Font Size
Habakkuk 1:5-11
World English Bible
Habakkuk 1:5-11
World English Bible
5 “Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days, which you will not believe though it is told you. 6 For, behold,[a] I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the width of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs. 7 They are feared and dreaded. Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. 8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour. 9 All of them come for violence. Their hordes face the desert. He gathers prisoners like sand. 10 Yes, he scoffs at kings, and princes are a derision to him. He laughs at every stronghold, for he builds up an earthen ramp, and takes it. 11 Then he sweeps by like the wind, and goes on. He is indeed guilty, whose strength is his god.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1:6 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Habakkuk 1:5-11
American Standard Version
Habakkuk 1:5-11
American Standard Version
5 Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvellously; for [a]I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you. 6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling-places that are not theirs. 7 [b]They are terrible and dreadful; their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. 8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen [c]press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour. 9 They come all of them for violence; [d]the set of their faces is [e]forwards; and they gather captives as the sand. 10 [f]Yea, he scoffeth at kings, and princes are a derision unto him; he derideth every stronghold; for he heapeth up dust, and taketh it. 11 [g]Then shall he sweep by as a wind, and shall [h]pass over, and be guilty, even he whose might is his god.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Habakkuk 1:5 Or, one worketh
- Habakkuk 1:7 Hebrew He: and so in verses 8, 9.
- Habakkuk 1:8 Or, spread themselves
- Habakkuk 1:9 Hebrew the eagerness (or, assembling) of their faces is etc.
- Habakkuk 1:9 Or, towards the east
- Habakkuk 1:10 Or, And they scoff etc.
- Habakkuk 1:11 Or, Then shall the wind sweep by, and he shall pass away
- Habakkuk 1:11 Or, transgress
Habakkuk 1:5-11
New International Version
Habakkuk 1:5-11
New International Version
The Lord’s Answer
5 “Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.(A)
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.(B)
6 I am raising up the Babylonians,[a](C)
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth(D)
to seize dwellings not their own.(E)
7 They are a feared and dreaded people;(F)
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
8 Their horses are swifter(G) than leopards,
fiercer than wolves(H) at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
9 they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes[b] advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners(I) like sand.
10 They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.(J)
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps(K) they capture them.
11 Then they sweep past like the wind(L) and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”(M)
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 1:6 Or Chaldeans
- Habakkuk 1:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
World English Bible (WEB)
by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.
American Standard Version (ASV)
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.