3:4 He is as bright as lightning; 1
a two-pronged lightning bolt flashes from his hand. 2
This is the outward display of his power. 3
3:3 God comes 4 from Teman, 5
the sovereign 6 one from Mount Paran. 7 Selah. 8
His splendor covers the skies, 9
his glory 10 fills the earth.
2:4 Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, 11
but the person of integrity 12 will live 13 because of his faithfulness. 14
1:16 Because of his success 15 he offers sacrifices to his throw net
and burns incense to his dragnet; 16
for because of them he has plenty of food, 17
and more than enough to eat. 18
3:14 You pierce the heads of his warriors 19 with a spear. 20
They storm forward to scatter us; 21
they shout with joy as if they were plundering the poor with no opposition. 22
2:9 The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. 23
He does this so he can build his nest way up high
and escape the clutches of disaster. 24
2:20 But the Lord is in his majestic palace. 25
The whole earth is speechless in his presence!” 26
1:17 Will he then 27 continue to fill and empty his throw net? 28
Will he always 29 destroy 30 nations and spare none? 31
1:15 The Babylonian tyrant 32 pulls them all up with a fishhook;
he hauls them in with his throw net. 33
When he catches 34 them in his dragnet,
he is very happy. 35
3:5 Plague goes before him;
pestilence 36 marches right behind him. 37
3:6 He takes his battle position 38 and shakes 39 the earth;
with a mere look he frightens 40 the nations.
The ancient mountains disintegrate; 41
the primeval hills are flattened.
He travels on the ancient roads. 42
1:11 They sweep by like the wind and pass on. 43
But the one who considers himself a god will be held guilty.” 44
2:15 “You who force your neighbor to drink wine 45 are as good as dead 46 –
you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger, 47
so you can look at their genitals. 48
2:5 Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man! 49
His appetite 50 is as big as Sheol’s; 51
like death, he is never satisfied.
He gathers 52 all the nations;
he seizes 53 all peoples.
2:18 What good 54 is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? 55
What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? 56
Why would its creator place his trust in it 57
and make 58 such mute, worthless things?
2:6 “But all these nations will someday taunt him 59
and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: 60
‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead 61
(How long will this go on?) 62 –
he who gets rich by extortion!’ 63
3:10 When the mountains see you, they shake.
The torrential downpour sweeps through. 64
The great deep 65 shouts out;
it lifts its hands high. 66
3:16 I listened and my stomach churned; 67
the sound made my lips quiver.
My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying, 68
and I shook as I tried to walk. 69
I long 70 for the day of distress
to come upon 71 the people who attack us.
2:1 I will stand at my watch post;
I will remain stationed on the city wall. 72
I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me
and can know 73 how I should answer
when he counters my argument. 74
1 tn Heb “[His] radiance is like light.” Some see a reference to sunlight, but the Hebrew word אוֹר (’or) here refers to lightning, as the context indicates (see vv. 4b, 9, 11). The word also refers to lightning in Job 36:32 and 37:3, 11, 15.
2 tn Heb “two horns from his hand to him.” Sharp, pointed lightning bolts have a “horn-like” appearance. The weapon of “double lightning” appears often in Mesopotamian representations of gods. See Elizabeth Van Buren, Symbols of the Gods in Mesopotamian Art (AnOr), 70-73.
3 tn Heb “and there [is] the covering of his strength”; or “and there is his strong covering.” The meaning of this line is unclear. The point may be that the lightning bolts are merely a covering, or outward display, of God’s raw power. In Job 36:32 one reads that God “covers his hands with light [or, “lightning”].”
