Bible Dictionary
BEFORE
“Before” may describe place, presence, time, direction, or relationship. To be before God can mean to stand in His presence or enjoy His favor, while geographical usage may indicate an eastern or western position.
Biblical Usage
Biblical examples include being before a father in the sense of his presence, being before God in the sense of His favor, and geographical expressions in which “before” and “behind” indicate east and west relative to Canaan.