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God’s Answer to Habakkuk

“Look among the nations and see;
    be astonished and astounded.
For a work is about to be done in your days
    that you will not believe if it is told.
For look! I am raising up the Chaldeans,
    the bitter and impetuous nation,
the one who walks through the spacious places of earth
    to take possession of dwellings not belonging to it.[a]
They[b] are dreadful and awesome;
    their[c] justice and their[d] dignity proceed from themselves.[e]
Their[f] horses are more swift than leopards;
    they are more menacing than wolves at dusk.
Their[g] horsemen gallop; their[h] horsemen come from afar;
    they fly like an eagle that is swift to devour.
All of them[i] come for violence,
    their faces pressing forward.
    They gather captives like the sand.
10 And they themselves scoff at kings
    and rulers are a joke to them.
They laugh at every fortification,
    and they heap up earth and take it.
11 Then they sweep like the wind and pass on;
    they become guilty, whose might is their[j] god!”

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Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 1:6 Or “him”
  2. Habakkuk 1:7 Hebrew “He”
  3. Habakkuk 1:7 Hebrew “his”
  4. Habakkuk 1:7 Hebrew “his”
  5. Habakkuk 1:7 Hebrew “him”
  6. Habakkuk 1:8 Hebrew “His”
  7. Habakkuk 1:8 Hebrew “His”
  8. Habakkuk 1:8 Hebrew “his”
  9. Habakkuk 1:9 Hebrew “him”
  10. Habakkuk 1:11 Hebrew “his”

God’s First Answer

Look at the nations[a](A) and observe(B)
be utterly astounded!(C)
For something is taking place in your days
that you will not believe(D)
when you hear about it.(E)
Look! I am raising up(F) the Chaldeans,[b]
that bitter,(G) impetuous nation
that marches across the earth’s open spaces
to seize territories not its own.
They are fierce(H) and terrifying;
their views of justice and sovereignty
stem from themselves.
Their horses are swifter(I) than leopards(J)
and more fierce[c] than wolves of the night.
Their horsemen charge ahead;
their horsemen come from distant lands.
They fly like an eagle, swooping to devour.(K)
All of them come to do violence;
their faces(L) are set in determination.[d]
They gather(M) prisoners like sand.(N)
10 They mock(O) kings,
and rulers are a joke to them.
They laugh(P) at every fortress
and build siege ramps to capture(Q) it.
11 Then they sweep(R) by like the wind
and pass through.
They are guilty;[e] their strength is their god.

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Footnotes

  1. Habakkuk 1:5 DSS, LXX, Syr read Look, you treacherous people
  2. Habakkuk 1:6 = the Babylonians
  3. Habakkuk 1:8 Or and quicker
  4. Habakkuk 1:9 Hb obscure
  5. Habakkuk 1:11 Or wind, and transgress and incur guilt