Hebrew · H4116, G5035 · unreviewed

מָהַר

Properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e. (by implication); to hurry (in a good or a bad sense); often used (with another verb) adverbially, promptly · quickly

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

מָהַר H4116 properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e. (by implication); to hurry (in a good or a bad sense); often used (with another verb) adverbially, promptly
Pronunciation māhar
Metaphorically flows from physical liquidity to urgency; means both eager promptness and reckless haste.
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ταχύ G5035 quickly
Pronunciation tachý
Emphasizes immediate, urgent action; conveys both speed and the sense of acting without delay or hesitation.
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What does מָהַר (mahar) mean in the Bible?

מָהַר · ταχύ is a Hebrew word meaning "to hurry, act impulsively".

Full entry for מָהַר (H4116, G5035) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to hurry, act impulsively
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 26×
Sequential imperfect 1Sam 9:12 · 2Chr 18:8 · Esth 6:10 · Gen 19:22 · 2Sam 15:14 · Esth 5:5 · Gen 45:9 · Judg 9:48 · Gen 18:6
Perfect 2Chr 24:5 · Isa 49:17 · Ps 106:13 · 1Sam 4:14 · Isa 51:14 · 1Sam 25:34 · Exod 2:18 · Gen 27:20 · Jer 48:16
Imperfect 2Sam 15:14 · Isa 5:19 · 2Chr 24:5 · Isa 32:4 · Nah 2:6
Participle active Mal 3:5 · Prov 6:18
Jussive Eccl 5:1
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action
Participle active Isa 32:4
Perfect Job 5:13
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense
Perfect Ps 16:4
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 29 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Perfect 11 Imperative 9 Imperfect 6 Participle 3
Stem
Piel 26 Niphal 2 Qal 1
Mood
Indicative 11 Imperative 9 Indicative/jussive 5 Jussive 1

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources