Beginning
1 This is the ·message [oracle; burden] Habakkuk the prophet received.
Habakkuk Complains
2 Lord, how long must I ·ask [cry; call] for help
and you ·ignore [do not hear] me?
I cry out to you ·about violence [or “Violence!”],
but you do not ·save [rescue] us!
3 Why do you make me see ·wrong things [evil; iniquity; injustice]
and make me look at ·trouble [wrongdoing]?
·People are destroying things and hurting others [L Destruction and violence are] in front of me;
·they are arguing and fighting [L strife and conflict arise].
4 So the ·teachings [law; instruction; L Torah] are ·weak [paralyzed],
and justice never comes.
Evil people ·gain while good people lose [L surround/hem in the righteous];
·the judges no longer make fair decisions [L so justice is perverted].
The Lord Answers
5 “Look at the nations!
Watch them and be ·amazed and shocked [utterly astounded].
I will do something in your ·lifetime [L days]
that you won’t believe even when you are told about it.
6 I will ·use [raise up] the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans],
those ·cruel [ruthless; bitter] and ·wild [impetuous; hasty] people
who march across the earth
and ·take lands [L seize dwellings] that don’t belong to them.
7 They scare and ·frighten [terrify] people.
·They do what they want to do
and are good only to themselves [L Their justice/judgment and dignity proceed from themselves].
8 Their horses are faster than leopards
and ·quicker [fiercer] than wolves ·at sunset [L of the evening].
Their ·horse soldiers [cavalry] attack quickly;
they come from places far away.
They attack quickly, like an ·eagle [or vulture] ·swooping down for food [swift to devour].
9 They all come ·to fight [L for violence].
·Nothing can stop them [or …a horde moving like an east wind; or …their faces set forward].
Their prisoners are ·as many as the grains of [L like] sand.
10 They ·laugh at [mock] kings
and make fun of rulers.
They laugh at all the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities
and build ·dirt piles to the top of the walls [earthen siege ramps] to capture them.
11 Then they ·leave [sweep by] like the wind and move on.
They are guilty of ·worshiping their own strength [making their strength their god; or ascribing their strength to their gods].”
Habakkuk Complains Again
12 Lord, ·you live forever [L are you not from everlasting…?],
my God, my holy God.
We will not die.
Lord, you ·have chosen the Babylonians to punish people [appointed them for judgment];
our Rock [Ps. 61:2], you picked them to punish.
13 Your eyes are too ·good [pure] to look at evil;
you cannot ·stand to see [tolerate; look on] those who do wrong.
So how can you put up with those ·evil [treacherous] people?
How can you be quiet when the wicked swallow up people who are ·better [more righteous] than they are?
14 You ·treat [or made] people like fish in the sea,
like sea animals without a ·leader [ruler].
15 ·The enemy [L He] brings them in with hooks.
He catches them in his net
and ·drags [gathers] them in his ·fishnet [dragnet].
So he rejoices and ·sings for joy [is glad].
16 The enemy offers sacrifices to his net
and burns incense to ·worship it [L his dragnet],
because it lets him live ·like the rich [in luxury]
and enjoy ·the best [or plentiful] food.
17 Will he keep on ·taking riches with [L emptying] his net?
Will he go on destroying ·people [nations] without showing mercy?
2 I will stand like a guard to watch
and ·place [station] myself at the tower.
I will wait to see what he will say to me;
I will wait to learn how ·God will answer [or I will answer concerning] my complaint.
The Lord Answers
2 The Lord answered me:
“Write down the vision;
write it ·clearly [plainly] on clay tablets
so whoever reads it can run to tell others.
3 ·It is not yet time for the message to come true [L For the vision awaits an appointed time],
·but that time is coming soon [it hastens to the end; or it speaks about the end];
the message will ·come true [not lie].
·It may seem like a long time,
but [Though it tarries/lingers] be patient and wait for it,
because it will surely come;
it will not be delayed.
4 [L Look; T Behold] ·The evil nation [L He] is ·very proud of itself [puffed up];
·it [L his soul] is not ·living as it should [upright].
