Waiting

Across the canon

In the King James text (291 verses)

Every verse where Scripture speaks of waiting, gathered by word. Quoted below: a spread across the whole canon, Old Testament and New — never more than two from any one book. The complete list is one click beneath them.

1. Genesis 19:2

   And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 19:21 voice

   “Therefore the angels act, as if it were safe to sleep on the highway; and thus conceal their knowledge of the abandoned wickedness of the whole people. For if the gates of cities are shut, to prevent the incursions of wild beasts and of enemies; how wrong and absurd it is that they who are within should be exposed to still more grievous dangers?

   Everything gathered on Genesis 19:2→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Joshua 8:4

   And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

   Verse page →Original language →

3. 1 Kings 20:38

   So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

   ›Commentary on 1 Kings 20:382 voices

   “Smite me--This prophet is supposed (1Ki 20:8) to have been Micaiah. The refusal of his neighbor to smite the prophet was manifestly wrong, as it was a withholding of necessary aid to a prophet in the discharge of a duty to which he had been called by God, and it was severely punished [1Ki 20:36], as a beacon to warn others (see on 1Ki 13:2-24).

   “With ashes - Or, with a cloath, or band; (as the Hebrew doctors understand the word) whereby he bound up his wound, which probably was in his face; for it was to be made in a conspicuous place, that it might be visible to Ahab and others.

   Everything gathered on 1 Kings 20:38→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Nehemiah 12:44

   And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

   ›Commentary on Nehemiah 12:442 voices

   “6 , The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. Let the memory of the just be blessed, be perpetuated. It is a debt we still owe to faithful ministers to remember our guides, who have spoken to us the word of God, Heb. xiii.

   “Rejoiced - For the eminent gifts and graces which they observed in many of them: for the great benefit which they had now received by their ministry: and for the competent provision which hereby was made for them, that so they might wholly wait upon their office.

   Everything gathered on Nehemiah 12:44→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Ecclesiastes 7:8

   Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

   ›Commentary on Ecclesiastes 7:81 voice

   “The end - The good or evil of things is better known by their end, than by their beginning. The patient - Who quietly waits for the issue of things. The proud - Which he puts instead of hasty or impatient, because pride is the chief cause of impatience.

   Everything gathered on Ecclesiastes 7:8→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Daniel 12:12

   Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

   ›Commentary on Daniel 12:122 voices

   “And no relief is so sovereign, of such general application, so easily accommodated to every case, and of such powerful efficacy, as those that are fetched from Christ and the future state; thence the comforts here are fetched. Jesus Christ shall appear his church's patron and protector: At that time, when the persecution is at the hottest, Michael shall stand up,

   “Others date them from the corruption of the gospel-worship by the antichrist, whose reign is confined in the Apocalypse to 1260 days (that is, years), at the end of which he shall begin to fall; but thirty years after he shall be quite fallen, at the end of 1290 days; and whoever lives forty years longer, to 1335 days, will see glorious times indeed.

   Everything gathered on Daniel 12:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Zechariah 11:11

   And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord.

   ›Commentary on Zechariah 11:111 voice

   “Note, Christ is waited on by the poor of the flock; he chose them to be with him, to be his pupils, to be his witnesses; the poor received him and his gospel, when those that had great possessions turned their backs upon him. And those that wait upon Christ, that sit at his feet, to hear and receive his words, shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, John vii.

   Everything gathered on Zechariah 11:11→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Matthew 18:26

   The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

   ›Commentary on Matthew 18:262 voices

   “So the disciples here did, when they asked, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? They suppose that all who have a place in that kingdom are great, for it is a kingdom of priests. Note, Those are truly great who are truly good; and they will appear so at last, when Christ shall own them as his, though ever so mean and poor in the world.

   “The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him--or did humble obeisance to him. saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all--This was just an acknowledgment of the justice of the claim made against him, and a piteous imploration of mercy.

