\NormalFont\ShortTitle{HABAKKUK}

{\MT Habakkuk



\par }\ChapOne{1}{\SH Habakkuk’s Vision
\par }
{\MM \VerseOne{1}The divine revelation that the prophet Habakkuk saw.


\par }{\SH Habakkuk’s Question
\par }
{\Q \VS{2}How long, O
{\ND{Lord}}, am I to cry for help,

\par }{\Q but you will not listen?

\par }{\Q I cry out to you, “There’s violence!”

\par }{\Q yet you will not come to the rescue.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}Why do you make me see wrongdoing?

\par }{\Q And why do you watch wickedness?

\par }{\Q Destruction and violence are in front of me.

\par }{\Q Quarrels and disputes arise.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}That is why your teaching is numbed,

\par }{\Q and justice is never carried out.

\par }{\Q Wicked people surround righteous people

\par }{\Q so that when justice is carried out, it’s perverted.


\par }{\SH The
{\ND{LORD}}’s Answer
\par }
{\Q \VS{5}Look among the nations and watch.

\par }{\Q Be amazed and astonished.

\par }{\Q I am going to do something in your days

\par }{\Q that you would not believe even if it were reported to you.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}I am going to send the Babylonians,

\par }{\Q that fierce and reckless nation.

\par }{\Q They will march throughout the earth

\par }{\Q to take possession of lands that don’t belong to them.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}They will be terrifying and fearsome.

\par }{\Q They will carry out their own kind of justice and honor.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}Their horses will be faster than leopards

\par }{\Q and quicker than wolves in the evening.

\par }{\Q Their riders will gallop along proudly.

\par }{\Q Their riders will come from far away.

\par }{\Q They will fly like an eagle that swoops down for its prey.


\par }{\Q \VS{9}They will all come for violence.

\par }{\Q Every face will be directed forward.

\par }{\Q They will gather prisoners like sand.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}They will make fun of kings and treat rulers as a joke.

\par }{\Q They will laugh at every fortified city

\par }{\Q and build a dirt ramp to capture it.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}They will move quickly and pass through like the wind.

\par }{\Q So they will be guilty,

\par }{\Q because their own strength is their god.


\par }{\SH Habakkuk’s Question
\par }
{\Q \VS{12}Didn’t you exist before time began, O
{\ND{Lord}}, my God, my Holy One?

\par }{\Q We will not die!

\par }{\Q O
{\ND{Lord}}, you have appointed the Babylonians to bring judgment.

\par }{\Q O Rock, you have destined them to correct us.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}Your eyes are too pure to look at evil.

\par }{\Q You can’t watch wickedness.

\par }{\Q Why do you keep watching treacherous people?

\par }{\Q Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those

\par }{\Q who are more righteous than they are?


\par }{\Q \VS{14}You make all people like the fish in the sea,

\par }{\Q like schools of sea life that have no ruler.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}The Babylonians pull them all up with fishhooks,

\par }{\Q drag them away in nets,

\par }{\Q and gather them in dragnets.

\par }{\Q So they rejoice and are happy.


\par }{\Q \VS{16}That is why they sacrifice to their nets and burn incense to their dragnets.

\par }{\Q They are rich and well fed because of them.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}Will they keep on emptying their nets

\par }{\Q and always kill nations without mercy?




\par }\Chap{2}{\SH Habakkuk Waits for the
{\ND{LORD}}’s Answer
\par }
{\Q \VerseOne{1}I will stand at my guard post.

\par }{\Q I will station myself on the wall.

\par }{\Q I will watch to see what he will say to me

\par }{\Q and what answer I will get to my complaint.


\par }{\SH The
{\ND{LORD}}’s Answer
\par }
{\Q \VS{2}Then the
{\ND{Lord}} answered me,

\par }{\Q “Write the vision.

\par }{\Q Make it clear on tablets

\par }{\Q so that anyone can read it quickly.


\par }{\Q \VS{3}The vision will still happen at the appointed time.

\par }{\Q It hurries toward its goal.

\par }{\Q It won’t be a lie.

\par }{\Q If it’s delayed, wait for it.

\par }{\Q It will certainly happen.

\par }{\Q It won’t be late.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{4}“Look at the proud person. He is not right in himself.

\par }{\Q But the righteous person will live because of his faithfulness.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 2:4 }{\FT{Masoretic Text; Greek
}}{\FQA{“live because of my faith.”}}}


\par }{\Q \VS{5}Also because wine is treacherous

\par }{\Q he is arrogant and never rests.

\par }{\Q He has a large appetite like the grave.

\par }{\Q He is like death—never satisfied.

\par }{\Q He gathers all the nations to himself.

\par }{\Q He collects all the people to himself.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}Won’t all of them ridicule him,

\par }{\Q directing clever sayings and riddles at him, like:

\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself rich

\par }{\Q with what is not his own

\par }{\Q and makes himself wealthy on loans.

\par }{\Q How long will this go on?’


\par }{\Q \VS{7}Won’t your creditors suddenly rise up

\par }{\Q and those who are going to shake you wake up?

\par }{\Q Then you will become their prize.


\par }{\Q \VS{8}You have looted many nations.

\par }{\Q All the rest of the people will loot you

\par }{\Q because of the slaughter and violence done

\par }{\Q to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{9}“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who uses violence

\par }{\Q to get things for his own household

\par }{\Q in order to set his nest up high

\par }{\Q and save himself from disaster.’


\par }{\Q \VS{10}You have planned disgrace for your household

\par }{\Q by cutting off many people and forfeiting your own life.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}A stone in the wall will cry out.

\par }{\Q A beam in the roof will answer it.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who builds a city by slaughter

\par }{\Q and founds a town by crime.’


