H4116a H4116a
To hurry, make haste (Piel); to be rash or impetuous (Nifal) — urgency of action versus rashness of character.
A Hebrew verb whose two stems carry different moral textures. In the Piel, it is the standard word for acting quickly and with urgency — Abraham hurries to prepare food for his heavenly visitors (Gen 18:6-7), Rebekah hastens to water camels (Gen 24:18), and David runs swiftly to the battle line (1 Sam 17:48). Spanish renders this with "apresurarse" (to hurry), French with "se hâter," and German with "eilen." The Nifal stem, appearing only four times, shifts the sense from purposeful speed to impetuous rashness — the "hasty of heart" who will learn discernment (Isa 32:4), the "rash counsel" that is overtaken (Job 5:13), and the impetuous Chaldeans (Hab 1:6). This stem warns where the Piel merely describes.
Senses
1. hurry, make haste (Piel) — To act quickly, hurry, or make haste — the Piel active sense describing deliberate urgency in movement or action. Dominates with 59 occurrences across narrative and command contexts. Abraham hastens to Sarah's tent (Gen 18:6), Lot is urged to hurry out of Sodom (Gen 19:22), and Rebekah quickly lowers her jar (Gen 24:18). Spanish "apresurarse," French "se hâter," and German "eilen" all consistently point to purposeful speed without negative connotation. 59×
AR["أَسْرِعُوا", "فَ-أَسرَعوا", "فَأَسْرَعَتْ", "وَ-أسرَعَ", "وَ-أَسرَعوا", "وَ-أَسرَعَ", "وَ-أَسرَعَت", "وَ-أَسْرَعوا", "وَ-أَسْرَعَ", "وَأسرَعَت"]·ben["আর-তাড়াতাড়ি-করল", "এবং-তাড়াতাড়ি-করল", "এবং-তাড়াতাড়ি-করলেন", "তাড়াতাড়ি-কর"]·DE["eilt", "und-eilte", "und-er-beeilte-sich", "und-hastened", "und-hurried", "und-sie-hurried"]·EN["and-hastened", "and-he-hurried", "and-hurried", "and-she-hurried", "hurry"]·FR["et-elle-hurried", "et-elle-se-hâta", "et-hastened", "et-hurried", "et-il-hurried", "et-se-hâta", "se-hâter"]·heb["ו-ימהר", "ו-מיהר", "ו-מיהרה", "ו-מיהרו", "ו-תמהר", "מהרו"]·HI["और-उस्ने-जलदि-कि", "और-जलदि-कि", "और-जल्दी-किया", "और-जल्दी-की", "जल्दी-करो"]·ID["Cepatlah", "Dan-bergegas", "Dan-bergegas-pergilah", "Dan-bersegera", "dan-bergegas", "dan-bergegaslah", "dan-bersegera", "dan-cepat-cepat"]·IT["e-egli-hurried", "e-ella-hurried", "e-ella-si-affrettò", "e-hastened", "e-hurried", "e-si-affrettò", "hurry"]·jav["Enggal-enggala", "Lan-enggal", "Lan-enggal-enggal", "Lan-piyambakipun-énggal", "Lan-énggal", "Lan-énggal-énggal", "lan-enggal", "lan-enggal-enggal", "lan-piyambakipun-sedaya-gelis", "lan-piyambakipun-énggal", "lan-énggal"]·KO["그리고-급히-했다", "그리고-서둘렀다", "서둘러라"]·PT["E-apressou-se", "apressai-vos", "e-apressaram-se", "e-apressou-se"]·RU["И-поспешил", "И-поспешила", "и-поспешил", "и-поспешила", "и-поспешили", "поспешите"]·ES["Y-se-apresuró", "apresuraos", "y-se-apresuraron", "y-se-apresuró"]·SW["Na-akafanya-haraka", "Na-akaharakisha", "haraka", "na-akafanya-haraka", "na-akaharakisha", "na-haraka", "na-kwa-kuhani", "na-wakafanya-haraka", "na-wakaharakia"]·TR["Ve-acele-etti", "acele-edin", "ve-acele-etti", "ve-acele-ettiler"]·urd["اور-جلدی-کی", "تو-جلدی-کی", "جلدی-کرو"]
2. be rash, hasty (Nifal) — To be rash, impetuous, or precipitate in character or judgment — the Nifal reflexive/passive sense describing a quality of hastiness rather than purposeful speed. Only four occurrences, each with negative or cautionary tone: rash counsel overtaken (Job 5:13), the hasty-hearted who will learn discernment (Isa 32:4), encouragement for the fearful-hearted (Isa 35:4), and the fierce Chaldeans described as impetuous (Hab 1:6). Spanish shifts to adjectival "apresurado" and "los apresurados," marking the characterological rather than volitional sense. 4×
AR["الْمُتَسَرِّعِينَ", "لِـ-خَائِفِي", "مُتَسَرِّعَةٌ", "وَ-المُتَسَرِّعَةَ"]·ben["এবং-দ্রুতগামী", "তাড়াহুড়ো-হৃদয়ের-", "তাড়াহুড়োদের", "ত্বরিত"]·DE["[והנמהר]", "[נמהרה]", "eilen"]·EN["and-the-hasty", "is-hurried", "of-the-rash", "to-the-hasty"]·FR["et-se-hâter", "se-hâter"]·heb["ו-ה-נמהר", "ל-נמהרי", "נמהרה", "נמהרים"]·HI["उतावले-हृदयवालों-", "उतावलों-का", "और-जल्दबाज़", "शीघ्र-होती-है"]·ID["dan-yang-tergesa-gesa,", "kepada-yang-cemas", "tergesa-gesa", "yang-tergesa-gesa"]·IT["affrettarsi", "e-affrettarsi", "è-hurried"]·jav["dhateng-tiyang-tiyang-ingkang-giris-manah", "dipun-sigemaken", "lan-kang-grusa-grusu", "tiyang-ingkang-grusa-grusu"]·KO["그리고-급한", "서둘러진다", "성급한-자들의", "에게-성급한-자들-"]·PT["aos-apressados-de-", "apressados", "e-a-impetuosa", "é-precipitado"]·RU["и-стремительный", "поспешных", "разрушается", "торопящимся-"]·ES["a-los-de-apresurado", "es-apresurado", "los-apresurados", "y-la-impetuosa"]·SW["linaharakishwa", "na-la-haraka", "wa-haraka", "wenye-moyo-"]·TR["aceleci-olanlara-", "acelecilerin", "başarısız-olur", "ve-aceleci-o"]·urd["اور-جلدباز", "بےچین", "جلدبازوں-کا", "جلدی-ہو-جاتا-ہے"]
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
† I. [מָהַר] vb. hasten (NH Pi., and deriv.; Arabic مَهَرَ be practised, skilled (with Assyrian mâru, send, order, govern, cf. ii. מהר); Ethiopic መሀረ train, teach; Syriac ܡܗܪ Pa. id.; cf. also Egypt. māhar, trained warrior Bondi 57);— Niph. Pf. 3 fs. נִמְהָ֑רָה Jb 5:13; Pt. נִמְהָר Hb 1:6; pl. נִמְהָרִים Is 32:4; cstr. נִמְהֲרֵי Is 35:4;—be hurried = anxious, disturbed נִמְהֲרֵי־לֵב Is 35:4;…