:28 | Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. | God's eternal nature and role as Creator. |
| Mic 5:2 | ...from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler... whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. | Prophecy of Christ's eternal origin. |
| Prov 3:19 | The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. | God's use of Wisdom in creation. |
| Job 38:4 | "Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?..." | God's foundational work of creation. |
| Ps 33:6 | By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. | Creation by divine utterance. |
| Gen 1:1 | In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. | Primordial act of creation by God. |
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. | Foundational principle of wisdom. |
| Prov 3:13-18 | Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding... She is more precious than rubies. | The supreme value and blessing of Wisdom. |
| Ps 139:13-16 | ...before me were all the days ordained for me when as yet there was none of them. | God's eternal plan and foreknowledge. |
| Rom 16:25-26 | ...the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed... | God's eternal plan now revealed. |
| Eph 1:4 | ...he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy... | God's eternal election before creation. |
| Tit 1:2 | ...eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began. | God's eternal promises predating time. |
Proverbs 8 verses
Proverbs 8 23 Meaning
Proverbs 8:23 declares the profound, ancient origin of Wisdom, asserting her existence and divine establishment from the earliest conceivable moments, before anything in the material universe was formed. She was appointed, or "poured out" and consecrated, by God from eternity past, signifying her integral and foundational role in God's creative work and sovereign plan for the cosmos.
Proverbs 8 23 Context
Proverbs chapter 8 presents an extended, impassioned address from Lady Wisdom herself, personified as a female figure appealing to humanity. Throughout the chapter, Wisdom declares her superior value, her accessibility to all, and her vital role in righteous living. This particular verse (Proverbs 8:23) is part of a longer monologue (Proverbs 8:22-31) where Wisdom specifically articulates her primeval existence and her direct involvement in the foundational acts of creation, demonstrating that she is not a mere human invention but an intrinsic and eternal attribute of God, essential for the cosmos and human well-being. The literary context highlights wisdom as a divine principle woven into the very fabric of existence, contrasting with the chaotic or transient nature of worldly pursuits often found in ancient Near Eastern wisdom traditions.
Proverbs 8 23 Word analysis
- I (אֲנִי, ʾani): Refers to Lady Wisdom, who is speaking in the first person. This literary device of personification lends an authoritative voice and living presence to the abstract concept of divine wisdom, enabling her to describe her origins and role.
- was set up (נָסַךְ, nasakh): This Hebrew verb can carry several meanings, all of which enrich the verse: To "pour out," as in a libation (Ps 16:4); to "anoint" or "establish" a king (Ps 2:6); to "cast" or "ordain," as with metalworking (Isa 40:19) or decrees. In the context of Proverbs 8:23, nasakh implies that Wisdom was deliberately ordained, appointed, consecrated, or established by God. She is not self-existent but divinely commissioned and given a specific, pre-eminent status and purpose.
- from everlasting (מֵעוֹלָם, me'olam): This phrase signifies an immeasurable past, reaching into eternity or remote antiquity. It asserts Wisdom's existence from before any recorded time or known historical period, emphasizing her profound pre-existence beyond temporal limits.
- from the beginning (מֵרֹאשׁ, merosh): This further emphasizes the deep antiquity of Wisdom's establishment. Rosh means "head" or "beginning," implying that her establishment was foundational, prior to the initiation of creation or any temporal sequence.
- or ever the earth was (בְטֶרֶם הָאָרֶץ, beterem ha'aretz): This precise phrase definitively states that Wisdom was in existence and had been established before the very formation of the earth. It removes any ambiguity about her being created alongside the world, positioning her as prior to and foundational for the material universe's existence.
Proverbs 8 23 Words-group analysis
- "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning": This combined phrase powerfully conveys Wisdom's pre-creational origin and divine appointment. It asserts that her being and purpose are rooted in eternity, established by God's decree, distinguishing her from all created beings. This language strongly parallels the divine self-declaration found in other scriptures, underlining Wisdom's unique and divine connection.
- "or ever the earth was": This clause provides a clear temporal marker, making it undeniable that Wisdom's establishment occurred before the physical creation. This specific detail reinforces the idea that she is not a part of creation but rather an aspect that facilitated creation. This concept paves the way for the New Testament understanding of Christ as the pre-existent agent of creation (John 1:3; Col 1:16).
Proverbs 8 23 Bonus section
The unique Hebrew verb nasakh (נָסַךְ), translated "set up," has further layers of meaning. While often referring to "pouring out" or "libations," which could metaphorically suggest an outpouring or diffusion of wisdom, its usage in contexts like Psalm 2:6 (where it refers to the enthronement of a king: "I have installed my King...") provides a compelling parallel. This could suggest that Lady Wisdom was not merely brought into existence, but specifically "enthroned," consecrated, or given sovereign authority and a foundational position by God. This elevates her status beyond a mere attribute to one with delegated authority, echoing Christ's kingly pre-eminence and creative authority (Col 1:16). The precision of placing Wisdom's establishment before the earth speaks volumes about God's eternal planning, order, and purpose, indicating that creation was not an arbitrary act but conceived in divine wisdom.
Proverbs 8 23 Commentary
Proverbs 8:23 is a cornerstone verse in the Bible's teaching on Wisdom, profoundly significant for its theological implications. Lady Wisdom, a figure often understood as personified divine attribute, unequivocally declares her existence and establishment by God from the unsearchable depths of eternity, predating all material creation. This assertion emphasizes her being fundamental to God's nature and intrinsic to His purposes before the world began. The "setting up" or "establishing" suggests an active, deliberate, and sovereign act of God, commissioning or appointing Wisdom for her pivotal role, particularly highlighted in subsequent verses (Proverbs 8:27-31) where she participates in creation.
While literally "Wisdom" is personified, this passage serves as a prophetic foreshadowing and conceptual bedrock for the New Testament's revelation of Jesus Christ as the pre-existent, eternal Son of God (the Logos or Word), who is Himself "the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:24, 30). Just as Lady Wisdom was established "from everlasting" and played an indispensable role in creation, so too was Christ with God "in the beginning," and "through him all things were made" (John 1:1-3; Col 1:15-17). Thus, Proverbs 8:23 profoundly affirms the eternal, pre-creational nature of God's wisdom, ultimately embodied in the person of Jesus Christ, the one through whom God ordained and accomplished His creation. This understanding guides us to seek Christ as the true source of all understanding and life.