924. behilu

Lexical Summary

behilu: Dismay, Alarm

Original Word: בְּהִילוּ
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: bhiyluw
Pronunciation: beh-hee-loo
Phonetic Spelling: (be-hee-loo')
KJV: in haste
NASB: haste
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from H92 (אֲגֻדָּה - band)7]

1. a hurry
2. only adverb, hastily

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

in haste

(Aramaic) from bhal; a hurry; only adverb, hastily -- in haste.

see HEBREW bhal

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
(Aramaic) from behal
Definition
haste
NASB Translation
haste (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

בְּהִילוּ noun feminine haste (ᵑ7); — ׳בְּכ Ezra 4:23 (K^{§ 61, 4}).

בול (assumed as probably √ of following Brock Schulth; Lane²⁷⁷).

Topical Lexicon

Primary Context

Ezra 4:23 provides the sole biblical occurrence of בְּהִילוּ. In the narrative, Persian officials “went up in haste to the Jews in Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease.” (Ezra 4:23). The word marks the sudden, urgent manner in which opposition to the rebuilding of the temple was executed.

Historical Setting

• 536 BC – 522 BC: Work on the temple resumed under Zerubbabel after Cyrus’s decree (Ezra 3).
• Circa 464 BC – 424 BC: Artaxerxes I issues the counter‐order that halts the work (Ezra 4:7–23).
• Local officials, emboldened by imperial authority, rush to enforce the king’s directive. The haste communicates both the seriousness with which imperial edicts were treated and the eagerness of adversaries to impede covenantal restoration.

Nature of the Haste

The term captures more than speed; it conveys agitation, alarm, and an aggressive resolve. The officials’ “haste” is:

1. Reactionary – triggered by human decree rather than divine command.
2. Coercive – joined to “force and power,” revealing hostility toward God’s purposes.
3. Momentary – effective for a time, yet ultimately overturned when the Lord “turned the heart of the king” to allow the work to resume (Ezra 6:14).

Theological Insights

• Opposition often arrives swiftly, yet God remains sovereign over timelines (Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 46:10).
• Human haste contrasts with God’s measured fulfillment of promise (2 Peter 3:8–9).
• The apparent triumph of enemies is temporary; divine purposes advance in God’s chosen season (Haggai 2:4–9).

Parallels and Contrasts

• Ungodly haste: Pharaoh’s chariots pursued Israel “with all his horses and chariots” (Exodus 14:9), echoing rapid hostility.
• God‐honoring haste: The prodigal’s father “ran” to embrace his son (Luke 15:20), illustrating urgent grace.

The biblical tension between righteous and unrighteous haste encourages discernment: zeal is commendable when aligned with truth (Romans 10:2), but destructive when arrayed against it.

Ministry Applications

1. Expect Sudden Pushback – Gospel advance can provoke immediate opposition; leaders should be spiritually and administratively prepared (Acts 14:2–3).
2. Resist Panic – The Lord’s work should not be abandoned through fear stirred by the hasty actions of adversaries (Nehemiah 4:14).
3. Discern Timing – While urgency is sometimes demanded (Ephesians 5:15–16), believers must distinguish Spirit‐led promptings from fleshly impulse (James 1:19–20).
4. Persevere in Hope – Though halted, the temple was eventually completed; God’s promises outlast the most rapid assaults (Hebrews 10:36).

Summary

בְּהִילוּ highlights the rapid, forceful character of those who opposed Judah’s restoration. The single occurrence stands as a reminder that hostile haste cannot thwart the unhurried yet unstoppable plan of God.

Forms and Transliterations

בִבְהִיל֤וּ בבהילו ḇiḇ·hî·lū ḇiḇhîlū vivhiLu

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 4:23
HEB: וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן אֲזַ֨לוּ בִבְהִיל֤וּ לִירֽוּשְׁלֶם֙ עַל־
NAS: they went in haste to Jerusalem
KJV: they went up in haste to Jerusalem
INT: and their colleagues went haste to Jerusalem unto

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 924
1 Occurrence

ḇiḇ·hî·lū — 1 Occ.