Meaning
The word in the sense of "maker," "framer," occurs only in Jer 51:19, "He is the former (from yatsar, "to form") of all things." The adjective, in the sense of preceding in the order of time, is commonly in Hob the translation of ri'shon, "first," "foremost" (Gen 40:13, Num 21:26, Deu 24:4, etc.); in Greek of proteros (Eph 4:22, Heb 10:32, 1Pe 1:14); and in two cases (Act 1:1, Rev 21:4) of protos, where the Revised Version (British and American) has (in Ac in the margin) "the first." As denoting place or position the word occurs in the Old Testament in Zec 14:8, "the former sea" as translation of qadhmoni, "in front," where the Revised Version (British and American) has "eastern," i.e. the Dead Sea, in contrast with the Mediterranean, or western sea (compare Eze 47:18, Joe 2:20). For "former iniquities" (Ps 79:8) the Revised Version (British and American) has simply "the iniquities"; Other changes may be seen in Num 6:12, Isa 65:7, Eze 36:11, Mic 4:8, Hag 2:3.
W. L. Walker
