Lexical Summary qodam: Before, in front of, in the presence of Original Word: קֱדָם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance before, from, I thought, me, of, it pleased, presence (Aramaic) or qdam (Aramaic) (Daniel 7:13) {ked-awm'}; corresponding to qedem; before -- before, X from, X I (thought), X me, + of, X it pleased, presence. see HEBREW 'obdan see HEBREW qedem NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to qedem Definition before NASB Translation before (23), before* (3), presence (3), rose (1), toward (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs קֳדָם42 preposition before (so Old Aramaic, Nabataean, Palmyrene, etc. (Lzb360f.), ᵑ7 קָדָם, Syriac  ; properly a substantive the front, compare Arabic  the front; for √ see Biblical Hebrew קדם); — suffix קָדָמַי Daniel 2:9 +, מָ֑י- Daniel 2:6; קדמיך Kt, קֳדָמָךְ Qr, Daniel 5:23; Daniel 6:23; קֳדָמוֺהִי Daniel 4:5 + (compare Nerab קדמוה, Cooke189); 3 feminine singular קדמיה Kt, קֳדָמַהּ Qr, Daniel 7:7,8,20; קֳדָמֵיהוֺן Daniel 4:4; — 1 before (= Hebrew לפְנֵי), especially in the phrases to answer, pray, say, etc., before a superior (as more respectful than to), Daniel 2:9 לְמֵאמַד קֳדָמַי, Daniel 2:10; Daniel 2:11; Daniel 2:27; Daniel 6:11 (see Dr), Daniel 6:12; Daniel 6:13; Daniel 6:14; ׳קֱרִי ק Ezra 4:18; Ezra 4:23; Ezra 5:23 (twice in verse); with שְׁפַר to seem fair Daniel 3:32; Daniel 6:2; after verbs of motion, in before, Daniel 2:24,25; Daniel 3:13; Daniel 4:3 +; of time Daniel 7:7. 2 מִןקֳֿדָם from before ( = מִלִּפְנֵי, but as used in late Hebrew, Esther 1:19; Esther 4:8), with קַבֵּל Daniel 2:6, בְּעָא Daniel 2:18; of a decree, Daniel 6:27 מִןקֳֿדָמִי שִֹׁים טְעֵם ("" מִנִּי Daniel 3:29 +), compare Daniel 2:15; Ezra 7:14; of God, Daniel 5:24 מִןקֳֿדָמוֺהִי שְׁלִיחַ מַּסָּא דַּייְֿדָא, Daniel 7:10 (so very often in ᵑ7, DrSm lxx. f. lxxiii). Also = Hebrew מִמְּנֵי, with to fear Daniel 5:19; Daniel 6:27, be rooted up Daniel 7:8, fall Daniel 7:20. Topical Lexicon Orientation and Presenceקֱדָם consistently places people or objects “in front of” another. Narrative use is frequent when subjects are ushered before earthly kings (Daniel 2:25; Daniel 3:13; Daniel 6:21) or when offerings are set before God (Ezra 6:9). The word therefore stresses visibility, accountability, and relationship in moments charged with decision or worship—“Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king” (Daniel 2:25). Temporal Nuance Because “east” (sunrise) became a metaphor for what is “earlier,” קֱדָם shades naturally into the idea of “formerly” or “previously.” Ezra’s record of temple restoration often notes matters settled “before the king” (Ezra 5:5; Ezra 5:17), showing that later progress depends on what was already decreed. Scripture thereby teaches that God ordains the end from the beginning. Liturgical and Devotional Usage Thanksgiving was to be offered “before the God of heaven” (Ezra 6:10), indicating humble posture rather than mere location. Daniel mirrors this stance: “I was … presenting my petition