חִפָּזוֹן (chip.pa.zon)
chip.pa.zon
haste
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun chipazon describes a state of hurried urgency or trepidation, often implying a rushed departure or flight. It captures the physical and emotional tension of moving quickly to escape danger or seize a fleeting opportunity. Rather than simple speed, it carries the weight of anxiety or impatience that drives such rapid action.
This term appears in key narrative moments where time is critical. In Exodus 12:39, it describes the Israelites baking their dough before it could rise, forced to leave Egypt with such haste that they had no time for preparation. Similarly, in Isaiah 28:20, it illustrates how a bed becomes too short and a covering too narrow, metaphorically conveying the suffocating pressure of trying to find rest in a chaotic situation.
Its root suggests a sudden, jerky movement, reinforcing the idea of uncontrolled or reactive speed. Translators typically render it as "haste" or "hurriedly," though these English words can sometimes feel neutral. The Hebrew sense is more visceral, pointing to the breathless quality of being pressed by circumstance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chipazon captures that breathless rush when life demands immediate action. It is not merely speed, but a hurried urgency often driven by anxiety or the need to escape danger. In Exodus 12:11, the Israelites were to eat their meal in this state of haste, ready to leave Egypt at a moment's notice. This physical readiness mirrored a spiritual posture of total dependence on God's deliverance.
When we feel pressed by circumstances, it is easy to react with panic or impatience. Yet Scripture reminds us that while some departures are marked by chipazon, others are guided by peace. Isaiah 52:12 contrasts this hurried flight with a calm walk, promising that God goes before us and guards our rear. We do not need to carry the weight of every urgent decision alone.
This word invites us to examine the motives behind our rush. Are we moving in fear, or in faithful obedience? Even in moments of crisis, God's presence offers stability. Instead of letting anxiety dictate our steps, we can trust that He provides the strength and direction needed for whatever lies ahead.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ haste3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּ/חִפָּז֔וֹן1×
- בְ/חִפָּזוֹן֙1×
- בְ/חִפָּז֗וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 12:11
This is how you shall eat it: with your belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is Yahweh’s Passover.
This verse establishes the term as a required posture of readiness for divine deliverance, linking physical haste with spiritual vigilance.
-
Deuteronomy 16:3
You shall eat no leavened bread with it. You shall eat unleavened bread with it seven days, even the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste) that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life.
Here the word serves as a historical reminder that God's rescue was swift, urging ongoing remembrance rather than just recounting an event.
-
Isaiah 52:12
For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight; for Yahweh will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
This occurrence provides a crucial contrast, showing that while haste may be necessary in judgment, God's ultimate redemption is marked by calm assurance.