\NormalFont\ShortTitle{HABAKKUK}

{\MTB This book contains the account of God revealing to Habakkuk that what God does is good. We call this book

\par }{\MT Habakkuk



\par }\ChapOne{1}{\PP \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{I am}} Habakkuk, a prophet. This is the
{\ADD{message that Yahweh}} gave to me in a vision.


\par }{\SH Habakkuk’s first complaint
\par }
{\Q \VS{2}{\ADD{I said,}} “Yahweh, how long must I continue to call
{\ADD{to you}} for help

\par }{\QB before you respond?

\par }{\Q I cry out to you
{\ADD{for help}}, saying that
{\ADD{people are acting}} violently
{\ADD{everywhere}},

\par }{\QB but you do not rescue us!


\par }{\Q \VS{3}◄Must I/I do not want to► continue seeing people doing what is unjust [RHQ].

\par }{\QB Why do you not punish people who are doing what is wrong [RHQ]?

\par }{\Q I see people destroying things and
{\ADD{acting}} violently.

\par }{\QB There is fighting and quarreling
{\ADD{everywhere}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}No one obeys laws [PRS],

\par }{\QB and judges [PRS] never do what is fair/just.

\par }{\Q Wicked people always defeat righteous people
{\ADD{in the courts}},

\par }{\QB with the result that matters are never decided fairly/justly.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh’s reply
\par }
{\Q \VS{5}{\ADD{Yahweh replied to me,}}

\par }{\Q “{\ADD{I know that what you say is true, but}} look around at
{\ADD{what is happening in}} the other nations;

\par }{\QB {\ADD{if you look,}} you will be amazed,

\par }{\Q because I am doing something during this time that you would not believe
{\ADD{would happen}},

\par }{\QB even if someone told you about it.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}The soldiers of Babylonia are fierce/cruel and swift.

\par }{\QB And now I am causing them
{\ADD{to become very powerful}};

\par }{\Q they will march across the world

\par }{\QB and conquer
{\ADD{many}} other countries.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}They are people whom
{\ADD{others}} fear very much [DOU],

\par }{\QB and they do whatever they want to,

\par }{\QB paying no attention to the laws of other countries.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}The horses
{\ADD{that pull their chariots}} go faster than leopards,

\par }{\QB and they are fiercer than wolves are in the evening.

\par }{\Q The horses on which the soldiers ride gallop swiftly;

\par }{\QB the soldiers riding them come from distant places.

\par }{\Q They are like [SIM] eagles that swoop down to
{\ADD{snatch and}} kill small animals.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}As they ride along,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{they are}} determined to act violently.

\par }{\Q They advance like [SIM] a wind from the desert,

\par }{\QB gathering prisoners that are as
{\ADD{numerous as grains of}} sand.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}They make fun of kings and princes
{\ADD{of other countries}},

\par }{\QB and they ridicule all the cities that have high walls around them.

\par }{\Q They pile dirt
{\ADD{outside those walls}}

\par }{\QB {\ADD{in order to climb up}} and capture those cities.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}They rush past like the wind,

\par }{\QB and then they go
{\ADD{to attack other cities}}.

\par }{\Q But they are very guilty,

\par }{\QB because
{\ADD{they think that}} their own power is their god.”


\par }{\SH Habakkuk’s second complaint
\par }
{\Q \VS{12}{\ADD{Then I said,}} “Yahweh, you have certainly [RHQ] always/forever been God.

\par }{\QB You are my Holy One; you will not die.

\par }{\Q So
{\ADD{why}} have you appointed those men
{\ADD{from Babylonia}} to judge and get rid of
{\ADD{us}}?

\par }{\QB You are like [MET] a huge rock
{\ADD{under which we are protected/safe}},

\par }{\QB so why have you sent them to punish us?


\par }{\Q \VS{13}You [SYN] are pure, and you cannot endure looking at what is evil,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{so why
}} are you ignoring men who are treacherous?