before the LORD my God” (Daniel 9:20). Public or private, all prayer presupposes standing קֱדָם the Lord. Prophetic and Eschatological Scenes Daniel 7 uses the term as the prophet witnesses beasts rise “before me” (Daniel 7:4-7). The Ancient of Days then presides, and “the books were opened” (Daniel 7:10), underscoring that judgment occurs in God’s immediate presence. קֱדָם thus frames history from divine vantage. Distribution and Patterns Roughly forty-two appearances cluster in Aramaic sections: about thirty-two in Daniel, eight in Ezra, and the remainder elsewhere. Nearly every instance links with a governing noun—“before the king,” “before God,” “before me”—making the phrase a narrative hinge that moves hidden matters into the open. Theological Themes 1. Sovereignty: Human monarchs appear powerful when subjects stand קֱדָם them, yet each scene ultimately reveals the higher throne of heaven (Daniel 3:26-30; Ezra 6:22). Practical Ministry Applications • Accountability: Believers serve coram Deo—always “before God.” Transparent leadership echoes Ezra and Daniel. Christological Foreshadowing The New Testament employs ἐνώπιον (“before”) to describe standing in God’s presence (Luke 1:75). This directly parallels קֱדָם and reaches its climax in the eschatological assurance that all must “appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Daniel’s courtroom scenes therefore anticipate Christ’s final tribunal, where grace and justice meet. Summary Strong’s Hebrew 6925 unites spatial proximity, temporal precedence, and relational accountability. Whether it is Judahite exiles before Persian rulers, worshippers bringing offerings, or prophets beholding visions, every occurrence calls readers to live consciously before the all-seeing, all-sovereign Lord. Forms and Transliterations וּקְדָמ֖וֹהִי וקדמוהי קֳדָ֖ם קֳדָ֣ם קֳדָ֣מֵיה֔וֹן קֳדָ֥ם קֳדָ֨ם קֳדָם֙ קֳדָם־ קֳדָמ֑וֹהִי קֳדָמ֔וֹהִי קֳדָמַ֑הּ קֳדָמַ֖הּ קֳדָמַי֮ קֳדָמָ֑י קָֽדָמ֑וֹהִי קָֽדָמ֙וֹהִי֙ קָֽדָמ֣וֹהִי קָֽדָמ֥וֹהִי קָֽדָמַ֔י קָֽדָמַ֔יהּ קָֽדָמַ֖י קָֽדָמַ֗י קָֽדָמַ֨י קָֽדָמָ֗ךְ קָֽדָמָךְ֙ קָדָמָֽי׃ קדם קדם־ קדמה קדמוהי קדמי קדמי׃ קדמיה קדמיהון קדמך kadaMach kadaMai kadaMaih kadamoCh kadaMohi koDam kodaMah kodaMai koDameiHon kodaMohi kodom qā·ḏā·māḵ qā·ḏā·may qā·ḏā·māy qā·ḏā·mayh qā·ḏā·mō·w·hî qāḏāmāḵ qāḏāmay qāḏāmāy qāḏāmayh qāḏāmōwhî qo·ḏā·mah qo·ḏā·may qo·ḏā·māy qo·ḏā·mê·hō·wn qo·ḏā·mō·w·hî qo·ḏām qo·ḏām- qoḏām qoḏām- qoḏāmah qoḏāmay qoḏāmāy qoḏāmêhōwn qoḏāmōwhî ū·qə·ḏā·mō·w·hî ukedaMohi ūqəḏāmōwhîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:18 HEB: מְפָרַ֥שׁ קֱרִ֖י קָדָמָֽי׃ NAS: and read before me. KJV: hath been plainly read before me. INT: has been translated and read before Ezra 4:23 Ezra 7:14 Ezra 7:19 Daniel 2:6 Daniel 2:9 Daniel 2:10 Daniel 2:11 Daniel 2:15 Daniel 2:18 Daniel 2:24 Daniel 2:25 Daniel 2:27 Daniel 2:36 Daniel 3:13 Daniel 4:2 Daniel 4:6 Daniel 4:7 Daniel 4:8 Daniel 4:8 Daniel 5:13 Daniel 5:15 Daniel 5:17 Daniel 5:19 Daniel 5:23 42 Occurrences |
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