WISDOM speaks:
Proverbs 8:22
King James Version
22 The Lord possessed me
in the beginning of his way,
before his works of old.
A curious verse, this one.
The thing about WISDOM.
She declares:
"The Lord possessed me
in the beginning of his way"
What did "The Lord possessed me" mean?
I turn to other Bible versions for clarity.
Proverbs 8:22
Amplified Bible
22 “The Lord created and possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old [were accomplished].
Proverbs 8:22
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
22 The Lord formed and brought me [Wisdom] forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old.
Proverbs 8:22
Common English Bible
22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his way,
before his deeds long in the past.
Proverbs 8:22
Complete Jewish Bible
22 “Adonai made me as the beginning of his way,
the first of his ancient works.
Proverbs 8:22
Contemporary English Version
22 From the beginning,
I was with the Lord.[a]
I was there before he began.
Proverbs 8:22
Easy-to-Read Version
22 “The Lord made me in the beginning,
long before he did anything else.
Proverbs 8:22
Expanded Bible
22 “The Lord ·begot [or acquired; possessed] me ·when he began his work [L at the beginning of his path],
long before he made anything else.
Proverbs 8:22
GOD’S WORD Translation
Wisdom as Creator
22 “The Lord already possessed me long ago,
when his way began,
before any of his works.
Proverbs 8:22
Good News Translation
22 “The Lord created me first of all,
the first of his works, long ago.
Proverbs 8:22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
22 “The Lord made[a] me
at the beginning of His creation,[b]
before His works of long ago.
Proverbs 8:22
International Children’s Bible
22 “I, wisdom, was with God when he began his work.
This was before he made anything else long ago.
Proverbs 8:22
International Standard Version
The Agelessness of Wisdom
22 “The Lord made me as he began his planning,[a]
before his ancient activity commenced.
Proverbs 8:22
Living Bible
22 The Lord formed me in the beginning, before he created anything else.
Proverbs 8:22-31
The Message
22 “God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic—
before he did anything else.
Proverbs 8:22
Names of God Bible
Wisdom as Creator
22 “Yahweh already possessed me long ago,
when his way began,
before any of his works.
Proverbs 8:22
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
22 [a]“The Lord begot me, the beginning of his works,
the forerunner of his deeds of long ago;
Proverbs 8:22
New Catholic Bible
By the Side of the God of the Origins[a]
22 “The Lord created me as the firstborn of his ways,
before the oldest of his works.
Proverbs 8:22
New Century Version
22 “I, wisdom, was with the Lord when he began his work,
long before he made anything else.
Proverbs 8:22
New International Reader's Version
22 “The Lord created me as the first of his works,
before his acts of long ago.
Proverbs 8:22
New International Version
22 “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,[a][b]
before his deeds of old;
Proverbs 8:22
New Life Version
22 “The Lord made me at the beginning of His work, before His first works long ago.
Proverbs 8:22
New Living Translation
22 “The Lord formed me from the beginning,
before he created anything else.
Proverbs 8:22
Tree of Life Version
Wisdom Before Creation
22 “Adonai brought me forth,
the first of His way,
before His works of old.
Proverbs 8:22
The Voice
22 The Eternal created me; it happened when His work was beginning,
one of His first acts long ago.
Proverbs 8:22
Wycliffe Bible
22 The Lord wielded me in the beginning of his ways (The Lord created me at the beginning of his ways); before that he made anything, (yea,) at the (very) beginning.
In SUMMARY, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way" means:
The Lord created and possessed me -- Before His works of old [were accomplished].
The Lord formed and brought me [Wisdom] forth -- before His acts of old
The Lord created me -- before his deeds long in the past
Adonai made me -- the first of his ancient works
I was with the Lord -- I was there before he began
The Lord made me -- long before he did anything else
The Lord ·begot [or acquired; possessed] me -- long before he made anything else
The Lord already possessed me long ago -- before any of his works
The Lord created me -- the first of his works, long ago
The Lord made[a] me -- before His works of long ago
I, wisdom, was with God -- This was before he made anything else long ago.
The Lord made me -- before his ancient activity commenced
The Lord formed me -- before he created anything else
God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic -- before he did anything else
Yahweh already possessed me long ago -- before any of his works
The Lord begot me -- the forerunner of his deeds of long ago
The Lord created me as the firstborn of his ways -- before the oldest of his works
I, wisdom, was with the Lord -- long before he made anything else
The Lord created me as the first of his works -- before his acts of long ago
The Lord brought me forth -- before his deeds of old
The Lord made me at the beginning of His work -- before His first works long ago
The Lord formed me -- before he created anything else
Adonai brought me forth, the first of His way -- before His works of old
The Eternal created me -- one of His first acts long ago
The Lord wielded me -- before that he made anything, (yea,) at the (very) beginning
WISDOM was "set up from everlasting", according to Scripture:
Proverbs 8:23-31
King James Version
23 I was set up from everlasting,
from the beginning,
or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth;
when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled,
before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth,
nor the fields,
nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there:
when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above:
when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree,
that the waters should not pass his commandment:
when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him,
as one brought up with him:
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth;
and my delights were with the sons of men.
Related material:
Image: Clipart Library