Hebrews 10:37 Meaning: He Will Not Delay
“In a very little while, he who comes will come and will not wait.
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry.
for yet a very very little, He who is coming will come, and will not tarry;
For yet a very little while he that comes will come, and will not delay.
Meaning in one sentence
What coming of Christ is promised in Hebrews 10:37? A devotional on waiting, endurance, and the nearness of Christ's deliverance.
Context
The believers who first received this letter had suffered greatly. Some had been publicly mocked and imprisoned. Others watched their property taken without a fight. In chapter 10 the writer urges them not to give up their confidence. He reminds them they need endurance to receive what God has promised. Then he quotes an old prophecy from Habakkuk: 'In a very little while, he who comes will come and will not wait.' The words are meant to strengthen people who are exhausted. The call is simple: hold on a little longer. The coming deliverance is closer than it feels.
Key Words
The Greek phrase mikron hoson hoson is hard to translate in one smooth line. It literally says 'a little, how much, how much', a kind of doubling that stresses just how brief the time is. The same wording appears in Isaiah 26:20, where God tells His people to hide 'for a little moment' until wrath passes. This is not a vague 'soon enough.' It is a pressing nearness, like the last few minutes before dawn.
The title ho erchomenos, 'the One who is coming', was a known name for the Messiah. John the Baptist sent messengers asking, 'Are you he who comes?' (Matthew 11:3). So the promise is personal. A specific Person is on His way.
The verb chronisei means to delay, linger, or tarry. To say He 'will not delay' is not a math problem. It is a love promise. He is not late. He is coming exactly when the Father set the hour.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this verse in two main ways. Many older commentators (Calvin, Barnes, Gill) believed the promise pointed to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. That judgment would end the power of those persecuting the Jewish believers. Others, including many today, read it as Christ's final return at the end of history. Both readings see the verse as a pledge of certain, timely deliverance. The writer of Hebrews does not settle the question of which 'coming' he means most directly. What matters to him is that the waiting is not empty. The One who is coming will arrive.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
You may be holding on to hope about something specific: a relationship, a health struggle, a financial burden, or the return of someone who has walked away from faith. The wait wears you down. This verse gives you permission to stop calculating and start trusting. You are not required to know when. You are only required to stay. This week, when impatience rises, speak the promise aloud: 'He will come and will not delay.' Let those words settle deeper than your exhaustion.
Main takeaway: Christ’s coming is certain and near; our task is not to calculate the time but to endure in faith.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus promised He is coming back. It will be soon. While we wait, we can trust Him and be brave even when things are hard.
For ages 9, 12
Have you ever waited for something that felt like it would never happen? Maybe a holiday or a friend’s visit. The time can feel very long. The verse tells us that God’s timing is perfect. Jesus will come when He said He would. Our job is to keep trusting, keep praying, and not give up. The wait is part of the story God is writing.
Questions People Ask
Does 'a little while' mean Jesus was wrong about the timing?
No. The phrase is meant to strengthen faith, not give a date. The original readers needed to know their suffering would have an end. From God’s perspective, even two thousand years is 'a little while' compared to eternity. The promise points to certainty, not a calendar.
What coming of Christ is Hebrews 10:37 referring to?
Interpreters are divided. Some believe it refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, which ended the persecution of Jewish Christians. Others see it as Christ's final return at the end of history. Both views agree that the verse promises a real, timely deliverance from God.
Why does the author of Hebrews quote Habakkuk here?
Habakkuk 2:3-4 spoke of a vision that would 'surely come, it will not delay.' The prophet had asked God why evil seemed to win. God answered that the righteous live by faith, trusting His plan. Hebrews uses the same words to encourage suffering Christians to hold on with the same faith.
What does 'will not tarry' mean?
The Greek word chronizei means to delay or linger. The promise is that Christ will not be late. He will arrive at the exact moment the Father appointed. For the readers, the phrase meant their deliverance was nearer than they imagined.
How long was 'a little while' for the original readers?
If the coming referred to the destruction of Jerusalem, it was about ten years after this letter was written (AD 70). If it refers to the final return, some of those readers died before seeing it. Either way, the writer's point is not the length of time but the certainty that God would act.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study