\par }{\Q Why do you do nothing

\par }{\QB {\ADD{to punish}} those wicked men
{\ADD{from Babylonia}}

\par }{\QB who destroy people who are more righteous than they
{\ADD{are}}?


\par }{\Q \VS{14}{\ADD{Do you consider that}} we are like fish in the sea,

\par }{\QB or like other creatures in the sea, that have no ruler?


\par }{\Q \VS{15}{\ADD{The soldiers of Babylonia think that we are fish}} [RHQ] for them to pull out of the sea with hooks

\par }{\QB or to catch in their nets,

\par }{\QB while they rejoice and celebrate.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}If they catch us, they will
{\ADD{worship}} their weapons [MET] with which they captured us, and offer sacrifices to them

\par }{\QB and burn incense in front of them!

\par }{\Q {\ADD{They will say}} ‘Those weapons have enabled us to become rich and be able to eat expensive food.’


\par }{\Q \VS{17}{\ADD{Will you allow}} them to continue
{\ADD{to conquer people}} [MET] forever?

\par }{\QB {\ADD{Will you allow}} them to destroy people of other nations without their being merciful
{\ADD{to anyone}}?”




\par }\PoetryChap{2}{\Q \VerseOne{1}{\ADD{After I said that, I said to myself,}} “I will climb up into my watchtower,

\par }{\QB and stand there at my guard post.

\par }{\Q I will wait there to find out what Yahweh will say,

\par }{\QB what he will reply to what I have complained about.”


\par }{\SH Yahweh’s second reply
\par }
{\PP \VS{2}Then Yahweh replied to me,

\par }{\Q “Write plainly on tablets
{\ADD{what I am revealing to you in}} this vision,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{and then read it to a messenger}}

\par }{\QB in order that he can run with it
{\ADD{to tell it to}} other people.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}In this vision
{\ADD{I will be talking about things that will happen}} in the future.

\par }{\Q Now is not the time when those things will happen,

\par }{\QB but they certainly will happen,

\par }{\QB and when they occur, they will occur quickly,

\par }{\QB and they will not be delayed.

\par }{\Q Now you
{\ADD{want those things to happen immediately, but}} they are not happening.

\par }{\QB But wait patiently for them
{\ADD{to happen}}!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{4}Think about the proud
{\ADD{people of Babylonia}}!

\par }{\QB They are certainly not doing what is righteous.

\par }{\Q But people who are righteous will live

\par }{\QB because they faithfully
{\ADD{do what I want them to do}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}If people
{\ADD{trust in their wealth}}, they will deceive themselves,

\par }{\QB and proud people are never able to rest.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{It is as though}} the greedy people
{\ADD{of Babylonia open their mouths}} as wide as the place where dead people are,

\par }{\Q and they never have enough,

\par }{\QB like
{\ADD{the place where}} dead people go never has enough dead people [PRS].

\par }{\Q The
{\ADD{armies of Babylonia}} conquer many nations for themselves,

\par }{\QB and capture all their people.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}But
{\ADD{soon}} all those
{\ADD{whom they have captured}} will ridicule
{\ADD{the soldiers from Babylonia}}!

\par }{\Q They will make fun of them, saying,

\par }{\QB ‘Terrible things will happen to you who have stolen things
{\ADD{from other countries}}!

\par }{\Q You got many things by forcing people to give them to you.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{But you certainly will not keep those things}} for a long time [RHQ]!’


\par }{\Q \VS{7}Suddenly those whom you ◄oppressed/treated cruelly► will cause you to tremble,

\par }{\QB and they will take away all the things that you have stolen from them.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}You stole things from the people of many nations.

\par }{\Q You murdered [MTY] people of many people-groups,

\par }{\QB and you destroyed their land and their cities.

\par }{\Q So those who are still alive will steal valuable things from you.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{9}Terrible things will happen to you
{\ADD{people of Babylonia}} who build big houses

\par }{\QB with money that you got by forcing others to give it to you.

