Forward, Forwardness
forwerd forwerd-nes (, hale’ah, , nasa; , spoudaos): As an adverb forward has the meaning of onward in space or time, or in the movement of affairs. As an adjective it has the sense of readiness, willingness, etc. The adverb only is found in the Old Testament. It is the translation of hale’ah, distance, onward; in space (Num 32:19; 1Sa 10:3); in time (Eze 39:22, from that day and forward; Eze 43:27); once of halakh, to go on (Gen 26:13, went forward, the King James Version margin, Hebrew went going, the Revised Version (British and American) grew more and more); twice of maal, above, upward (1Sa 16:13; 1Sa 30:25, from that day forward); once of yaal, to cause to go up, advance (Job 30:13, They set forward (advance or help on) my calamity); twice of lephanm, to the front (Jer 7:24; Eze 10:22, They went every one straight forward, literally, on the side of their face); once of kedhem, before (Job 23:8, Behold, I go forward, but he is not there); once with nakhah, to smite (2Ki 3:24); frequently in Nu, and once in Exodus, of nasa, to lift up, remove, journey (Exo 14:15, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward; Num 1:51, when the tabernacle setteth forward; Num 2:24 the King James Version, They shall go forward, etc.); it is also the translation of nacah (Piel), to be over, to take the lead, to superintend (1Ch 23:4, to set forward (to carry onward, to advance) the work of the house of the Lord, the King James Version margin and text of the Revised Version (British and American) to oversee; 2Ch 34:12, to set it forward, the Revised Version (British and American) retains, margin, to preside over it; Ezr 3:8 margin, set forward the work). This word means also to lead in music, to precent; hence, in the title of many psalms, la-menaceah, For the chief musician. Proerchomai, to go forward, etc., is translated went forward (Mar 14:35); propempo, to send forward (3Jo 1:6, bring forward, the Revised Version (British and American) set forward); proballo, to throw or put forward (Act 19:33, putting him forward); as adjective it is the translation of thelo, to wish, will (2Co 8:10, to be forward a year ago; the King James Version margin (Greek) willing, the Revised Version (British and American) to will); of spoudaios, speedy, earnest (2Co 8:17, being more forward, the Revised Version (British and American) very earnest); of spoudazo, to make haste, to be earnest (Gal 2:10, which I also was forward to do, the Revised Version (British and American) zealous to do).
Forward occurs several times in Apocrypha, e.g. 1 Esdras 1:27, The Lord is with me hasting me forward (epispeudo); 2 Esdras 3:6, before ever the earth came forward (adventaret), meaning, perhaps, before it was ready for planting.
Forwardness is the translation of spoude, speed, zeal, etc. (2Co 8:8, the Revised Version (British and American) earnestness); of prothuma readiness of mind (2Co 9:2, the forwardness of your mind, the Revised Version (British and American) your readiness; The Wisdom of Solomon 14:17, that by their forwardness (spoude) they might flatter, the Revised Version (British and American) zeal).
For forward the Revised Version (British and American) has forth (Num 2:24; compare 1Co 16:11); for go forward (Num 10:5), take their journey; for set forward (Num 21:10; Num 22:1), journeyed; forward for ready (Deu 1:41), for forth (Pro 25:6), for farther (Mat 26:39); put forward for appointed (Act 1:23): set forward according to for took (Num 10:12); set forward for went (Num 10:14, Num 10:34), for departed (Num 10:33); set me forward for bring me (1Co 16:6).