The Hebrew verb mahah means to linger, delay, tarry, or hesitate — the reluctance to move when one should. It describes the pause born of indecision or fear. In Hebrew narrative it marks critical turning points: the moment when someone hesitates before a divine call. The most famous usage is Genesis 19 where Lot lingers as Sodom burns.
Genesis 19:16: 'When Lot hesitated, the men grasped his hand... for the LORD was merciful to him.' Here divine grace overcomes human hesitation — God acts even when His servant cannot bring himself to move. The inverse — the danger of spiritual delay — appears in Psalm 119:60: 'I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.'