4 tn In vv. 3-15 there is a mixture of eleven prefixed verbal forms (without vav [ו] consecutive or with vav conjunctive), sixteen suffixed forms, and three prefixed forms with vav consecutive. All of the forms are best taken as indicating completed action from the speaker’s standpoint (all of the prefixed forms being regarded as preterites). The forms could be translated with the past tense, but this would be misleading, for this is not a mere recital of God’s deeds in Israel’s past history. Habakkuk here describes, in terms reminiscent of past theophanies, his prophetic vision of a future theophany (see v. 7, “I saw”). From the prophet’s visionary standpoint the theophany is “as good as done.” This translation uses the English present tense throughout these verses to avoid misunderstanding. A similar strategy is followed by the NEB; in contrast note the NIV and NRSV, which consistently use past tenses throughout the section, and the NASB, which employs present tenses in vv. 3-5 and mostly past tenses in vv. 6-15.
5 sn Teman was a city or region in southern Edom.
6 tn Or traditionally, “holy one.” The term קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh, “holy [one]”) here refers to God’s sovereignty. See v. 3b.
7 sn The precise location of Mount Paran is unknown, but like Teman it was located to the southeast of Israel. Habakkuk saw God marching from the direction of Sinai.
8 tn Selah. The meaning of this musical term (which also appears in vv. 9, 13, and in the Psalms as well) is unknown.
9 tn Or “heavens.”
10 tn Heb “praise.” This could mean that the earth responds in praise as God’s splendor is observed in the skies. However, the Hebrew term תְּהִלָּה (tÿhillah, “praise”) can stand by metonymy for what prompts it (i.e., fame, glory, deeds).
7 tn The meaning of this line is unclear, primarily because of the uncertainty surrounding the second word, עֲפְּלָה (’apÿlah). Some read this as an otherwise unattested verb עָפַל (’afal, “swell”) from which are derived nouns meaning “mound” and “hemorrhoid.” This “swelling” is then understood in an abstract sense, “swell with pride.” This would yield a translation, “As for the proud, his desires are not right within him” (cf. NASB “as for the proud one”; NIV “he is puffed up”; NRSV “Look at the proud!”). A multitude of other interpretations of this line, many of which involve emendations of the problematic form, may be found in the commentaries and periodical literature. The present translation assumes an emendation to a Pual form of the verb עָלַף (’alaf, “be faint, exhausted”). (See its use in the Pual in Isa 51:20, and in the Hitpael in Amos 8:13 and Jonah 4:8.) In the antithetical parallelism of the verse, it corresponds to חָיָה (khayah, “live”). The phrase לֹא יָשְׁרָה נַפְשׁוֹ בּוֹ (lo’ yoshrah nafsho bo), literally, “not upright his desire within him,” is taken as a substantival clause that contrasts with צַדִּיק (tsadiq, “the righteous one”) and serves as the subject of the preceding verb. Here נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is understood in the sense of “desire” (see BDB 660-61 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ for a list of passages where the word carries this sense).
8 tn Or “righteous.” The oppressed individuals mentioned in 1:4 are probably in view here.
9 tn Or “will be preserved.” In the immediate context this probably refers to physical preservation through both the present oppression and the coming judgment (see Hab 3:16-19).
10 tn Or “loyalty”; or “integrity.” The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה (’emunah) has traditionally been translated “faith,” but the term nowhere else refers to “belief” as such. When used of human character and conduct it carries the notion of “honesty, integrity, reliability, faithfulness.” The antecedent of the suffix has been understood in different ways. It could refer to God’s faithfulness, but in this case one would expect a first person suffix (the original form of the LXX has “my faithfulness” here). Others understand the “vision” to be the antecedent. In this case the reliability of the prophecy is in view. For a statement of this view, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 111-12. The present translation assumes that the preceding word “[the person of] integrity” is the antecedent. In this case the
10 tn Heb “therefore.”
11 sn The fishing implements (throw net and dragnet) represent Babylonian military might. The prophet depicts the Babylonians as arrogantly worshiping their own power (sacrifices…burns incense, see also v. 11b).
12 tn Heb “for by them his portion is full [or, “fat”].”
13 tn Heb “and his food is plentiful [or, “fat”].”
