טֶ֫רֶם54, once (Rut 3,14 Kt) טְרוֺם, adverb of time, not yet, ere, before that (derivation unknown: not found in cognate languages) — construed mostly with the imperfect (with the perfect only 1 Mos 24,15 (1 Mos 24,45 imperfect), 1 Sam 3,7 a (v:b imperfect), and בְּטֶרֶם Sl 90,2; Ord 8,25): —
1. טֶרֶם in an independent sentence,
not yet,
1 Mos 2,5 and all the plants of the field
טרם יהיה בארץ were
not yet in the earth, etc.,
1 Mos 19,4 טרם ישׁכבו not yet had they lain down, when etc.,
1 Mos 24,15;
1 Mos 24,45;
4 Mos 11,33;
Jos 2,8;
1 Sam 3,3;
1 Sam 3,7 (twice in verse); of present time,
2 Mos 9,30;
2 Mos 10,7 הֲטֶרֶם תֵּדַע dost thou
not yet know, etc.?; in a subordinate clause,
ere, before that,
2 Mos 12,34 they took their dough
טרם יחמץ before it was leavened,
Jos 3,1;
Sl 119,67 of future time
Es 65,24. More frequently
2. בְּטֶרֶם39, with the same force: of past time,
1 Mos 27,33 I ate of all
בטרם תבא before thou camest,
1 Mos 37,18;
1 Mos 41,50;
Dom 14,18;
1 Sam 2,15;
Jer 1,5;
Jer 47,1;
Ezk 16,57;
Sl 90,2;
Ord 8,25 (both with perfect); more often of present or future, as
1 Mos 27,4 בטרם אמות before I die (so
1 Mos 45,28, compare
Sl 39,14;
Job 10,21),
3 Mos 14,36;
5 Mos 31,21;
1 Sam 9,13;
2 Kong 2,9;
Es 7,16;
Es 42,9;
Es 48,5;
Jer 13,16 the imperfect with a frequently force,
2 Mos 1,19 before the midwife
cometh, they are wont to bear,
Rut 3,14;
Ord 18,13. Pleon.
בְּטֶרֶם לֹא Sef 2,2 (twice in verse). Construed with a substantive in the genitive,
Es 17,14 בְּטֶרֶם בֹּקֶר =
ere morning,
Es 28,4 בְּטֶרֶם קַיִץ; with an infinitive
Sef 2,2a (but read here with
ᵐ5 We בְּטֶרֶם לאֹ תֵהְיוּן כְּמוֺץ עֹבֵר, without
יוֺם, 'before ye become as chaff passing away').
3. מִטֶּרֶם Hag 2,15 (followed by infinitive)
מִטֶּרֶם שׂוּם אֶבֶן from before the laying of one stone upon another, etc.