Topical Bible: Hurry

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, the concept of "hurry" often carries with it a sense of urgency and haste, which can be both positive and negative depending on the circumstances and motivations involved. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that reflect on the nature of hurry, urging believers to discern when haste is appropriate and when it may lead to folly.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "hurry" or "haste" is mahar. One notable instance is found in Genesis 18:6, where Abraham hurries to prepare a meal for his divine visitors: "So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, 'Quick, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.'" Here, Abraham's haste is portrayed positively, reflecting his eagerness to show hospitality.

Conversely, the account of Saul in 1 Samuel 13:8-13 illustrates the negative consequences of hasty actions. Saul, anxious about the approaching Philistine army and Samuel's delayed arrival, offers a burnt offering himself, violating God's command. Samuel rebukes Saul, saying, "You have acted foolishly," highlighting how undue haste can lead to disobedience and poor judgment.

Wisdom Literature

The wisdom literature of the Bible often cautions against rashness. Proverbs 19:2 warns, "Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark." This proverb underscores the importance of thoughtful deliberation and the dangers of acting without understanding.

Ecclesiastes 5:2 advises, "Do not be quick with your mouth or hasty in your heart to utter a word before God." This verse emphasizes the need for reverence and careful consideration in one's speech and actions, particularly in spiritual matters.

New Testament Insights

In the New Testament, the Greek word speudo is used to convey the idea of hurry or haste. In Luke 19:5-6, Jesus calls Zacchaeus to come down from the sycamore tree quickly: "When Jesus came to that place, He looked up and said, 'Zacchaeus, hurry down, for I must stay at your house today.' So Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed Him joyfully." Here, Zacchaeus's haste is associated with joy and eagerness to receive Jesus, illustrating a positive aspect of hurry in the context of spiritual readiness and response.

The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, often speaks to the urgency of the Gospel message. In Romans 13:11, he writes, "And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." This sense of urgency is not about reckless haste but about the immediacy and importance of living out one's faith in light of Christ's imminent return.

