Prevent
An Archaic Word with a Surprising Meaning
Modern readers encountering the word "prevent" in the King James Version often stumble over its meaning. Today, "prevent" means to stop something from happening, but in 1611 English, it meant "to come before" or "to go ahead of." This older sense derives from the Latin praevenire (to precede). Recognizing this shift in meaning is essential for correctly understanding numerous Old and New Testament passages.
Old Testament Usage
In the Old Testament, "prevent" typically translates the Hebrew word qadham, meaning "to be in front" or "to come before." This word appears across a range of contexts:
- In 2 Samuel 22:6 and 22:19, David describes how the sorrows of death and his enemies "prevented" (came upon) him, highlighting the sudden, anticipatory nature of danger.
- In Psalm 21:3, David praises God: "Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness," meaning God meets the king with blessings before he even requests them.
- In Psalm 119:147-148, the psalmist declares, "I prevented the dawning of the morning" — he rose before dawn to cry out to God and meditate on His word.
- In Psalm 59:10, the psalmist trusts that "the God of my mercy shall prevent me" — God will go before him.
- In Psalm 79:8, the plea "let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us" asks that God's compassion reach the people swiftly, ahead of their destruction.
New Testament Usage
In the New Testament, two Greek words carry this meaning:
- Prophthano appears in Matthew 17:25, where "Jesus prevented him" means Jesus spoke first, anticipating Peter's question about the temple tax before Peter could even raise it.
- Phthano appears in 1 Thessalonians 4:15, where Paul assures believers that those alive at Christ's return "shall not prevent" (precede) those who have died. Modern translations render this as "will certainly not precede."
Why This Matters for Bible Reading
The shift from "go before" to "hinder" represents one of the most significant changes in English vocabulary between the 17th century and today. Without understanding this change, readers may completely misunderstand the theology of passages like Psalm 21:3, where the point is God's gracious anticipation of human need — not God blocking blessings.
The Theology of God Going Before
The biblical concept behind the archaic "prevent" reveals something beautiful about God's character. Throughout Scripture, God is portrayed as One who goes ahead of His people: He precedes Israel with blessing (Psalm 21:3), His mercies arrive before disaster strikes (Psalm 79:8), and Jesus anticipates the thoughts and questions of His disciples (Matthew 17:25). This theme of divine initiative — God acting before we ask — runs throughout the Bible and connects to the broader doctrine of prevenient grace.
Biblical Context
The word 'prevent' in its archaic sense appears throughout the KJV Psalms (21:3; 59:10; 79:8; 88:13; 119:147-148), in the historical books (2 Samuel 22:6, 19), in the wisdom literature (Job 3:12; 30:27; 41:11), in the prophets (Isaiah 21:14; Amos 9:10), and in the New Testament (Matthew 17:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:15).
Theological Significance
The concept behind 'prevent' reveals God's prevenient grace — His habit of going before His people with mercy, blessing, and provision before they ask or act. This underscores that God is not merely responsive but actively anticipates and meets human need, a cornerstone of biblical theology about divine initiative in salvation and daily life.
Historical Background
The English word 'prevent' comes from Latin praevenire, meaning 'to come before.' In 1611 when the KJV was translated, this was the primary meaning. By the 18th century, the meaning shifted to 'to hinder or stop.' Modern translations like the ESV, NIV, and NASB replace 'prevent' with words like 'precede,' 'meet,' 'come upon,' or 'anticipate' to convey the original sense.