\par }{\Q You are proud and you think that your houses will be safe

\par }{\QB because you have built them in places where you can easily defend them.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}But because you have destroyed others,

\par }{\QB you have caused your family [MTY] to be shamed/disgraced,

\par }{\QB and you yourselves will be killed.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}{\ADD{It is as though}} the stones in the walls
{\ADD{of your houses}} cry out to accuse you,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{it is as though}} the beams
{\ADD{in your ceilings}} also say the same things.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}Terrible things will happen to you
{\ADD{people of Babylonia}} who kill people [MTY] in order to build cities,

\par }{\QB cities that you build by using money that you have gotten by committing crimes.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}But the Commander of the armies of angels has [RHQ] declared that everything that is built by people who do things like that
{\ADD{will be destroyed by}} fire;

\par }{\QB they will have worked hard uselessly.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}But
{\ADD{in contrast}}, like [SIM] the oceans are filled with water,

\par }{\QB the earth will be filled with
{\ADD{people who}} know that Yahweh is very great.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{15}Terrible things will happen to you
{\ADD{people of Babylonia}}

\par }{\QB who cause people who live in nearby countries to become drunk.

\par }{\Q You force them to drink a lot of wine from wineskins

\par }{\QB {\ADD{until they are drunk and then they walk around}} naked,

\par }{\QB in order that you can see that.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}But you are the ones who
{\ADD{soon}} will be disgraced instead of being honored.

\par }{\QB {\ADD{It will be as though you are forced to}} drink
{\ADD{a lot of wine}} in order that you will also stagger
{\ADD{around, drunk}}.

\par }{\Q You will drink the wine
{\ADD{that symbolizes that Yahweh will punish you}},

\par }{\QB and he will cause you to be disgraced instead of being greatly respected
{\ADD{any more}}.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}You did violent [PRS] things to
{\ADD{the people in}} Lebanon,

\par }{\QB and you killed the wild animals
{\ADD{there}},

\par }{\Q but you will be punished severely for doing that.

\par }{\Q You have killed [MTY] many people

\par }{\QB and you have destroyed their lands and their cities.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{18}{\ADD{You people of Babylonia need to know that your}} idols are completely [RHQ] useless,

\par }{\QB because it is people who made them.

\par }{\Q Statues that have been carved or made in a mold deceive you.

\par }{\QB Those who trust in idols

\par }{\QB are trusting in things that they themselves created,

\par }{\Q things that cannot speak!


\par }{\Q \VS{19}Terrible things will happen to you who say to lifeless idols that are made of wood,

\par }{\QB ‘Wake up!’

\par }{\Q Idols certainly cannot [RHQ] tell you what you should do;

\par }{\QB they
{\ADD{look nice/beautiful because}} they are covered with silver and gold,

\par }{\QB but they are not alive.


\par }{\Q \VS{20}But Yahweh is in his holy temple;

\par }{\QB everyone on the earth should be silent in his presence.”




\par }\Chap{3}{\SH A prayer sung by Habakkuk
\par }
{\PP \VerseOne{1-2}Yahweh, I have heard about you;

\par }{\Q I revere you because of
{\ADD{all the amazing}} things that you have done.

\par }{\QB In our time, do again
{\ADD{some of}} those things that you did long ago!

\par }{\Q Even when you are angry
{\ADD{with us}},

\par }{\QB be merciful
{\ADD{to us}}!


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{3}{\ADD{In the vision, I saw}} God, the Holy One, coming from the Teman
{\ADD{district in Edom}};

\par }{\QB {\ADD{and I also saw}} him coming from the Paran Hills
{\ADD{in the Sinai area}}.

\par }{\Q His glory filled the sky,

\par }{\QB and the earth was full of
{\ADD{people who were}} praising him.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}His glory was like [SIM] a sunrise;

\par }{\QB rays flashed from his hands

\par }{\QB where he hides his power.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}He sent plagues in front of him,

\par }{\QB and
{\ADD{other}} plagues came behind him.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}When he stopped, the earth shook.

