The meaning of Prevent in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
pre-vent' (qadham; prophthano, phthano): "Prevent" occurs in the King James Version in the literal but obsolete sense of "to come or go before," "to anticipate," not in the sense of "to hinder." It is the translation of qadham, "to be sharp," "to be in front," "to be beforehand" (II Samuel 22:6, II Samuel 22:19, the Revised Version (British and American) "came upon" Job 3:12, the Revised Version (British and American) "receive"; Job 30:27, "are come upon"; Job 41:11, "first given"; Psalms 18:5, Psalms 18:18, "came upon"; Psalms 21:3, the American Standard Revised Version "meetest"; Psalms 59:10, the American Standard Revised Version "meet"; Psalms 79:8, the American Standard Revised Version "meet"; Psalms 88:13, "come before"; Psalms 119:147-148, the American Standard Revised Version "anticipated"; Isaiah 21:14, "did meet"; Amos 9:10, the American Standard Revised Version "meet"). In the New Testament prophthano, with same meaning, is translated "prevent" (Matthew 17:25, "Jesus prevented him," the Revised Version (British and American) "spake first to him"); phthano (I Thessalonians 4:15, "shall not prevent," the Revised Version (British and American) "shall in no wise precede"). "Prevent" in the above sense occurs in The Wisdom of Solomon 6:13, the Revised Version (British and American) "forestalleth" (phthano); 16:28, "we must prevent the sun to give thee thanks," the Revised Version (British and American) "rise before."
W. L. Walker
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