Hebrew word · H4102

מָהַהּ

vaiyitmahmah

to delay

mahah, in its doubled form (yitmahmah), means 'to linger, dawdle, hesitate' (Genesis 19:16; 43:10; Exodus 12:39; Judges 3:26; Psalm 119:60). ʾaḥar, in its intensive form, means 'to be late, delay, be behind time' (Genesis 32:4; Deuteronomy 7:10; Psalm 40:17).

Appears 9 times in 9 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

(Hithpalpel) to linger, tarry, wait, delay

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Habakkuk 2:3

Range of meaning

mahah, in its doubled form (yitmahmah), means 'to linger, dawdle, hesitate' (Genesis 19:16; 43:10; Exodus 12:39; Judges 3:26; Psalm 119:60). ʾaḥar, in its intensive form, means 'to be late, delay, be behind time' (Genesis 32:4; Deuteronomy 7:10; Psalm 40:17).

Against the English

KJV uses 'tarry' for both ('though it tarry… it will not tarry'). This sounds like a contradiction and hides the fact that Hebrew uses two different verbs. BSB 'lingers… will not delay' and WEB 'takes time… won't delay' separate them better.

How it drifted

The KJV's use of one word for two Hebrew verbs creates an apparent paradox that is not in the original.

Used elsewhere in the period

Hebrews 10:37, following the Septuagint, renders the last clause 'will not delay' (ou chronisei). The Qumran commentary explains the lingering as God's mysterious extension of the age.

From the study of Isaiah 29:9

Range of meaning

In its doubled reflexive form: to linger, delay, hold back, hesitate, dawdle. Lot 'lingered' when told to flee Sodom (Gen 19:16). The Israelites could not 'delay' when leaving Egypt (Exod 12:39). Ehud escaped 'while they delayed' (Judg 3:26). Habakkuk's vision 'though it tarries' (Hab 2:3). The Psalmist 'made haste and did not delay' to keep the commands (Ps 119:60).

Against the English

KJV 'stay yourselves' and YLT 'tarry' keep the delay sense. WEB 'pause' and BSB 'stop' soften it into a neutral halt. ESV and NIV render it as another word for astonishment ('stunned', 'astonish yourselves'), following a proposed correction of the text.

How it drifted

The English is not so much drifted as divided. Some translations assume the original word was a form of tamah ('be stunned') and translate accordingly.

Used elsewhere in the period

Every other biblical use of this form means hesitating when one should act, often at a moment of crisis (Lot, the Exodus). Habakkuk 1:5 has the closely similar וְהִתַּמְּהוּ תְּמָהוּ ('be astounded, astounded'), which is why many commentators (e.g. those noted in BHS and HALOT) suggest reading a form of tamah here.

From the study of Exodus 12:39

Range of meaning

To linger, tarry, delay, hesitate. The form doubles the root and is reflexive, which suggests drawn-out dawdling. Lot "lingered" and had to be dragged out of Sodom (Gen 19:16); Judah says "if we had not delayed" (Gen 43:10); the Levite's father-in-law urges him to "linger till the day declines" (Judg 19:8); "though it tarry, wait for it" (Hab 2:3).

Against the English

KJV "tarry," ESV/WEB "wait," NASB/BSB "delay" are all sound. NIV-style "did not have time" turns the hanging-back image into a statement about the schedule.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used about nine times in the Hebrew Bible, usually where delay is dangerous or overdue. The Sodom parallel is closest: escape from a doomed city where lingering is not an option.

Where it appears

Genesis · 2

  1. Genesis 19:16 וַֽיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ׀ and he delayed

    But when Lot hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters. And they led them safely out of the city, because of the LORD’s compassion for them.

    Here: “And he delayed.” The root is doubled (mah-mah), a form used for drawn-out, repeated action: Lot stalls and drags his feet while the angels are pushing him to go. In the traditional chanting it carries a rare wavering note (shalshelet), which Jewish readers have long heard as acting out his hesitation.

  2. Genesis 43:10 הִתְמַהְמָ֑הְנוּ we had delayed

    If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

    Here: 'We dawdled, we hung back.' The verb repeats its own root (mah-mah), and the sound itself drags out. Judah says 'we', not 'you'. The delay was really Jacob's refusal to let Benjamin go (42:38), but Judah does not lay it at his father's feet.

Exodus · 1

  1. Exodus 12:39 לְהִתְמַהְמֵ֔הַּ to delay

    Since their dough had no leaven, the people baked what they had brought out of Egypt into unleavened loaves. For when they had been driven out of Egypt, they could not delay and had not prepared any provisions for themselves.

    Here: "To linger." A doubled, reflexive form that pictures dawdling or hanging back, as Lot "lingered" in Sodom (Gen 19:16). They could not hang about even long enough for dough to rise.

Judges · 2

  1. Judges 3:26 הִֽתְמַהְמְהָ֑ם delayed they

    Ehud, however, had escaped while the servants waited. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah.

  2. Judges 19:8 וְהִֽתְמַהְמְה֖וּ and delay

    On the fifth day, he got up early in the morning to depart, but the girl’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they waited until late afternoon and the two of them ate.

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 15:28 מִתְמַהְמֵ֔הַּ [will] delay

    See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

Psalms · 1

  1. Psalm 119:60 הִתְמַהְמָ֑הְתִּי I have delayed

    I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.

    Here: "I lingered / hung back." A doubled, drawn-out verb form (mah-mah) whose very sound suggests stalling. It is the word used of Lot dragging his feet as Sodom was about to fall (Genesis 19:16). The psalmist denies doing that.

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 29:9 הִתְמַהְמְה֣וּ delay

    Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink.

    Here: A command in a doubled, reflexive form: 'go on dawdling', 'hang back'. It pictures people standing frozen and undecided. It also sounds very like the next word, so the line opens with a jingle of mah-meh / temah.

Habakkuk · 1

  1. Habakkuk 2:3 יִתְמַהְמָהּ֙ it will delay

    For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.

    Here: 'It lingers, dawdles': the doubled form of the root (mah-mah) gives a picture of hanging back, as Lot lingered in Sodom (Genesis 19:16). This is how the delay looks from the human side.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.