me.az marks an earlier time, whether a prior event, an elapsed period, or something declared long ago.

The adverb marks a temporal reference to what precedes the present point in view: earlier speech or events, a period extending from an earlier time, or matters described as long ago. Its clauses can look back to prior declarations, to a beginning point for an interval, or to a past state contrasted with what is now occurring.

1. Earlier time or a prior temporal point · dominant

   The adverb locates actions, declarations, or states before the time under discussion. In Isaiah 48:3 the APB renders a sequence in which former things were declared before they came to pass, while Isaiah 48:7 contrasts newly created things with what was not "from of old." In Exodus 4:10 and Ruth 2:7, the verse context measures a continuing condition from an earlier point—"from yesterday" and "since morning"—up to the present setting.

   Isaiah 48:3Isaiah 48:7Exodus 4:10Ruth 2:7Genesis 39:5Psalm 93:2

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the temporal relation with phrases such as "in the past," "from the time," "since," and "from of old." These phrases show the verses' overall temporal framing rather than a fixed English equivalent for the lemma.