The Hebrew word māḥār (מָחָר) means tomorrow, the next day, or at some future time. It appears over 50 times in the Old Testament. Beyond its temporal sense, it carries theological weight as it addresses Israel's orientation toward the future. God's people are a forward-looking people — their hope is shaped by what God will do tomorrow, not only what He has done in the past.
Māḥār is central to the biblical theology of hope and future orientation. The question children ask in Exodus 13:14 — 'What does this mean?' — is literally 'What will your son ask you tomorrow?' This establishes the intergenerational transmission of faith as essentially future-oriented. When Joshua tells Israel 'Tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you' (Joshua 3:5), māḥār is the hinge of expectation. The prophets use this temporal word to announce imminent salvation: what God will do in the near future. The Lord's Prayer echoes this: 'Give us today our daily bread' — living in trust that tomorrow is in God's hands.