'How Long' in the Bible

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My instructions?

The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?

“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me.

“Nevertheless Kain will be consumed;How long will Asshur keep you captive?”

So Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?

Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.”

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.”

Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?”

But Barzillai said to the king, “How long have I yet to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.

Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.

“How long will you say these things,And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

“How long will you hunt for words?Show understanding and then we can talk.

“How long will you torment meAnd crush me with words?

O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.

And my soul is greatly dismayed;But You, O Lord—how long?

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?How long will You hide Your face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul,Having sorrow in my heart all the day?How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Lord, how long will You look on?Rescue my soul from their ravages,My only life from the lions.

How long will you assail a man,That you may murder him, all of you,Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

We do not see our signs;There is no longer any prophet,Nor is there any among us who knows how long.

How long, O God, will the adversary revile,And the enemy spurn Your name forever?

How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever?Will Your jealousy burn like fire?

O Lord God of hosts,How long will You be angry with the prayer of Your people?

How long will you judge unjustlyAnd show partiality to the wicked? Selah.

How long, O Lord?Will You hide Yourself forever?Will Your wrath burn like fire?

Do return, O Lord; how long will it be?And be sorry for Your servants.

How long shall the wicked, O Lord,How long shall the wicked exult?

“How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?And scoffers delight themselves in scoffingAnd fools hate knowledge?

How long will you lie down, O sluggard?When will you arise from your sleep?

Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,Houses are without peopleAnd the land is utterly desolate,

Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem,That you may be saved.How long will your wicked thoughtsLodge within you?

How long must I see the standardAnd hear the sound of the trumpet?

How long is the land to mournAnd the vegetation of the countryside to wither?For the wickedness of those who dwell in it,Animals and birds have been snatched away,Because men have said, “He will not see our latter ending.”

“As for your adulteries and your lustful neighings,The lewdness of your prostitutionOn the hills in the field,I have seen your abominations.Woe to you, O Jerusalem!How long will you remain unclean?”

How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart,

“How long will you go here and there,O faithless daughter?For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth—A woman will encompass a man.”

“Baldness has come upon Gaza;Ashkelon has been ruined.O remnant of their valley,How long will you gash yourself?

“Ah, sword of the Lord,How long will you not be quiet?Withdraw into your sheath;Be at rest and stay still.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?”

And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?”

He has rejected your calf, O Samaria, saying,“My anger burns against them!”How long will they be incapable of innocence?

How long, O Lord, will I call for help,And You will not hear?I cry out to You, “Violence!”Yet You do not save.

“Will not all of these take up a taunt-song against him,Even mockery and insinuations against himAnd say, ‘Woe to him who increases what is not his—For how long—And makes himself rich with loans?’

Then the angel of the Lord said, “O Lord of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?”

So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.”

And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.”

And He *answered them and *said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”

And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”