Discovery BoxHabakkuk 3:14
Context3:14 You pierce the heads of his warriors 1 with a spear. 2
They storm forward to scatter us; 3
they shout with joy as if they were plundering the poor with no opposition. 4
Habakkuk 3:6
Context3:6 He takes his battle position 5 and shakes 6 the earth;
with a mere look he frightens 7 the nations.
The ancient mountains disintegrate; 8
the primeval hills are flattened.
He travels on the ancient roads. 9
[3:14] 1 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.
[3:14] 2 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).
[3:14] 3 tn Heb “me,” but the author speaks as a representative of God’s people.
[3:14] 4 tn Heb “their rejoicing is like devouring the poor in secret.”
[3:6] 6 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.).
[3:6] 7 tn Heb “makes [the nations] jump [in fear].”
[3:6] 8 tn Or “crumbled,” broke into pieces.”
[3:6] 9 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
