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“hasten” or “move quickly” also appears in Gen. 41:14, where we are told that “Pharaoh
sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon.…” It appears
again in the sense “quickly” in Ps. 68:31: “… Let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out her hands
to God” (
RSV
).
Usually this word means “to run.” This significance is quite clear in Josh. 8:19, where
it is reported that the Israelites in ambush (against Ai) “arose quickly out of their place,
and they ran as soon as he [Joshua] had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the
city, and took it.…” This is a military picture. It describes the height of battle when a
troop rushes/runs headlong into the enemy or their camp. Samuel told Israel that God
would give them a king after their own hearts (one that met their standards) but that he
would make their sons “run” before his chariots, or “run” headlong into battle (1 Sam.
8:11). It was not having a king that was evil, for God had provided for a king in the
Mosaic law (cf. Deut. 17:14ff.). The people sinned because they wanted a king who
would be like the kings over other peoples. He would be primarily a military leader.
Therefore, God responded that He would give them the kind of king they wanted but that
their battles would be won at the cost of their sons’ lives. David, the man after God’s own
heart (the man of God’s choosing), was an imperfect king, but when he repented and
obeyed God, battles were won without the loss of Israelite lives. This military sense of
charging into battle appears metaphorically, describing the lifestyle of the wicked—they
“rush” headlong at God (Job 15:26). This emphasis also explains the rather difficult
passage 2 Sam. 22:30: “For by thee I have run through a troop … ,” which means to
charge at the enemy (cf.
NASB
, “margin”).
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is also med of “running away from” something or someone. In the battle against
Midian when Gideon and his band routed the unsuspecting enemy, “all the host
[Midianites] ran, and cried, and fled” (Judg. 7:21). But as with the previous emphasis, so
this nuance of “to run away from” may be used in non-military contexts. In 1 Sam. 20:36
the verb signifies running away from someone in search of something, in the sense of not
fleeing but pursuing. Jonathan told his aide: “Run, find out now the arrows which I
shoot.”
$
can signify “running” into somewhere not only in a hostile sense but in order to
be united with or hidden by it. For example, the sage confesses that “the name of the
Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Prov. 18:10). The goal
of “running” may be unspecified while the direction or path is emphasized. So used,
$
means to pursue a particular course of action: “I will run the way of thy commandments
…” (Ps. 119:32).
The word is used in several technical senses. Kings and pretenders to the throne
demonstrate their exalted position by having runners precede their chariots (2 Sam. 15:1).
Perhaps this was in direct response to Samuel’s description in 1 Sam. 8:11. Runners also
served as official messengers; so Ahimaaz son of Zadok said: “Let me now run, and bear
the king [David] tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies [Absalom]”
(2 Sam. 18:19).
There are a few additional special nuances of
$ !
In Song of Sol. 1:4 the word has
something to do with love-making, so the translation “let us run together” (
NASB
) is
probably misleading. Perhaps one might translate: “Draw me after you and let us hasten
[to make love]; the king has brought me into his bed chambers.” In Hag. 1:9 the word