תְּמוֹל (te.mol)
te.mol
yesterday
H:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 21 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N
Word Overview
The Hebrew word temol means yesterday, but it often carries a broader sense of recent or former times. In Scripture, it frequently appears in phrases like "day before yesterday" to mark specific, short intervals in the past. This usage helps narrators establish timelines, such as when Moses reminds the Israelites of events that happened just two days prior (Exodus 5:14).
Its meaning extends beyond a single calendar day to describe a state of being or action from the recent past. For instance, in Ruth 2:11, Boaz acknowledges that he has heard of Ruth’s devotion "heretofore," linking her current loyalty to actions taken recently. Similarly, Job 8:9 uses it metaphorically, stating, "we are but of yesterday," to emphasize the fleeting nature of human life against the backdrop of ancient history.
The word likely derives from a root meaning "to be behind" or "ago," suggesting something that has passed and is now behind us. Translators often render it as "yesterday," "formerly," or "in time past" depending on context. This flexibility allows the text to shift smoothly between precise historical markers and general references to recent events, maintaining a clear connection between what was and what is.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word temol literally means yesterday, yet it often points to a broader sense of recent history or former times. In Scripture, this term helps us understand how God remembers and how we remember. It is not just a calendar date but a marker of relationship and continuity. When Boaz speaks of Ruth’s devotion in Ruth 2:11, he uses this concept to acknowledge her past actions as the foundation for his present kindness.
This word reminds us that our recent past shapes our current identity. We are not isolated from what came before; rather, we carry those experiences into today. Whether it is a moment of failure or a season of faithfulness, God sees the whole timeline. He does not treat us as if we have no history. Instead, He integrates our yesterday into His ongoing work in our lives.
When you feel weighed down by recent mistakes or overwhelmed by current pressures, remember that your story is still being written. The same God who knows your yesterday is with you today. You do not need to erase the past to find hope in the present. Your history is part of His narrative, and He is faithful to bring good out of every season.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 21 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ yesterday8×
- yesterday6×
- as/ yesterday6×
- [was] yesterday1×
- [are] yesterday1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/תְּמ֥וֹל3×
- תְּמ֥וֹל2×
- מִ/תְּמ֣וֹל2×
- כִּ/תְמ֥וֹל2×
- כִּ/תְמ֣וֹל2×
- תְּמוֹל֙1×
- תְּמ֤וֹל1×
- תְּמ֣וֹל\׀1×
- תְּמ֣וֹל1×
- תְּמ֖וֹל1×
- תְמ֣וֹל1×
- מִ/תְּמוֹל֙1×
Key Verses
-
Ruth 2:11
Boaz answered her, “I have been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father, your mother, and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn’t know before.
Boaz uses this sense of recent past to validate Ruth's loyalty to her mother-in-law, showing how past actions inform present recognition.
-
Job 8:9
(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)
Bildad employs the word metaphorically to highlight human transience, contrasting our brief existence with God's eternal nature.
-
II Samuel 15:20
Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”
David references his recent arrival to challenge the loyalty of his followers, illustrating how temporal proximity can test commitment.
-
Exodus 5:14
The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”
The taskmasters use this term to demand accountability for immediate past performance, showing its use in establishing short-term timelines.