'How Long' in the Bible
So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may worship Me.
Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long must this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, so that they may worship Yahweh their God. Don’t you realize yet that Egypt is devastated?”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep My commands and instructions?
The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people despise Me? How long will they not trust in Me despite all the signs I have performed among them?
“How long must I endure this evil community that keeps complaining about Me? I have heard the Israelites’ complaints that they make against Me.
So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you delay going out to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, gave you?
and scolded her, “How long are you going to be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have selected a king from his sons.”
Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word.
The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time, and it pleased the king to send me.
How long will you go on saying these things?Your words are a blast of wind.
How long until you stop talking?Show some sense, and then we can talk.
How long will you torment meand crush me with words?
How long, exalted men, will my honor be insulted?How long will you love what is worthlessand pursue a lie?Selah
my whole being is shaken with terror.And You, Lord—how long?
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.Lord, how long will You forget me?Forever?How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long will I store up anxious concerns within me,agony in my mind every day?How long will my enemy dominate me?
Lord, how long will You look on?Rescue my life from their ravages,my only one from the young lions.
How long will you threaten a man?Will all of you attackas if he were a leaning wallor a tottering stone fence?
There are no signs for us to see.There is no longer a prophet.And none of us knows how long this will last.
God, how long will the enemy mock?Will the foe insult Your name forever?
How long, Yahweh? Will You be angry forever?Will Your jealousy keep burning like fire?
Lord God of Hosts,how long will You be angrywith Your people’s prayers?
“How long will you judge unjustlyand show partiality to the wicked?Selah
How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever?Will Your anger keep burning like fire?
Lord—how long?Turn and have compassion on Your servants.
Lord, how long will the wicked—how long will the wicked gloat?
“How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?How long will you mockers enjoy mockingand you fools hate knowledge?
How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?When will you get up from your sleep?
A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
Wash the evil from your heart, Jerusalem,so that you will be delivered.How long will you harbormalicious thoughts within you?
How long must I see the signal flagand hear the sound of the ram’s horn?
How long will the land mournand the grass of every field wither?Because of the evil of its residents,animals and birds have been swept away,for the people have said,“He cannot see what our end will be.”
Your adulteries and your lustful neighing,your heinous prostitutionon the hills, in the fields—I have seen your detestable acts.Woe to you, Jerusalem!You are unclean—for how long yet?
How long will this continue in the minds of the prophets prophesying lies, prophets of the deceit of their own minds?
How long will you turn here and there,faithless daughter?For the Lord creates something new in the land—a female will shelter a man.
Baldness is coming to Gaza.Ashkelon will become silent,a remnant of their valley.How long will you gash yourself?
Oh, sword of the Lord!How long will you be restless?Go back to your sheath;be still; be silent!
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the speaker, “How long will the events of this vision last—the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and of the host to be trampled?”
One of them said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long until the end of these extraordinary things?”
Your calf-idol is rejected, Samaria.My anger burns against them.How long will they be incapable of innocence?
How long, Lord, must I call for helpand You do not listenor cry out to You about violenceand You do not save?
Then the Angel of the Lord responded, “How long, Lord of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah that You have been angry with these 70 years?”