13 tn Some take “warriors” with the following line, in which case one should translate, “you pierce [his] head with a spear; his warriors storm forward to scatter us” (cf. NIV). The meaning of the Hebrew term פְּרָזוֹ (pÿrazo), translated here “his warriors,” is uncertain.
14 tc Heb “his shafts.” Some emend to “your shafts.” The translation above assumes an emendation to מַטֶּה (matteh, “shaft, spear”), the vav-yod (ו-י) sequence being a corruption of an original he (ה).
15 tn Heb “me,” but the author speaks as a representative of God’s people.
16 tn Heb “their rejoicing is like devouring the poor in secret.”
16 tn Heb “Woe [to] the one who profits unjustly by evil unjust gain for his house.” On the term הוֹי (hoy) see the note on the word “dead” in v. 6.
17 tn Heb “to place his nest in the heights in order to escape from the hand of disaster.”
19 tn Or “holy temple.” The
20 tn Or “Be quiet before him, all the earth!”
22 tn Or “therefore.”
23 tn Heb “Will he then empty his throw net?” The words “continue to fill and” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
24 tn Or “continually.”
25 tn Heb “kill.”
26 tn Or “without showing compassion.”
25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Babylonian tyrant) has been specified in the translation for clarity (cf. NASB “The Chaldeans”; NIV “The wicked foe”; NRSV “The enemy”). Babylonian imperialism is here compared to a professional fisherman who repeatedly brings in his catch and has plenty to eat.
26 tn Apparently two different types of fishing nets are referred to here. The חֵרֶם (kherem, “throw net”) was used by fishermen standing on the shore (see Ezek 47:10), while the מִכְמֶרֶת (mikhmeret, “dragnet”) was used by men in a boat. See R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 165.
27 tn Heb “and he gathers.”
28 tn Heb “Therefore he is happy and rejoices.” Here two synonyms are joined for emphasis.
28 tn Because of parallelism with the previous line, the meaning “pestilence” is favored for רֶשֶׁף (reshef) here, but usage elsewhere suggests a destructive bolt of fire may be in view. See BDB 958 s.v.
29 tn Heb “goes out at his feet.”
31 tn Heb “he stands.”
32 tn This verb has been traditionally understood as “measure” (from מוּד, mud), but the immediately following context (vv. 6b-7) favors the meaning “shake” from מָוד (mavd; see HALOT 555 s.v.).
33 tn Heb “makes [the nations] jump [in fear].”
34 tn Or “crumbled,” broke into pieces.”
35 tn Heb “ancient ways [or, “doings”] are his.” The meaning of this line is unclear. Traditionally it has been translated, “his ways are eternal.” However, in this context (see vv. 3, 7) it is more likely that the line speaks of the
34 tn The precise meaning of v. 11a is uncertain. The present translation assumes the first line further describes the Babylonian hordes, comparing them to a destructive wind. Another option is to understand רוּחַ (ruakh) as “spirit,” rather than “wind,” and take the form וְאָשֵׁם (vÿ’ashem) with what precedes (as suggested by the scribal punctuation). Repointing this form as a geminate verb from שָׁמַם (shamam, “be astonished”), one could then translate the line, “The spirit passed on and departed, and I was astonished.” In this case the line would describe the cessation of the divine revelation which began in v. 5. For a detailed defense of this view, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 97-100.
35 tn Heb “and guilty is the one whose strength is his god.” This assumes that אָשֵׁם (’ashem) is a predicate adjective meaning “guilty” and that it relates to what follows.
37 tn No direct object is present after “drink” in the Hebrew text. “Wine” is implied, however, and has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
38 tn On the term הוֹי (hoy) see the note on the word “dead” in v. 6.
39 tc Heb “pouring out your anger and also making drunk”; or “pouring out your anger and [by] rage making drunk.” The present translation assumes that the final khet (ח) on מְסַפֵּחַ (misapeakh, “pouring”) is dittographic and that the form should actually be read מִסַּף (missaf, “from a bowl”).
