Habakkuk 2:8

2:8 Because you robbed many countries, ¹ 

all who are left among the nations ²  will rob you.

You have shed human blood

and committed violent acts against lands, cities, ³  and those who live in them.

Habakkuk 3:13

3:13 You march out to deliver your people,

to deliver your special servant. ⁴ 

You strike the leader of the wicked nation, ⁵ 

laying him open from the lower body to the neck. ⁶  Selah.

[2:8]  ¹ tn Or “nations.”

[2:8]  ² tn Or “peoples.”

[2:8]  ³ tn Heb “because of the shed blood of humankind and violence against land, city.” The singular forms אֶרֶץ (’erets, “land”) and קִרְיָה (qiryah, “city”) are collective, referring to all the lands and cities terrorized by the Babylonians.

[3:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “anointed one.” In light of the parallelism with “your people” in the preceding line this could refer to Israel, but elsewhere the Lord’s anointed one is always an individual. The Davidic king is the more likely referent here.

[3:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “you strike the head from the house of wickedness.”

[3:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “laying bare [from] foundation to neck.”