   Everything gathered on Matthew 18:26→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Romans 2:4

   Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

   ›Commentary on Romans 2:42 voices

   “This is especially applicable to the Jews, who had singular tokens of the divine favour. Means are mercies, and the more light we sin against the more love we sin against. Low and mean thoughts of the divine goodness are at the bottom of a great deal of sin.

   “Their uncircumcision was counted for circumcision. Circumcision was indeed to the Jews a commanded duty, but it was not to all the world a necessary condition of justification and salvation.

   Everything gathered on Romans 2:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Colossians 1:11

    Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

    ›Commentary on Colossians 1:112 voices

    “The word of God is the means of it, by which he conveys it; and it must be fetched in by prayer. It was in answer to earnest prayer that the apostle obtained sufficient grace. In praying for spiritual strength we are not straitened in the promises, and therefore should not be straitened in our own hopes and desires.

    “An admirable summary of the Christian doctrine concerning the operation of the Spirit, the person of the Redeemer, the work of redemption, and the preaching of it in the gospel,

    Everything gathered on Colossians 1:11→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Titus 2:2

    That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

    ›Commentary on Titus 2:21 voice

    “Thus must there be soundness in charity or love. Aged persons are apt to be peevish, fretful, and passionate; and therefore need to be on their guard against such infirmities and temptations. Faith, love, and patience, are three main Christian graces, and soundness in these is much of gospel perfection.

    Everything gathered on Titus 2:2→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Revelation 1:9

    I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

    ›Commentary on Revelation 1:92 voices

    “God gave it to Christ, and Christ employed an angel to communicate it to the churches. The angels are God's messengers; they are ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation. They are Christ's servants: principalities and powers are subject to him; all the angels of God are obliged to worship him.

    “Thus John drank of Christ's cup, and was baptized with His baptism (Mt 20:22). for--Greek, "for the sake of," "on account of"; so, "because of the word of God and . . . testimony." Two oldest manuscripts omit the second "for"; thus "the Word of God" and "testimony of Jesus" are the more closely joined.

    Everything gathered on Revelation 1:9→

    Verse page →Original language →

Words searched, at word start, across the King James text: wait… · patien… · longsuffering… · tarry… · tarried…

Lives that met it (6)

Curated character profiles whose own account speaks of waiting.

• NoahPreacher of Righteousness · AntediluvianNoah was a righteous man who found favor with God in a corrupt generation. He built the ark at God's command, preserved humanity and animal life through the flood, and received God's covenant with the rainbow as its sign.
• SarahMother of Nations · PatriarchalSarah was Abraham's wife and the mother of Isaac. Her barrenness tested the promise, but God gave her a son in her old age. She represents the covenant of promise and the free children of God.
• Hoshea19th and Last King of Israel · Divided KingdomThe final king of the northern kingdom of Israel who assassinated Pekah to take the throne. He stopped tribute to Assyria and sought Egypt's help, was imprisoned by Shalmaneser V, and watched Samaria fall after a three-year siege — ending the northern kingdom forever.
• NahumProphet of Nineveh's Fall · Late 7th centuryNahum of Elkosh prophesied the fall of Nineveh, the Assyrian capital — fulfilled in 612 BCE when the Medes, Babylonians, and Scythians besieged and destroyed the city. His three-chapter book is sustained poetic celebration of divine justice against imperial oppression.
• AnnaThe Prophetess in the Temple · Second Temple / NTAnna the prophetess was an 84-year-old widow who worshipped night and day in the temple with fasting and prayer. She recognized the infant Jesus when Mary and Joseph brought him for dedication and spoke of him "to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:36-38).
• BarnabasSon of Encouragement · New TestamentBarnabas, a Levite from Cyprus originally named Joseph, sold his property to support the early church, vouched for the newly converted Saul when others feared him, and became Paul's missionary partner before their eventual, sharp disagreement over John Mark.