But ·those who are right with God [the righteous] will live ·by faith [or because of their faithfulness; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38].
5 “Just as wine ·can trick [betrays] a person,
those who are too proud will not ·last, [have rest; settle down]
·because their desire is like a grave’s desire for death [L he opens wide his throat like Sheol; C the grave or the underworld],
and like death they always want more.
They gather other nations for themselves
and collect for themselves all the ·countries [peoples].
6 But all ·the nations the Babylonians have hurt [L these] will ·laugh at [taunt] them.
They will ·make fun of the Babylonians [ridicule with riddles]
and say, ‘·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the one that ·steals many things [L piles up what is not his].
How long will that nation get rich by ·forcing others to pay them [extortion; goods taken in pledge]?’
7 “·One day the people from whom you have taken money will [L Will not your creditors…?] turn against you.
They will ·realize what is happening [L wake up] and make you shake with fear.
Then ·they will take everything you have [L you will become their plunder].
8 Because you have ·stolen from [plundered] many nations,
those who are left will ·take much from [plunder] you.
·This is because you have killed many people [For the human blood you have shed],
·destroying [violently attacking] countries and cities and everyone in them.
9 “·How terrible it will be for the nation [L Woe to him] that ·becomes rich by doing wrong [builds his house with unjust gain; or acquires evil gain for his own house],
thinking they will ·live in a safe place [L set his nest on high]
and escape ·harm [L the hand of evil].
10 Because you have ·made plans [plotted; schemed] to ·destroy [L cut off] many people,
you have brought shame to your house.
Because of it, you will ·lose your lives [forfeit your soul/life].
11 The stones of the walls [C of the “house” of Babylon] will cry out against you,
and the ·boards that support the roof [beams of the woodwork] will ·agree that you are wrong [echo the complaint; L answer back].
12 “·How terrible it will be for the nation [L Woe to him] that ·kills people [uses bloodshed] to build a city,
that ·wrongs others [uses injustice] to start a town.
13 [L Look; T Behold] The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will send fire
to destroy what those people have built;
all the nations’ ·work [weariness] will be for nothing.
14 Then, just as water covers the sea,
·people everywhere will know [L the earth will be filled with the knowledge of] the Lord’s glory.
15 “·How terrible for the nation that [L Woe to him who] makes its neighbors drink,
pouring ·from the jug of wine [or out your wrath] until they are drunk
so that it can look at their naked bodies.
16 ·You Babylonians [L You] will be filled with ·disgrace [shame], not ·respect [glory].
It’s your turn to drink and ·fall to the ground [or expose your uncircumcision] like a drunk person.
The ·cup of anger [L cup; Jer. 25:15–29] from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you.
You will receive ·disgrace [shame], not ·respect [glory].
17 You ·hurt many people [did violence] in Lebanon,
but now you will be ·hurt [overwhelmed by it].
You killed many animals there,
and now you must be afraid
because of ·what you did [the blood and violence you did]
to that land, those cities, and the people who lived in them.
The Message About Idols
18 “·An idol does no good [L What value does an idol have…?], because a human made it;
it is only a ·statue [metal image] that teaches lies.
The one who made it ·expects his own work to help him [trusts in his own creation],
but he makes idols that can’t even speak!
19 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the one who says to a wooden statue, ‘·Come to life [Wake up]!’
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the one who says to a silent stone, ‘·Get up [Arise]!’
It cannot ·tell you what to do [teach/guide us].
It is only a statue covered with gold and silver;
there is no ·life [breath] in it.
20 The Lord is in his Holy Temple;
all the earth should be silent ·in his presence [before him].”
Habakkuk’s Prayer
3 This is the prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on shigionoth [C probably a literary or musical term].
2 Lord, I have heard the ·news [report] about you;
I am ·amazed [in awe; afraid] at what you have done.
Lord, do great things once again in ·our time [L the midst of the years];
make ·those things happen again [L them known] in ·our own days [L the midst of the years].
Even when you are angry,
remember to be ·kind [compassionate].