40 tn Heb “their nakedness,” a euphemism.
40 tn Heb “Indeed wine betrays a proud man and he does not dwell.” The meaning of the last verb, “dwell,” is uncertain. Many take it as a denominative of the noun נָוָה (navah, “dwelling place”). In this case it would carry the idea, “he does not settle down,” and would picture the drunkard as restless (cf. NIV “never at rest”; NASB “does not stay at home”). Some relate the verb to an Arabic cognate and translate the phrase as “he will not succeed, reach his goal.”
41 tn Heb “who opens wide like Sheol his throat.” Here נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is understood in a physical sense, meaning “throat,” which in turn is figurative for the appetite. See H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 11-12.
42 sn Sheol is the proper name of the subterranean world which was regarded as the land of the dead. In ancient Canaanite thought Death was a powerful god whose appetite was never satisfied. In the OT Sheol/Death, though not deified, is personified as greedy and as having a voracious appetite. See Prov 30:15-16; Isa 5:14; also see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 168.
43 tn Heb “he gathers for himself.”
44 tn Heb “he collects for himself.”
43 tn Or “of what value.”
44 tn Heb “so that the one who forms it fashions it?” Here כִּי (ki) is taken as resultative after the rhetorical question. For other examples of this use, see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 73, §450.
45 tn Heb “or a metal image, a teacher of lies.” The words “What good is” in the translation are supplied from the previous parallel line. “Teacher of lies” refers to the false oracles that the so-called god would deliver through a priest. See J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 126.
46 tn Heb “so that the one who forms his image trusts in it?” As earlier in the verse, כִּי (ki) is resultative.
47 tn Heb “to make.”
46 tn Heb “Will not these, all of them, take up a taunt against him…?” The rhetorical question assumes the response, “Yes, they will.” The present translation brings out the rhetorical force of the question by rendering it as an affirmation.
47 tn Heb “and a mocking song, riddles, against him? And one will say.”
48 tn Heb “Woe [to] the one who increases [what is] not his.” The Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy, “woe,” “ah”) was used in funeral laments and carries the connotation of death.
49 tn This question is interjected parenthetically, perhaps to express rhetorically the pain and despair felt by the Babylonians’ victims.
50 tn Heb “and the one who makes himself heavy [i.e., wealthy] [by] debts.” Though only appearing in the first line, the term הוֹי (hoy) is to be understood as elliptical in the second line.
49 tn Heb “a heavy rain of waters passes by.” Perhaps the flash floods produced by the downpour are in view here.
50 sn The great deep, which is to be equated with the sea (vv. 8, 15), is a symbol of chaos and represents the Lord’s enemies.
51 sn Lifting the hands here suggests panic and is accompanied by a cry for mercy (see Ps 28:2; Lam 2:19). The forces of chaos cannot withstand the Lord’s power revealed in the storm.
52 tn Heb “my insides trembled.”
53 tn Heb “decay entered my bones.”
54 tc Heb “beneath me I shook, which….” The Hebrew term אֲשֶׁר (’asher) appears to be a relative pronoun, but a relative pronoun does not fit here. The translation assumes a reading אֲשֻׁרָי (’ashuray, “my steps”) as well as an emendation of the preceding verb to a third plural form.
55 tn The translation assumes that אָנוּחַ (’anuakh) is from the otherwise unattested verb נָוָח (navakh, “sigh”; see HALOT 680 s.v. II נוח; so also NEB). Most take this verb as נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”) and translate, “I wait patiently” (cf. NIV).
56 tn Heb “to come up toward.”
55 sn Habakkuk compares himself to a watchman stationed on the city wall who keeps his eyes open for approaching messengers or danger.
56 tn The word “know” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
57 tn Heb “concerning my correction [or, “reproof”].”