\par }{\Q \VS{13}Isn’t it from the
{\ND{Lord}} of Armies

\par }{\Q that people grow tired only to feed the flames

\par }{\Q and nations exhaust themselves for nothing?


\par }{\Q \VS{14}But the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the
{\ND{Lord}}’s glory

\par }{\Q like the water covers the sea.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{15}“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who makes his neighbor drink

\par }{\Q from the bowl of God’s rage,

\par }{\Q making him drunk in order to stare at his nakedness.’


\par }{\Q \VS{16}You are filled with disgrace rather than glory.

\par }{\Q Drink! Yes you! And expose yourself as godless.

\par }{\Q The cup in the
{\ND{Lord}}’s right hand will come around to you,

\par }{\Q and disgrace will cover your glory.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,

\par }{\Q and the destruction done to the animals will terrify you

\par }{\Q because of the slaughter and violence done

\par }{\Q to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{18}“What benefit is there in a carved idol

\par }{\Q when its maker has carved it?

\par }{\Q What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies,

\par }{\Q when its maker has molded it?

\par }{\Q The one who formed it trusts himself

\par }{\Q to make worthless idols that cannot speak.


\par }{\Q \VS{19}‘How horrible it will be for the one

\par }{\Q who says to a piece of wood, “Wake up!”

\par }{\Q and to a stone that cannot talk, “Get up!” ’

\par }{\Q Can that thing teach
{\ADD{⌞anyone⌟}}?

\par }{\Q Just look at it!

\par }{\Q It’s covered with gold and silver,

\par }{\Q but there’s absolutely no life in it.”


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{20}The
{\ND{Lord}} is in his holy temple.

\par }{\Q All the earth should be silent in his presence.




\par }\Chap{3}{\SH A Psalm
\par }
{\MM \VerseOne{1}{\IT{A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk; according to}} shigionoth.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 3:1 }{\FT{Unknown musical term.}}}


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{2}{\ND{Lord}}, I have heard the report about you.

\par }{\Q {\ND{Lord}}, I fear your work.

\par }{\Q In the course of the years, renew it.

\par }{\Q In the course of the years, reveal it.

\par }{\Q In all this chaos, remember to be merciful.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{3}God comes from Teman.

\par }{\Q The Holy One comes from Mount Paran.
\par }{\QS Selah\par }

{\Q His splendor covers the heavens.

\par }{\Q His praise fills the earth.


\par }{\Q \VS{4}His brightness is like the sunlight.

\par }{\Q Rays of light
{\ADD{⌞stream⌟}} from his hand.

\par }{\Q That is where his power is hidden.


\par }{\Q \VS{5}Diseases go ahead of him.

\par }{\Q Plagues follow after him.


\par }{\Q \VS{6}He stands and shakes the earth.

\par }{\Q He casts a glance and startles the nations.

\par }{\Q The oldest mountains break apart.

\par }{\Q The ancient hills sink.

\par }{\Q The ancient paths belong to him.


\par }{\Q \VS{7}I see trouble in the tents of Cushan.

\par }{\Q I see trembling in the tents of Midian.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{8}The
{\ND{Lord}} is not angry with the rivers, is he?

\par }{\Q If you are angry with the rivers,

\par }{\Q if you are furious with the sea,

\par }{\Q {\ADD{⌞why⌟}} do you ride your horses,

\par }{\Q your chariots of salvation?


\par }{\Q \VS{9}You get your bow ready for action,

\par }{\Q for the arrows
{\ADD{⌞you⌟}} promised.
\par }{\QS Selah\par }

{\Q You split the land with rivers.


\par }{\Q \VS{10}The mountains look at you. They writhe in pain.

\par }{\Q Floodwaters pass by.

\par }{\Q The deep ocean roars. Its waves rise up high.


\par }{\Q \VS{11}The sun and the moon stand still.

\par }{\Q They scatter at the light of your arrows,

\par }{\Q at the bright lightning of your spear.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{12}You march through the earth with fury.

\par }{\Q You trample the nations in anger.


\par }{\Q \VS{13}You go out to save your people,

\par }{\Q to save your anointed.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 3:13 }{\FT{Or
}}{\FQA{“to save with your anointed.”}}}

\par }{\Q You crush the leader of the wicked household,

\par }{\Q stripping him bare from head to toe.
\par }{\QS Selah\par }


{\Q \VS{14}You pierce the leader of his gang with his own arrows.

\par }{\Q His soldiers come like a violent storm to scatter me.

\par }{\Q They are arrogant like those who secretly eat up the poor.


\par }{\Q \VS{15}You march with your horses into the sea,

\par }{\Q into the mighty raging waters.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\Q \VS{16}I have heard, so there’s trembling within me.

\par }{\Q At the report my lips quivered.

\par }{\Q A rotten feeling has entered me.

\par }{\Q I tremble where I stand.

\par }{\Q I wait for the day of trouble

\par }{\Q to come to the people who will attack us.


\par }{\Q \VS{17}Even if the fig tree does not bloom

\par }{\Q and the vines have no grapes,

\par }{\Q even if the olive tree fails to produce

\par }{\Q and the fields yield no food,

\par }{\Q even if the sheep pen is empty

\par }{\Q and the stalls have no cattle—


\par }{\Q \VS{18}even then,

\par }{\Q I will be happy with the
{\ND{Lord}}.

\par }{\Q I will truly find joy in God, who saves me.


\par }{\Q \VS{19}The
{\ND{Lord}} Almighty is my strength.

\par }{\Q He makes my feet like those of a deer.

\par }{\Q He makes me walk on the mountains.


\par }{\BB \par }
{\QD For the choir director; on stringed instruments.\par }