3 God is coming from Teman [C near Edom, south of Israel];
the Holy One comes from Mount Paran [C on the Sinai peninsula south of Israel; the language recalls God’s revelation at Mount Sinai; Deut. 33:2].
His glory covers the ·skies [heavens],
and his praise fills the earth.
4 He is like ·a bright light [flashing lightning; or brightness at dawn].
Rays of light ·shine [flash] from his hand,
and there he hides his power.
5 ·Sickness [Plague] goes before him,
and ·disease [pestilence] follows ·behind him [L at his feet].
6 He stands and ·shakes [or measures] the earth.
He looks, and the nations ·shake [or jump] with fear.
The ·mountains, which stood for ages, [eternal mountains] ·break into pieces [crumble];
the ·old [age-old; everlasting] hills ·fall [sink] down.
·God has always done this [Ancient paths/ways are his].
7 I saw that the tents of Cushan [C located in southern Transjordan] were in ·trouble [distress]
and that the ·tents [curtains] of the land of Midian trembled [Ex. 15:14–16; Josh. 2:9–10].
8 Lord, were you angry at the rivers,
or ·were you angry at [was your wrath against] the streams?
Were you ·angry [enraged] with the sea
when you rode your horses and chariots of victory?
9 You ·uncovered [pulled out; brandished] your bow
and commanded many arrows to be brought to you.
You split the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw you and ·shook with fear [writhed; trembled].
The ·rushing [raging; torrents of] water ·flowed [swept by].
The ·sea [deep] ·made a loud noise [shouted; roared],
and ·its waves rose high [L lifted its hands high].
11 The sun and moon stood still in ·the sky [L lofty dwelling place];
they stopped when they saw the flash of your flying arrows
and the ·gleam [glint] of your ·shining [flashing] spear.
12 In ·anger [indignation] you marched on the earth;
in anger you ·punished [trampled; threshed] the nations.
13 You came out to ·save [rescue] your people,
to save your ·chosen one [anointed].
You crushed the ·leader [head] of the ·wicked ones [L house of the wicked]
and ·took everything he had [lay him bare], from ·head to toe [L foundation to neck].
14 With the enemy’s own ·spear [or arrows] you ·stabbed the leader of his army [L pierced his head; or pierced the heads of his soldiers/warriors].
His ·soldiers [warriors] rushed out like a storm to scatter us.
·They were happy [Rejoicing; Shouting with joy]
as they were ·robbing [plundering] the poor people in secret.
15 But you ·marched through [trampled on] the sea with your horses,
stirring the great waters.
16 I hear these things, and my body trembles;
my lips ·tremble [quiver] when I hear the sound.
My bones ·feel weak [L rot away],
and my legs shake.
But I will wait patiently for the day of ·disaster [calamity]
that will come to the people who ·attack [invade] us.
17 Fig trees may not ·grow figs [L blossom; bud],
and there may be no grapes on the vines.
·There may be no olives growing [L The produce of the olive fails/disappoints]
and no food growing in the fields.
There may be no sheep in the ·pens [fold]
and no cattle in the ·barns [stalls].
18 But I will still ·be glad [rejoice] in the Lord;
I will ·rejoice [be joyful] in God my Savior.
19 The Lord God is my strength.
He makes ·me like a deer that does not stumble [L my feet like a deer’s]
so I can walk on the ·steep mountains [heights].
For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
1 This is the word of the Lord that came through Zephaniah while Josiah [C ruled 640–609 bc] son of Amon was king of Judah. Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, who was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Hezekiah.
The Lord’s Judgment
2 “I will sweep away everything
from the [L face of the] earth,” says the Lord.
3 “I will sweep away the people and animals;
I will ·destroy [sweep away] the birds in the air
and the fish of the sea.
I will ·ruin the evil people [reduce the wicked to rubble; L destroy the stumbling blocks with the wicked],
and I will remove human beings from the [L face of the] earth,” says the Lord.
The Future of Judah
4 “I will ·punish [L stretch out my hand against] Judah
and all the people living in Jerusalem.
I will remove from this place
·all signs [every trace; the remnant] of Baal, ·the [every memory of; L the names of] ·false [idolatrous] priests, and the other priests.
