be-timz’: In the sense of "early" is the translation of two Hebrew words:

(1) shakham, a root meaning "to incline the shoulder to a load," hence "to load up," "start early": in Ge 26:31 "they rose up betimes in the morning," also in 2Ch 36:15 (the American Standard Revised Version "early");

(2) of shachar, a root meaning "to dawn" in Job 8:5; 24:5, the American Standard Revised Version "diligently," and in Pro 13:24, "chasteneth him betimes."

In the Apocrypha (Sirach 6:36) "betimes" is the translation of orthizo, literally, "to rise early in the morning," while in Bel and the Dragon verse 16 the same word is translated "betime."

In other cases the King James Version "betimes" appears as "before the time" (Sirach 51:30); "early" (1 Macc 4:52; 11:67); "the mourning" (1 Macc 5:30).

Arthur J. Kinsella