H4102 H4102
To delay, linger, tarry, hesitate — used of persons who pause or wait before acting (Hitpalpel only).
This verb appears only in its Hitpalpel (intensive reflexive) stem, conveying the sense of lingering, tarrying, or hesitating. The reduplication of the root intensifies the idea of delay. In Genesis 19:16, Lot 'lingered' as angels urged him to flee Sodom — a moment of fatal hesitation. Exodus 12:39 explains that Israel could not tarry in Egypt, connecting urgency to the unleavened bread. Habakkuk 2:3 promises that the prophetic vision will not delay, using the same verb for divine timing. Psalm 119:60 declares 'I did not delay to keep your commandments,' pairing the word with eager obedience.
Senses
1. Hitpael: to delay, linger, tarry — To delay, linger, tarry, or hesitate — attested only in the Hitpalpel stem, where the reduplicated form intensifies the sense of drawn-out waiting. Spanish 'demorarse/deteneos' and French equivalents capture the range from involuntary lingering to deliberate waiting. Genesis 19:16 portrays Lot's dangerous hesitation before fleeing Sodom; Genesis 43:10 has Judah lamenting lost time; Exodus 12:39 explains Israel's hasty departure. The word spans voluntary delay (2 Sam 15:28, waiting at the fords), culpable procrastination (Judg 3:26, Ehud's escape during the servants' delay at Judg 19:8), and prophetic promise that God's vision will not tarry (Hab 2:3). 9×
AR["أَتَمَهَّلْ", "أَنْ-يَتَمَهَّلُوا", "تَأَخَّرَت", "تَرَدُّدِهِمْ", "تَمَاهَلْنَا", "تَمَهَّلُوا", "مُتَمَهِّلٌ", "وَ-تَبَاطَأَ", "وَ-تَمَهَّلُوا"]·ben["অপেক্ষা-করব", "আমি-দেরি-করেছি", "এবং-দেরি-কর", "ও-দ্বিধা-করলেন", "তাদের-দেরি-করা", "দেরি-করতাম", "দেরি-করতে", "বিলম্ব-কর", "সে-দেরি-করে"]·DE["[התמהמהו]", "[יתמהמה]", "am-waiting", "ich-delayed", "sie-delayed", "und-er-zögerte", "und-linger", "wir-gezögert-hätten", "zu-linger"]·EN["I-delayed", "Linger", "am-waiting", "and-he-lingered", "and-linger", "it-delays", "they-delayed", "to-linger", "we-had-delayed"]·FR["[התמהמהו]", "am-waiting", "et-il-lingered", "et-linger", "hésiter", "ils-delayed", "le-tarder", "nous-avait-delayed", "à-linger"]·heb["התמהמהו", "התמהמהם", "התמהמהנו", "התמהמהתי", "ו-התמהמהו", "ו-יתמהמה ׀", "יתמהמה", "ל-התמהמה", "מתמהמה"]·HI["उनकी-देरी-की", "और-रुको", "और-वह-देर-करत-रह", "ठहरूँगा", "ठहरो", "देर-किया-होता-हमने", "रुकने", "वह-देरी-करे"]·ID["Bertahananlah", "berlambat-lambat", "berlambat-lambat-mereka", "dan-berlamalah", "dan-dia-berlambat-lambat", "menunda", "tertunda,", "tidak-kita-berlambat-lambat"]·IT["[התמהמהו]", "[התמהמהתי]", "[יתמהמה]", "a-linger", "am-aspettando", "e-egli-lingered", "e-linger", "essi-delayed", "noi-aveva-delayed"]·jav["Lan-ngendheg-endheg", "gumun", "kasep", "kasep-piyambakipun", "kita-boten-ngantos-ngantos", "kula-ngon-ngonken", "lan-nengga", "ngentosi"]·KO["그들이-뗨다거림", "그리고-머물러라", "그리고-머뭃거렸다", "더딜지라도", "맘돌리는", "머뭇거리라", "지체하기를", "지체하였나이다", "지체한"]·PT["Demorai-vos", "E-demorou-se", "demorar-se", "demoravam-se", "demorássemos", "e-demorai-vos", "esperando", "me-demorei"]·RU["И-медлил-он", "Удивляйтесь", "задерживающийся", "замедлит", "и-помедлите", "медлил-я", "медлили-мы", "медлили-они", "медлить"]·ES["Deteneos", "Y-se-demoraba", "demorarse", "demorándome", "me-demoré", "nos-hubiéramos-demorado", "se-demora", "se-demoraban", "y-tardaos"]·SW["Kasirikeni", "kuchelewa", "kukawia", "na-akabaki", "na-mkawie", "nitakawia", "tumtumia-muda", "walikawia", "yanakawia"]·TR["Bekleyin", "Ve-oyalandı", "beklemek", "bekleyen", "de-geciktikleri", "gecikirse", "gecikseydik", "geciktim", "ve-oyalanmaya-devam-edin"]·urd["اور-دیر-لگایا", "اور-دیر-کرو", "دیر-کرتے-ہم", "دیر-کرنے", "دیر-کرے", "دیر-کی", "رکتا-ہوں", "ٹھہرنا", "ٹھہرو"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G3752 1. (123×)H6153 1. evening, time of day (123×)H0227a 1. then (122×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מָהַהּ] vb. only Hithpalp. linger, tarry (cf. Arabic مَهَهٌ slow walk, delay (Ḳam));— Hithpalp. Pf. 1 s. הִתְמַהְמָ֑הְתִּי ψ 119:60; 3 pl. הִתְמַהְמְהוּ Ju 19:8; 1 pl. הִתְמַהְתָ֑הְנוּ Gn 43:10; Impf. יִתְמַהְמַהּ Hb 2:3; וַיִּתְמ׳ Gn 19:16; Imv. mpl. הִתְמַהְמְהוּ Is 29:9; Inf. לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ Ex 12:39; Pt. מִתְמַהְמֵהַּ 2 S 15:28;—linger, tarry, wait, of pers., Gn 19:16; 43:10 (J), Ex 12:39…