5 I will destroy those who ·worship [bow down to]
the ·stars [starry host; host of heaven] from the roofs [C roofs were flat and used for living space],
and those who ·worship [bow down] and ·make promises [swear oaths]
by both the Lord and the god ·Molech [or Malkam; or the king],
6 and those who turned away from the Lord,
and those who quit following the Lord and ·praying to him for direction [L seeking or inquiring of him].
7 Be silent before the Lord God,
because the ·Lord’s day for judging people [L day of the Lord; Is. 13:6, 9; Jer. 46:10; Joel 2:1, 11, 31; Amos 5:18–20; Zech. 14:1] is ·coming soon [near].
The Lord has prepared a sacrifice;
he has ·made holy [consecrated] his invited guests.
8 On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice,
I, the Lord, will punish the ·princes [officials] and the king’s sons
and all those who wear foreign clothes [C indicating adoption of pagan culture and religion].
9 On that day I will punish those who ·worship Dagon [L leap over the threshold; C thought to be part of worship of the Philistine god Dagon; 1 Sam. 5:5],
those who fill the ·temple [L house] of their ·gods [or king; L master] with violence and deceit.
10 “On that day,” says the Lord,
“a cry will be heard at the Fish Gate.
A wail will come from the ·new area of the city [L Second Quarter],
and a loud crash will echo from the hills.
11 ·Cry [Wail], you people living in ·the market area [or the lower town; or Mortar; C possibly a place name],
because all the merchants will ·be dead [be destroyed; or disappear];
all the silver traders will be ·gone [L cut off].
12 At that time I, the Lord, will search Jerusalem with lamps.
I will punish those who are ·satisfied with themselves [complacent; or entrenched in sin; L thickened in their dregs/sediment],
who think, ‘The Lord won’t ·help us or punish us [L do good or evil].’
13 Their wealth will be ·stolen [plundered]
and their houses ·destroyed [ruined; laid waste].
They may build houses,
but they will not live in them.
They may plant vineyards,
but they will not drink any wine from them.
The Lord’s Day of Judging
14 “The ·Lord’s day of judging [great day of the Lord; 1:7] is ·coming soon [near];
it is near and coming fast.
The cry will be ·very sad [bitter] on the day of the Lord;
·even soldiers will cry [or soldiers will shout a battle cry].
15 That day will be a day of ·anger [wrath],
a day of ·terror [distress] and ·trouble [anguish],
a day of ·destruction [devastation] and ruin,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,
16 a day of ·alarms [trumpet blasts; L a ram’s horn] and battle cries.
·‘Attack [or …against] the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities!
·Attack [or …against] the corner towers!’
17 I will ·make life hard [bring distress] on ·the people [or humanity];
they will ·walk [grope] around like the blind,
because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dust,
and their ·insides [flesh] will be dumped like ·trash [refuse; dung].
18 On the day ·that God will show his anger [L of the Lord’s wrath],
neither their silver nor gold will save them.
·The Lord’s anger will be like a fire [L In the fire of his jealousy; Nah. 1:2]
that will ·burn up [consume; devour] the whole world;
suddenly he will bring an end, yes, an end
to ·everyone on [all who live on] earth.”
The Lord Asks People to Change
2 Gather together, gather,
you ·unwanted [shameful; undesirable] people.
2 Do it before ·it’s too late [L the decree takes effect],
before ·you are blown away like chaff [or the day passes like chaff],
before the Lord’s ·terrible [fierce; burning] anger reaches you,
before the day of the Lord’s anger comes to you.
3 ·Come to [Seek] the Lord, all you who are ·not proud [humble; meek],
who obey his ·laws [commands].
·Do what is right [Seek righteousness]. ·Learn [Seek] to be humble.
Maybe you will ·escape [be protected; L be hidden]
on the day the Lord shows his anger.
Philistia Will Be Punished
4 ·No one will be left in the city of Gaza [L Gaza will be abandoned; C Gaza sounds like Hebrew for “abandoned”; all four of these were cities in Philistia],
and the city of Ashkelon will be ·destroyed [desolated; a heap of ruins].
