Before him went pestilence,and plague followed at his heels. Habakkuk 3:5 Habakkuk continues his theophany, depicting God’s arrival as a plague spreading around him. Spreading Disease Habakkuk says the disease goes before God (literally “to his face,” a very common Hebrew phrase). Then he says it follows after him (literally, “to his feet”). It sounds like he’s infectious, spreading disease where he goes. Plagues have been a common occurrence throughout human history, although we’ve been reminded of that since the onset of COVID-19. Pestilence The Hebrew word translated pestilence is deber. It’s rooted in the noun dabar, which has a […]

His brightness was like the light;rays flashed from his hand;and there he veiled his power. Habakkuk 3:4 Habakkuk continues his theophany using the imagery of bright lights. Bright Light Habakkuk compares God to a bright light. Think back to what God first created: light (Genesis 1:3-5). Light (Hebrew or) carries the same general idea of light as we use it in English, whether light from the sun or some other means. We find it translated as lightning in a few places in Job. “Behold, he scatters his lightning (or) about him” (Job 36:30). “He loads the thick cloud with moisture; […]

God came from Teman,and the Holy One from Mount Paran. SelahHis splendor covered the heavens,and the earth was full of his praise. Habakkuk 3:3 After announcing God’s arrival, Habakkuk describes God’s awesomeness percolating across the universe using a set of parallel statements. Splendor First, he says that God’s splendor (הוֹד, hod) covers the heavens/skies. Hod is also translated as majesty, glory, or honor. The Psalms (among other places) use it to describe God. O LORD, our Lord,how majestic is your name in all the earth!You have set your glory (hod) above the heavens. Psalm 8:1 “Splendor (hod) and majesty are […]

God came from Teman,and the Holy One from Mount Paran. SelahHis splendor covered the heavens,and the earth was full of his praise. Habakkuk 3:3 Habakkuk prays by acknowledging who God is. Verse 3 contains two pairs of parallel lines. First, he describes a theophany by using two geographical locations. How God Arrives A theophany is defined as “a visible manifestation to humankind of God or a god”. Habakkuk says God came from two places: Teman and Mount Paran. Moses used a very similar phrase in his introduction to blessing the people of Israel before his death: The LORD came from […]

O LORD, I have heard the report of you,and your work, O LORD, do I fear.In the midst of the years revive it;in the midst of the years make it known;in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2 Habakkuk begins his prayer. If God had just revealed to you about the punishments that would be coming on your nation and those around you, what would you pray about first? I Have Heard Habakkuk starts by acknowledging what he has heard. He heard the report (The word “report” is a noun form of the verb “hear”). What reaction does he have to what […]

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth. Habakkuk 3:1 We have finally arrived at the third chapter of Habakkuk’s short book! A quick bit of review is in order to set the context for what’s ahead. Habakkuk begins by complaining about the injustice and violence around him. How can the world be so messed up and God does nothing about it? God answers him saying he was going to act by sending the Chaldeans (Babylonians) to punish Israel and the nations. Habakkuk then responds with another question: how could God use a nation even more wicked than Israel […]

“What profit is an idolwhen its maker has shaped it,a metal image, a teacher of lies?For its maker trusts in his own creationwhen he makes speechless idols!Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake;to a silent stone, Arise!Can this teach?Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,and there is no breath at all in it.But the LORD is in his holy temple;let all the earth keep silence before him.” Habakkuk 2:18-20 The final woe of Habakkuk uses three words for silence: speechless (mute) idols (verse 18), silent stone (verse 19), and people commanded to be silent before the […]

“What profit is an idolwhen its maker has shaped it,a metal image, a teacher of lies?For its maker trusts in his own creationwhen he makes speechless idols!Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake;to a silent stone, Arise!Can this teach?Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,and there is no breath at all in it.But the LORD is in his holy temple;let all the earth keep silence before him.” Habakkuk 2:18-20 We have finally reached the fifth and last of Habakkuk’s woes. This one is a little different because the word “woe” (hoi) appears in the middle rather […]

“Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink—you pour out your wrath and make them drunk,in order to gaze at their nakedness!You will have your fill of shame instead of glory.Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision!The cup in the LORD’s right handwill come around to you,and utter shame will come upon your glory!The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them,for the blood of man and violence to the earth,to cities and all who dwell in them. Habakkuk 2:15-17 Habbakuk’s fourth woe condemns Babylon with the punishments they had done to others. […]

“Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink—you pour out your wrath and make them drunk,in order to gaze at their nakedness!You will have your fill of shame instead of glory.Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision!The cup in the LORD’s right handwill come around to you,and utter shame will come upon your glory!The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them,for the blood of man and violence to the earth,to cities and all who dwell in them. Habakkuk 2:15-17 We have reached Habakkuk’s fourth woe. He uses vivid imagery of drunkenness to […]