\par }{\Q When he looked at the nations,

\par }{\QB {\ADD{all the people}} trembled.

\par }{\Q The hills and mountains that have existed for a very long time [HYP] collapsed and crumbled.

\par }{\QB Yahweh is the one who exists eternally/forever!


\par }{\Q \VS{7}{\ADD{In the vision}} I saw the
{\ADD{people who live in}} tents in the Cushan
{\ADD{region}} being afflicted,

\par }{\QB and the people in the Midian
{\ADD{region}} trembling.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{8}Yahweh, was it because you were angry with the rivers and streams that you were angry with them?

\par }{\Q Did the seas cause you to be furious,

\par }{\QB with the result that you rode through them with horses that were pulling chariots

\par }{\QB that enabled you to defeat them?


\par }{\Q \VS{9}{\ADD{It was as though}} you uncovered your bow,

\par }{\QB took arrows from your quiver,
{\ADD{and prepared to shoot them}}.

\par }{\Q {\ADD{Then with lightning}} you split open the earth,

\par }{\QB and streams burst forth.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}{\ADD{It is as though}} the mountains saw you
{\ADD{doing that}},

\par }{\QB and they trembled.

\par }{\Q Floods rushed by;

\par }{\QB {\ADD{it was as though}} the deep ocean roared and caused its waves to rise up high.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{11}The sun and moon stopped moving in the sky

\par }{\QB while your
{\ADD{lightning}} flashed
{\ADD{past like}} a swift arrow,

\par }{\QB and your glittering spear flashed.


\par }{\Q \VS{12}Being very angry [DOU], you walked across the earth

\par }{\QB and trampled the
{\ADD{armies of many}} nations.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}But you
{\ADD{also}} went to rescue us, your people,

\par }{\QB and to save the
{\ADD{king}} (Or,
{\ADD{people}}) whom you had chosen [MTY].

\par }{\Q You struck down the leader [MTY] of those wicked people

\par }{\QB and stripped off his clothes, from his head to his feet.


\par }{\Q \VS{14}With his own spear you destroyed the leader of those soldiers who rushed like [SIM] a whirlwind to
{\ADD{attack and}} scatter us,

\par }{\QB thinking that they could conquer us
{\ADD{Israelis}} easily.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}You walked through the sea with your horses
{\ADD{to destroy our enemies}},

\par }{\QB and caused the waves to surge.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{16}When I saw that vision,

\par }{\QB my heart pounded

\par }{\Q and my lips quivered

\par }{\QB {\ADD{because I became afraid}}.

\par }{\Q My legs became weak

\par }{\QB and I shook,
{\ADD{because I was terrified}}.

\par }{\Q But I will wait quietly for the people
{\ADD{of Babylonia}}, those who invaded our country, to experience disasters!


\par }{\Q \VS{17}{\ADD{Therefore,}}

\par }{\Q even if there are no blossoms on the fig trees,

\par }{\QB and there are no grapes on the grapevines,

\par }{\Q and even if there are no olives growing on the olive trees,

\par }{\QB and there are no crops in the fields,

\par }{\Q and even if the flocks
{\ADD{of sheep and goats}} die in the fields,

\par }{\QB and there are no cattle in the stalls/barns,


\par }{\Q \VS{18}I will rejoice because
{\ADD{I know}} Yahweh.

\par }{\QB I will be joyful because Yahweh my God is the one who saves me!


\par }{\Q \VS{19}Yahweh the Lord is the one who causes me to be strong;

\par }{\QB he enables me to climb
{\ADD{◄safely/without falling►}} in the
{\ADD{rocky}} mountains, like [SIM] a deer does.

\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q (This message is for the choir director:

\par }{\QB {\ADD{When this prayer is sung, it is to be accompanied by people playing}} stringed instruments.)


\par }