Ashdod will be empty by noon,
and the people of Ekron will be ·chased away [L uprooted; C Ekron sounds like Hebrew for “uprooted”].
5 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] you who live by the ·Mediterranean Sea [L sea],
you ·Philistines [L nation of Cerethites; C either another name for the Philistines or a neighboring people group; the name suggests they came from the island of Crete; 2 Sam. 8:18; Ezek. 25:16]!
The word of the Lord is against you,
Canaan, land of the Philistines.
“I will destroy you
so that no ·one [inhabitant] will be left.”
6 The land by the ·Mediterranean Sea, in which you live [L sea],
will become pastures, ·fields [or shelters; or having wells] for shepherds, and pens for ·sheep [flocks].
7 It will ·belong to [L be for] the ·descendants of Judah who are left alive [L remnant of the house of Judah].
There they will ·let their sheep eat grass [graze; find pasture].
At night they will ·sleep [lay down]
in the houses of Ashkelon.
The Lord their God will ·pay attention to [care for] them
and will ·make their life good again [restore their fortunes; or return their exiles].
Moab and Ammon Will Be Punished
8 “I have heard the ·insults [taunts] of Moab[C the country]
and the ·threats [insults; reproach] of the ·people [L sons/descendants] of Ammon.
They have ·insulted [taunted] my people
and ·have taken [or harrassed; threatened; or boasted about] their ·land [borders].”
9 So the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says,
“As surely as I live,
Moab will ·be destroyed [L become] like Sodom,
and ·Ammon [L the sons/descendant of Ammon] will ·be destroyed [become] like Gomorrah [C two cities destroyed for their great wickedness; Gen. 19]—
a heap of weeds, a pit of salt,
and a ·ruin [wasteland] forever.
·Those of my people who are left alive [The remnant of my people] will ·take whatever they want from [plunder] them;
·those who are left from my nation [the survivors] will ·take their land [L inherit/possess them].”
10 This is what Moab and Ammon get for being proud,
because they ·insulted [taunted] and ·made fun of [boasted against] the people of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
11 The Lord will ·frighten [terrify; be awesome against] them,
because he will ·destroy [or weaken; or starve] all the gods of the earth.
Then everyone in ·faraway places [or the coastlands of the nations]
will ·worship [bow down to] him wherever they are.
Cush and Assyria Will Be Destroyed
12 “You ·Cushites [Ethiopians] also
will be ·killed [slain] by my sword.”
13 Then the Lord will ·turn [L stretch out his hand] against the north
and destroy Assyria.
He will make Nineveh
a ·ruin [desolation] as dry as a desert.
14 Flocks and herds will lie down there,
and all ·wild animals [kinds of beasts].
The ·owls [horned owls; or pelicans] and ·crows [or screech owls; or hedgehogs] will sit
on ·the stone pillars [her columns/capitals].
The owl will hoot through the windows,
·trash [rubble; devastation] will be in the ·doorways [thresholds],
and the ·wooden boards [cedar work] of the buildings will be ·gone [or exposed].
15 This is the ·happy [boisterous; exultant] and ·safe [secure] city
that ·thinks [L said in her heart] ·there is no one else as strong as it is [L “I am it, and there is no one besides me”].
But what a ruin it will be,
a place where wild animals live.
All those who pass by will ·make fun [scoff; L hiss]
and shake their fists.
Jerusalem Will Be Punished
3 ·How terrible for [L Woe to] the ·wicked, stubborn [rebellious and polluted/defiled] ·city of Jerusalem [L city],
which ·hurts its own people [oppresses].
2 It obeys no voice;
it ·can’t be taught to do right [receives/accepts no correction].
It doesn’t trust the Lord;
it doesn’t ·worship [L draw near to] its God.
3 Its ·officers [princes] are like roaring lions.
Its ·rulers [or judges] are ·like hungry wolves that attack in the evening [L evening wolves],
and in the morning ·nothing is left of those they attacked [L there is no gnawing].
4 Its prophets are proud;
they are ·people who cannot be trusted [treacherous people].
