Habakkuk 1:15-16

1:15 The Babylonian tyrant ¹  pulls them all up with a fishhook;

he hauls them in with his throw net. ² 

When he catches ³  them in his dragnet,

he is very happy. ⁴ 

1:16 Because of his success ⁵  he offers sacrifices to his throw net

and burns incense to his dragnet; ⁶ 

for because of them he has plenty of food, ⁷ 

and more than enough to eat. ⁸ 

[1:15]  ¹ 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.

[1:15]  ² 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.

[1:15]  ³ tn Heb “and he gathers.”

[1:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “Therefore he is happy and rejoices.” Here two synonyms are joined for emphasis.

[1:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “therefore.”

[1:16]  ⁶ 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).

[1:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “for by them his portion is full [or, “fat”].”

[1:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “and his food is plentiful [or, “fat”].”