טֶרֶם

once (Ru 3:14 Kt) טְרוֹם, adv. of time, not yet, ere, before that (deriv. unknown: not found in cogn. languages)—construed mostly with the impf. (with the pf. only Gn 24:15 (v 45 impf.), 1 S 3:7a (v b impf.), and בְּטֶרֶם ψ 90:2 Pr 8:25):— †טֶרֶם in an independent sentence, not yet, Gn 2:5 and all the plants of the field טרם יהיה בארץ were not yet in the earth, etc., 19:4 טרם ישׁכבו not yet had they lain down, when etc., 24:15, 45 Nu 11:33 Jos 2:8 1 S 3:3, 7(×2); of present time, Ex 9:30; 10:7 הֲטֶרֶם תֵּדַע dost thou not yet know, etc.?; in a subord. clause, ere, before that, Ex 12:34 they took their dough טרם יחמץ before it was leavened, Jos 3:1 ψ 119:67; of future time Is 65:24. More frequently בְּטֶרֶם39, with the same force: of past time, Gn 27:33 I ate of all בטרם תבא before thou camest, 37:18; 41:50 Ju 14:18 1 S 2:15 Je 1:5; 47:1 Ez 16:57; ψ 90:2 Pr 8:25 (both with pf.); more often of pres. or fut., as Gn 27:4 בטרם אמות before I die (so 45:28, cf. ψ 39:14 Jb 10:21), Lv 14:36 Dt 31:21 1 S 9:13 2 K 2:9 Is 7:16; 42:9; 48:5 Je 13:16; the impf. with a freq. force, Ex 1:19 before the midwife cometh, they are wont to bear, Ru 3:14 Pr 18:13. Pleon. בְּטֶרֶם לֹא Zp 2:2(×2). Construed with a subst. in the gen., †Is 17:14 בְּטֶרֶם בֹּקֶר = ere morning, 28:4 בְּטֶרֶם קַיִץ; with an inf. †Zp 2:2a (but read here with 𝔊 We בְּטֶרֶם לֹא תִהְיוּן כְּמוֹץ עֹבֵר, without יוֹם, ‘before ye become as chaff passing away’). †מִטֶּרֶם Hg 2:15 (sq. inf.) מִטֶּרֶם שׂוּם אֶבֶן from before the laying of one stone upon another, etc.