Its priests ·don’t respect [profane] ·holy things [or the sanctuary];
they ·break [L do violence to] God’s ·teachings [law; L Torah].
5 But the Lord is ·good [righteous; just], and he is there in that city.
He does no ·wrong [iniquity; injustice].
Every morning he ·governs the people fairly [provides justice];
·every day [L at the light/dawn] he ·can be trusted [never fails].
But evil people ·are not ashamed of what they do [know no shame].
6 “I have ·destroyed [L cut off] nations;
their ·towers [fortresses; strongholds] were ruined.
I made their streets ·empty [deserted]
so no one ·goes there [passes through] anymore.
Their cities are ·ruined [desolate];
no one lives there at all.
7 I said, ‘Surely now ·Jerusalem [L you] will ·respect [fear] me [Prov. 1:7]
and will accept my ·teaching [correction].’
Then the place where they lived would not be destroyed,
and I would not have to punish them.
But they were still eager
to ·do evil [act corruptly] in everything they did.
8 Just ·wait [be patient],” says the Lord.
“Someday I will stand up ·as a witness [to testify; or to plunder].
I have decided that I will gather nations
and assemble kingdoms.
I will pour out my ·anger [wrath; indignation] on them,
all my ·strong [fierce; burning] anger.
My anger will be like fire
that will ·burn up [consume; devour] the whole world.
A New Day for God’s People
9 “Then I will ·give [restore to] the ·people of all nations [L nations] pure ·speech [L lips; C pure because they worship God instead of idols]
so that all of them will ·speak [call on] the name of the Lord
and worship me ·together [as one; side-by-side].
10 People will come from ·where the Nile River begins [L the rivers of Cush/Ethiopia];
my worshipers, ·my scattered people [L the daughter of my dispersed ones] will come with ·gifts [offerings] for me.
11 ·Then [L On that day] Jerusalem will not be ashamed
of the ·wrongs [rebellious deeds] done against me,
because I will remove from this city
those who ·like to brag [arrogantly boast];
there will never be any more ·proud people [haughty]
on my holy ·mountain in Jerusalem [L mountain; hill; C Zion, the location of the Temple].
12 But I will leave in ·the city [L your midst]
the humble and ·those who are not proud [meek; lowly],
and they will ·trust [or find refuge] in the [L name of the] Lord.
13 ·Those who are left alive in [L The remnant of] Israel won’t do wrong or tell lies;
·they won’t trick people with their words [No deceitful tongue will be found in their mouth].
They will ·eat [or graze; feed their flocks] and lie down
with no one to make them afraid.”
A Happy Song
14 ·Sing [or Shout joyfully], Jerusalem.
Israel, shout ·for joy [out]!
·Jerusalem [L Daughter Jerusalem], be happy
and rejoice with all your heart.
15 The Lord has ·stopped punishing you [taken away your judgments];
he has ·sent [swept; cleared; turned] your enemies away.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is with you;
you will never again be afraid of ·being harmed [disaster; evil].
16 On that day Jerusalem will be told,
“Don’t be afraid, ·city of Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple].
Don’t ·give up [L let your hands grow weak/hang limp].
17 The Lord your God is ·with you [in your midst];
the mighty One will save you.
He will ·rejoice over you [take delight in you].
·You will rest [or He will quiet you; or He won’t rebuke you] in his love;
he will sing and be joyful about you.”
18 “I will take away the sadness ·planned for you [or over the loss of your appointed festivals],
which would have made you very ashamed.
19 At that time I will ·punish [L deal with]
all those who ·harmed [oppressed] you.
I will ·save my people who cannot walk [rescue the lame]
and gather ·my people who have been thrown out [the scattered; C perhaps shepherd imagery].
I will give them praise and ·honor [fame; renown]
in every place where they were shamed.
20 At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will ·bring you back home [gather you].
I will give you ·honor [fame; renown] and praise
·from people everywhere [L among all the peoples/nations of the earth]
when I ·make things go well again for you [restore your fortunes; or return your exiles],
·as you will see with your own [L before your] eyes,” says the Lord.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.