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.
Habakkuk 1:5-11
New American Standard Bible
5 “(A)Look among the nations! Watch!
Be horrified! (B)Be frightened speechless!
For I am accomplishing (C)a work in your days—
You would not believe it even if [a]you were told!
6 For behold, I am (D)raising up the Chaldeans,
That [b]grim and impetuous people
Who march [c]throughout the earth,
To (E)take possession of dwelling places that are not theirs.
7 They are terrifying and (F)feared;
Their (G)justice and [d]authority [e]originate with themselves.
8 Their (H)horses are faster than leopards,
And quicker than (I)wolves in the evening.
Their [f]horsemen charge along,
Their [g]horsemen come from afar;
They fly like an (J)eagle [h]swooping down to devour.
9 All of them come for violence.
[i]Their horde of (K)faces moves forward.
They gather captives like sand.
10 They (L)make fun of kings,
And dignitaries are an object of laughter to them.
They (M)laugh at every fortress,
Then (N)heap up dirt and [j]capture it.
11 Then they fly along like the (O)wind and pass on.
But they will be held (P)guilty,
They whose (Q)strength is their god.”
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 1:5 Lit it
- Habakkuk 1:6 Lit bitter
- Habakkuk 1:6 Lit the breadth of
- Habakkuk 1:7 Lit sovereignty
- Habakkuk 1:7 Lit proceed from
- Habakkuk 1:8 Or horses
- Habakkuk 1:8 Or horses
- Habakkuk 1:8 Lit hurrying to
- Habakkuk 1:9 Lit The totality of
- Habakkuk 1:10 Or overthrow
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