Theological Reflections

From a theological perspective, the concept of hurry in the Bible invites believers to balance urgency with patience and discernment. While there are times when quick action is necessary, such as responding to God's call or serving others, Scripture consistently warns against the pitfalls of rash decisions and impulsive behavior. The biblical narrative encourages a life marked by thoughtful action, guided by wisdom and a deep reliance on God's timing and direction.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (v. t.) To hasten; to impel to greater speed; to urge on.
2. (v. t.) To impel to precipitate or thoughtless action; to urge to confused or irregular activity.
3. (v. t.) To cause to be done quickly.
4. (v. i.) To move or act with haste; to proceed with celerity or precipitation; as, let us hurry.
5. (n.) The act of hurrying in motion or business; pressure; urgency; bustle; confusion.
Greek
4692. speudo -- to hasten, urge on
... Word Origin a prim. word Definition to hasten, urge on NASB Word Usage hastening
(1), hurried (1), hurry (2), hurrying (1), make haste (1). hasten, hurry. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4692.htm - 6k
4710. spoude -- haste, diligence
... Word Origin from speudo Definition haste, diligence NASB Word Usage diligence (4),
earnestness (5), effort (1), hurry (2). haste, diligence, forwardness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4710.htm - 7k
1249. diakonos -- a servant, minister
... 1249 (from 1223 , "thoroughly" and , "dust") -- properly, "thoroughly raise up dust
by moving in a hurry, and so to " (, 1, 162); (sacred service). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1249.htm - 8k
Strong's Hebrew
2648. chaphaz -- to be in trepidation, hurry or alarm
... chaphaz. 2649 . to be in trepidation, hurry or alarm. Transliteration: chaphaz
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-faz') Short Definition: alarm. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/2648.htm - 6k
4120. meherah -- haste, speed
... Word Origin from mahar Definition haste, speed NASB Word Usage hurry (1), quickly
(14), shortly (1), speed (1), speedily (2), swiftly (1). ...
/hebrew/4120.htm - 6k
4116. mahar -- to hasten
... quickly (1), do quickly (1), haste (2), hasten (3), hastened (1), hastens (1), hastily
(1), hasty (1), hurried (10), hurriedly (2), hurry (8), immediately (1 ...
/hebrew/4116.htm - 6k
926. bahal -- to disturb, terrify
... Usage dismayed (12), disturb (1), disturbed (2), eager (1), hastened (1), hastens
(1), hastily (1), hasty (1), hurried (1), hurriedly (1), hurry (2), quickly (1 ...
/hebrew/926.htm - 6k
213. uts -- to press, be pressed, make haste
... make hasten labor, be narrow. A primitive root; to press; (by implication) to be
close, hurry, withdraw -- (make) haste(-n, -y), labor, be narrow. 212, 213. ...
/hebrew/213.htm - 6k
1272. barach -- to go through, flee
... flee NASB Word Usage drives his away (1), drove him away (1), fled (34), flee (11),
flee away (1), fleeing (4), flees (2), gone away (1), hurry (1), pass ...
/hebrew/1272.htm - 6k
4118. maher -- hastening, speedy, swift
... From mahar; properly, hurrying; hence (adverbially) in a hurry -- hasteth, hastily,
at once, quickly, soon, speedily, suddenly. see HEBREW mahar. 4117, 4118. ...
/hebrew/4118.htm - 5k
2363. chuwsh -- to hasten, make haste
... make hasten, ready A primitive root; to hurry; figuratively, to be eager with
excitement or enjoyment -- (make) haste(-n), ready. 2362, 2363. chuwsh. 2363a > ...
/hebrew/2363.htm - 5k
924. behilu -- haste
... in haste. (Aramaic) from bhal; a hurry; only adverb, hastily -- in haste. see
HEBREW bhal. 923, 924. behilu. 925 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/924.htm - 6k
2439. chish -- make haste
... Word Origin the same as chush, qv. make haste Another form of chuwsh; to hurry --
make haste. see HEBREW chuwsh. 2438, 2439. chish. 2440 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/2439.htm - 5k
Library
Jer. 6:16 the Good Way.
... times. Hurry is the characteristic of the age in which we live. ... them! They live
in a perpetual hurry, and in a hurry they too often die. ...
/.../ryle/the upper room being a few truths for the times/chapter v jer 6 16 the.htm
Waiting on the Lord
... TALK TWENTY-TWO. WAITING ON THE LORD. Some people are always in a hurry about things. ...
When they pray, they want an immediate answer"they want God to hurry up. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk twenty-two waiting on the.htm
The Power of Diligence
... It is the word employed to describe the murderous hurry with which Herodias
came rushing in to the king to demand John the Baptist's head. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the power of diligence.htm
The Patience of Nature
... Nothing in nature is in a hurry. It is not a movement of catastrophes, it is
a movement of evolution. ... What a hurry we are in for our results. ...
/.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/xlix the patience of nature.htm
Your Apology Says that There are Three Opinions as to the Origin ...
... of all kinds; you set your professorial chair on high, and represent to us Hermagoras
and Gorgias of Leontinum: only, you were in such a hurry to set sail that ...
/.../30 your apology says that.htm
Peter's Deliverance from Prison
... 'Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus.' Well, did that not make Him hurry as
fast as He could to the bedside? ... Do not be in a hurry; there is plenty of time. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture the acts/peters deliverance from prison.htm
On the Different Functions of Modesty. ...
... For we often see those who hurry come up panting, and with features distorted.
But if there is no reason for the need of such hurry ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xviii on the different.htm
God Our Guide.
... When we get in a hurry and pass on ahead of the Lord, devising, contriving,
planning over our work and way, then come fears and failures. ...
/.../orr/food for the lambs or helps for young christians/god our guide.htm
Concentration in Prayer
... Hurry, then, in our secret devotions, is impossible. If you are in such a desperate
hurry, go and do the thing that so hurries you, and God will wait. ...
/.../whyte/lord teach us to pray/xix concentration in prayer.htm
The Right to My Own Time
... My sister by nature is in more of a hurry to get things done than I. Still, here
she was, wandering along beside Mrs. Ning as if she had all the time in the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/williamson/have we no rights/chapter 6 the right to.htm
Thesaurus
Speed (22 Occurrences)
... to favor. 10. (vt) To cause to make haste; to dispatch with celerity; to
drive at full speed; hence, to hasten; to hurry. 11. (vt ...
/s/speed.htm - 14k
Delay (47 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 20:38 Jonathan cried after the boy, "Go fast! Hurry! ... (WEB DBY WBS NAS NIV).
Psalms 119:60 I will hurry, and not delay, to obey your commandments. ...
/d/delay.htm - 21k
Hurry (42 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To cause to be done quickly. 4. (vi) To move or act with haste; to proceed
with celerity or precipitation; as, let us hurry. ...Hurry (42 Occurrences). ...
/h/hurry.htm - 18k
Zacchaeus (3 Occurrences)
... Luke 19:5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him,
"Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." (WEB ...
/z/zacchaeus.htm - 10k
Zo'ar (10 Occurrences)
... Genesis 19:22 Hurry, escape there, for I can't do anything until you get there."
Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. (See RSV). ...
/z/zo'ar.htm - 9k
Jashar (2 Occurrences)
... Isn't this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the midst of the sky,
and didn't hurry to go down about a whole day. (WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS NIV). ...
/j/jashar.htm - 9k
Jonathan's (6 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 20:38 Jonathan cried after the boy, "Go fast! Hurry! Don't delay!"
Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. ...
/j/jonathan's.htm - 8k
Inquire (95 Occurrences)
... baqash) after iniquity" signifies to bring to light and punish for it, and Job asks
distractedly if God's time is so short that He is in a hurry to find him ...
/i/inquire.htm - 39k
Fails (35 Occurrences)
... (WEB). Psalms 143:7 Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don't hide your
face from me, so that I don't become like those who go down into the pit. ...
/f/fails.htm - 16k
Raid (15 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 23:27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come; for the
Philistines have made a raid on the land!" (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/r/raid.htm - 11k
Resources
Who was Xerxes in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean to “let the weak say I am strong” in Joel 3:10? | GotQuestions.org

