Original Word: מַהֵר
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: maher
Pronunciation: mah-HARE
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-hare')
KJV: hasteth, hastily, at once, quickly, soon, speedily, suddenly
Word Origin: [from H4116 (מָהַר - quickly)]

1. (properly) hurrying
2. hence (adverbially) in a hurry

hasteth, hastily, at once, quickly, soon, speedily, suddenly

From mahar; properly, hurrying; hence (adverbially) in a hurry -- hasteth, hastily, at once, quickly, soon, speedily, suddenly.

see HEBREW mahar

Overview of Usage

The adverb מַהֵר underscores speed, urgency, or immediacy. Across the eighteen occurrences, it carries moral, covenantal, pastoral, and eschatological weight, revealing how swiftly people may rebel, how rapidly divine judgment can arrive, and how urgently the faithful appeal to God.

Key Clusters of Occurrence

1. Israel’s apostasy in the wilderness (Exodus 32:8; Deuteronomy 9:12, 16).
2. Warnings tied to covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 4:26; 7:4, 22; 9:3; 28:20).
3. Events during conquest and settlement (Joshua 2:5; Judges 2:17, 23).
4. Penitential and imprecatory psalms (Psalm 69:17; 79:8; 102:2; 143:7).
5. Wisdom and prophetic literature (Proverbs 25:8; Zephaniah 1:14).

Patterns and Themes

1. Rapid Departure from God’s Ways

• Exodus 32:8: “How quickly they have turned from the way I commanded them!”
• Deuteronomy 9:12, 16: Moses highlights the same verb in recounting the golden calf incident, stressing the nation’s propensity to fall away in a moment.

Application: Spiritual drift rarely occurs slowly in the biblical record; unchecked it becomes immediate and conspicuous. Vigilance against sudden compromise is a repeated pastoral exhortation.

2. Swift Divine Retribution

• Deuteronomy 28:20: “The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and rebuke in everything you undertake, until you are destroyed and quickly perish, because of the wickedness of your deeds…”
• Zephaniah 1:14: “The great day of the LORD is near—near and coming quickly.”

Insight: God’s patience should never be presumed upon; when His long-suffering ends, judgment may fall without delay. Biblical prophecy leverages מַהֵר to awaken hearers.

3. Urgent Pleas for Mercy

• Psalm 69:17: “Do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress; answer me quickly.”
• Psalm 102:2; 143:7: The afflicted psalmists mirror the rapidity they fear from enemies with an appeal for God’s equally rapid deliverance.

Ministry significance: The same term that describes swift judgment is invoked to request swift grace, demonstrating the balance of God’s justice and compassion.

4. Expedited Conquest and Protection

• Deuteronomy 9:3: “Know, therefore, today that it is the LORD your God who crosses over before you as a consuming fire… He will destroy them and subdue them before you, and you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you.”
• Joshua 2:5: Rahab’s explanation that the spies left “quickly” underlines God’s providence in real time.

Historical lens: Geschwindigkeit in conquest serves the covenant promise of land while preserving the remnant line toward Messiah.

5. Wisdom Against Rash Action

• Proverbs 25:8: “Do not go hastily to court, or what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame?”

Contrast: Whereas many texts warn about being quickly unfaithful, wisdom literature restrains acting “quickly” in litigation. The word thereby cautions against impulsiveness in judgment on others.

Theological Significance

– Covenant Accountability: מַהֵר conveys that covenant loyalty requires continual attentiveness; lapses can be instantaneous.

– Divine Sovereignty: God’s timing is His own; He can act suddenly to save or to judge.

– Human Response: Believers are urged to respond promptly in repentance and trust, reflecting the psalmists’ model of urgent petition.

Christological and Eschatological Trajectory

Zephaniah’s “Day of the LORD… coming quickly” foreshadows New Testament emphases on the imminent return of Christ. The motif of suddenness in judgment and salvation converges at the cross and finds its consummation in the Lord’s promised swift appearing (cf. Revelation’s “I am coming soon,” echoing the Hebrew idea).

Pastoral and Homiletical Applications

• Emphasize readiness: congregations must be prepared for God to act at any moment.
• Encourage swift repentance and obedience: the same speed with which sin arises should characterize turning back to God.
• Balance warnings and comforts: judgment may be near, yet God is near and responsive to those who cry, “Answer me quickly.”

Summary

מַהֵר is more than an adverb of speed; it is a theological signal. Whether marking precipitous sin, imminent judgment, or fervent prayer, it calls every generation to spiritual alertness, immediate repentance, and confident hope in God’s prompt deliverance.

וּמַהֵ֣ר ומהר מַ֘הֵ֤ר מַ֫הֵ֥ר מַ֭הֵר מַהֵ֑ר מַהֵ֔ר מַהֵ֗ר מַהֵ֛ר מַהֵ֥ר מַהֵֽר׃ מַהֵר֒ מַהֵר֙ מהר מהר׃ ma·hêr maHer mahêr ū·ma·hêr umaHer ūmahêrInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts