Habakkuk 1:1–11

Footnotes

1. 1 Heb “The burden” (so , ). The Hebrew term מַשָּׂא (masa’), usually translated “oracle” (, , , , ) or “utterance” ( 672 III מַשָּׂא), in prophetic literature is a technical term introducing a message from the Lord (see Zech 9:1; 12:1; Mal 1:1). Since it derives from a verb meaning “to carry,” its original nuance was that of a burdensome message, that is, one with ominous content.
2. 2 Heb “The message [traditionally, “burden”] which Habakkuk the prophet saw.”
3. 3 Or “deliver.”
4. 4 Heb “Why do you make me see injustice?”
5. 5 Heb “Why do you look at wrongdoing?” Habakkuk complains that God tolerates social injustice and fails to intervene on behalf of the oppressed (put up with wrongdoing).
6. 6 Heb “are before.”
7. 7 Heb “and there is conflict and strife he lifts up.” The present translation takes the verb יִשָּׂא (yisa’) in the sense of “carry, bear,” and understands the subject to be indefinite (“one”).
8. 8 Heb “the law is numb,” i.e., like a hand that has “fallen asleep” (see Ps 77:2). Cf. “is benumbed”; “is paralyzed.”
9. 9 Heb “never goes out.”
10. 10 Or “for.”
11. 11 Heb “surround” (so , ).
12. 12 Or “righteous” (, , , , ).
13. 13 Heb “comes out crooked.”
14. 14 Or “look among the nations and observe.” The imperatival forms in v. 5 are plural, indicating that the Lord’s message is for the whole nation, not just the prophet.
15. 15 The Hebrew text combines the Hitpael and Qal imperatival forms of the verb תָּמַה (tamah, “be amazed”). A literal translation might read, “Shock yourselves and be shocked!” The repetition of sounds draws attention to the statement. The imperatives here have the force of an emphatic assertion. On this use of the imperative in Hebrew, see §110.c and §34.4c.
16. 16 Heb “for a work working in your days.” Following the reading, some supply a first person singular pronoun with the participle פֹּעֵל (po’el). Ellipsis of a first singular pronoun before participles is relatively rare (see §116.s); perhaps an original אֲנֹכִי (’anoki; or אֲנִי, ’aniy) followed the initial כִּי (ki) and was omitted by homoioteleuton.
17. 17 Heb “you will not believe when it is told.” In this context the force of כִּי (ki) may be “when,” “if,” or “even though.”
18. 18 Heb “raise up” (so , ).
19. 19 Heb “bitter.” Other translation options for this word in this context include “fierce” (, ); “savage” (); or “grim.”
20. 20 Heb “hasty, quick.” Some translate here “impetuous” (so , , , ) or “rash,” but in this context greed may very well be the idea. The Babylonians move quickly and recklessly ahead in their greedy quest to expand their empire.
21. 21 Heb “the open spaces.”
22. 22 Heb “from him his justice, even his lifting up, goes out.” In this context שְׂאֵת (sé’et) probably has the nuance “authority.” See R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (), 150.
23. 23 Heb “sharper,” in the sense of “keener” or “more alert.” Some translate “quicker” on the basis of the parallelism with the first line (see חדד).
24. 24 Heb “wolves of the evening,” that is, wolves that prowl at night. The present translation assumes an emendation to עֲרָבָה (’aravah, “desert”). On this phrase see also Zeph 3:3.
25. 25 Or “horsemen,” “cavalry.”
26. 26 The precise nuance of the rare verb פָּוַשׁ (parash) is unclear here. Elsewhere it is used of animals jumping or leaping (see Jer 50:11; Mal 4:2).
27. 27 Or “eagle” (so , ). The term can refer to either eagles or vultures, but in this context of gruesome destruction and death “vulture” is preferred.
28. 28 Heb “they fly like a vulture/an eagle quickly to devour.” The direct object “their prey” is not included in the Hebrew text but is implied, and has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
29. 29 Heb “come.”
30. 30 Heb “The totality of their faces is to the east” (or “is forward”). The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מְגַמַּת (megammat) is unclear. For a discussion of options see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (), 93. has “a sea of faces rolls on”; “their hordes advance like a desert wind”; “with faces pressing forward.”
31. 31 Heb “and he gathers like sand, prisoners.”
32. 32 Heb “they heap up dirt.” This is a reference to the piling up of earthen ramps in the process of laying siege to a fortified city.
33. 33 The precise meaning of v. 11a is uncertain. The present translation assumes the first line further describes the Babylonian hordes, comparing them to a destructive wind. Another option is to understand רוּחַ (ruakh) as “spirit,” rather than “wind,” and take the form וְאָשֵׁם (vé’ashem) with what precedes (as suggested by the scribal punctuation). Repointing this form as a geminate verb from שָׁמַם (shamam, “be astonished”), one could then translate the line, “The spirit passed on and departed, and I was astonished.” In this case the line would describe the cessation of the divine revelation which began in v. 5. For a detailed defense of this view, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (), 97–100.
34. 34 Heb “and guilty is the one whose strength is his god.” This assumes that אָשֵׁם (’ashem) is a predicate adjective meaning “guilty” and that it relates to what follows.