No one likes a backseat driver! | GotQuestions.org

Hurry: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance
Hurry (42 Occurrences)
Mark 6:25
She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter."
(See NAS)
Luke 1:39
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
(See NAS)
Luke 2:16
They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
(See NAS)
Luke 19:5
When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house."
(WEB NAS)
Acts 20:16
For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
(See NAS NIV)
Acts 22:18
and saw him saying to me,'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.'
(WEB)
1 Corinthians 11:21
for it is his own supper of which each of you is in a hurry to partake, and one eats like a hungry man, while another has already drunk to excess.
(WEY)
Genesis 19:14
Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, "Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.
(See NIV)
Genesis 19:15
When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, "Get up! Take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city."
(See NIV)
Genesis 19:22
Hurry, escape there, for I can't do anything until you get there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
(WEB NAS)
Genesis 45:9
Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him,'This is what your son Joseph says, "God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don't wait.
(WEB NAS NIV)
Genesis 45:13
You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. You shall hurry and bring my father down here."
(WEB NAS)
Exodus 12:33
The Egyptians were urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, "We are all dead men."
(See NIV)
Numbers 16:46
Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer, and put fire from off the altar in it, and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from Yahweh! The plague has begun."
(See NIV)
Joshua 10:13
The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn't this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the midst of the sky, and didn't hurry to go down about a whole day.
(WEB)
Judges 9:48
Abimelech got him up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder: and he said to the people who were with him, "What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done!"
(See NAS)
1 Samuel 9:12
They answered them, and said, "He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.
(WEB NAS NIV)
1 Samuel 17:17
Jesse said to David his son, "Now take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers;
(See NIV)
1 Samuel 20:6
If your father miss me at all, then say,'David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.'
(See NIV)
1 Samuel 20:38
Jonathan cried after the boy, "Go fast! Hurry! Don't delay!" Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)
1 Samuel 23:27
But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land!"
(WEB NAS)
2 Samuel 4:4
Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
(See NAS)
2 Chronicles 24:5
He gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year; and see that you hasten the matter. However the Levites didn't hurry.
(WEB)
2 Chronicles 35:21
But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; and God has commanded me to make haste: beware that it is God who is with me, that he not destroy you.
(See NAS NIV)
Esther 6:10
Then the king said to Haman, "Hurry and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken."
(WEB)
Psalms 22:19
But don't be far off, Yahweh. You are my help: hurry to help me.
(WEB)
Psalms 38:22
Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.
(WEB)
Psalms 40:13
Be pleased, Yahweh, to deliver me. Hurry to help me, Yahweh.
(WEB)
Psalms 55:8
"I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm."
(WEB NIV)
Psalms 68:31
Princes shall come out of Egypt. Ethiopia shall hurry to stretch out her hands to God.
(WEB)
Psalms 70:1
For the Chief Musician. By David. A reminder. Hurry, God, to deliver me. Come quickly to help me, Yahweh.
(WEB)
Psalms 71:12
God, don't be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.
(WEB)
Psalms 119:60
I will hurry, and not delay, to obey your commandments.
(WEB)
Psalms 143:7
Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don't hide your face from me, so that I don't become like those who go down into the pit.
(WEB)
Proverbs 1:16
for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
(WEB)
Ecclesiastes 8:3
Be not quick to go from before him. Be not fixed in an evil design, because he does whatever is pleasing to him.
(See NAS NIV)
Song of Songs 1:4
Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! They are right to love you.
(WEB NIV)
Song of Songs 8:14
Come quickly, my loved one, and be like a roe on the mountains of spice.
(See NAS)
Isaiah 5:19
Who are saying, 'Let Him hurry, Let Him hasten His work, that we may see, And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel Draw near and come, and we know.'
(YLT NIV)
Isaiah 49:17
Your builders are coming quickly; your haters and those who made you waste will go out of you.
(See NAS)
Joel 3:11
Hurry and come, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves together." Cause your mighty ones to come down there, Yahweh.
(WEB)
Nahum 2:5
He summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place.
(See NAS)
Subtopics
Hurry
Related Terms
Rapture (6 Occurrences)
Breast-plates (2 Occurrences)
Steel (7 Occurrences)
Hurry (42 Occurrences)
Vast (54 Occurrences)
Caused (468 Occurrences)
Noise (126 Occurrences)
Seemed (89 Occurrences)
Isaiah (64 Occurrences)
Esther (48 Occurrences)
Elijah (104 Occurrences)
Hasty (13 Occurrences)
Hurt (84 Occurrences)
Book (211 Occurrences)