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though we may be bewildered by the variety of suggestions made by scholars as to the
exact place on the map that should be assigned to it.
Before we begin our study of time and place and their relation to doctrine, let us first
acquaint ourselves with the different words used by the inspired writers in connection
with time. We will take the Hebrew first.
Zeman . . .
Translated in the A.V. "season", "time" and as a verb, "to prepare".
Zaman . . .
Translated in the A.V. "time", "appointed time", "season"; and as a verb,
"consider", "think", "purpose", "devise", "imagine", "plot".
It is evident that the underlying meaning of this word is "time, with special reference to
its fitness"; hence an "appointed time" or "season".
Yom . . .
Translated in the A.V. 116 times "day" and 65 times "time", together with a
great variety of other words, ranging from "weather" to "yearly".
"Day" may be accepted as the fundamental meaning of the word, with
the understanding that it is not always limited to a period of
twenty-four hours.
Moed . . .
Translated in the A.V. "congregation" 149 times, and then "appointed
time", "appointed season", "time", "feast", and allied ideas. This word
is derived from yaad, "to appoint, as a place or time", and so "to meet
with others at an appointed place".
Iddan . . .
Translated in the A.V. "time" 13 times. The word is derived from adah,
"to go or to pass". From this comes ad, variously translated "for ever",
"perpetually", etc. Its basic meaning may be seen in the adverb ad,
"till", "yet", etc. From adah is also derived:
Eth . . .
Translated in the A.V. "time" 257 times, "season", etc.
Olam . . .
Translated in the A.V. "ever" and many other words. The primary meaning
of the word is "age", and carries with it the idea of something hidden,
from alam, "secret"--the length of the age being something beyond
human knowledge.
Rosh . . .
Translated in the A.V. "head" 349 times, and when used of time,
"beginning" and "first".
Dor . . .
Translated in the A.V. mostly by "generation".
Teledoth . . . Translated in the A.V. "generation", "family", "origin", "family history".
These are the most important words used in the O.T. to denote the conception of
"time". In the N.T. the most important corresponding Greek words are as follows:
Genea, "generation"; hemera, "day"; kairos, "season"; chronos, "time";
hora, "hour"; aion, "age"; and arche, "beginning".
With this introduction and list of words we must be satisfied for the present. In our
next article we hope to take up the question of Time and Place in relation to Scriptural
doctrine.