Malbim Ayelet HaShachar Klal 576
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ויש הבדל במלת "מלבד",
And there is a distinction with respect the word מלבד (apart from):
שאם יש פעל בדבר הטפל הנרמז על ידי מלת "מלבד" – אז אם הוא פעל עבר נעשה הדבר הטפל קודם הדבר העיקר שבא במאמר.
If a verb comes on a secondary matter that is mentioned right after the word מלבד – then if it is a past tense verb, the secondary matter was done before the primary matter.
ואם הוא פעל עתיד יעשה אחריו.
And if it is a future tense verb, the secondary matter is to be done after the primary matter.
ואם בא הפעל בדבר העיקרי יתהפך הדבר. (ויקרא ס' שנז)
And if a verb comes on a primary matter, it will be the same situation in reverse.
Genesis 26:1 says,ויהי רעב בארץ מלבד הרעב הראשון אשר היה בימי אברהם (And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham). In this verse, the secondary matter is the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Since the verb היה (that was) is in past tense, the secondary matter happened before the primary matter, in accordance with Rule 576.