1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and wilt not hear! even cry out
unto of violence, and wilt not save!
3 Why dost shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for
spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise
up strife and contention.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked
doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I
will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be
told you.
6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation,
which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces
that are not theirs.
7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity
shall proceed of themselves.
8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the
evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen
shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the
east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto
them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take
it.
11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing
this his power unto his Elohim.
12 Art not from everlasting, O LORD my , mine HOLY ONE? we
shall not die. O LORD, hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty
, hast established them for correction.
13 art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on
iniquity: wherefore lookest upon them that deal treacherously, and
holdest tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more
righteous than he?
14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that
have no ruler over them?
15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and
gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag;
because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the
nations?
~ Habakkuk 2 ~
1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see
what will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 And answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it
plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall
speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come,
it will not tarry.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the
just shall live by his faith.
5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man,
neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as
death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth
unto him all people:
6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb
against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his!
how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex
thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?
8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall
spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land,
of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set
his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast
sinned against thy soul.
11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall
answer it.
12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by
iniquity!
13 Behold, is it not of of HOSTS that the people shall labour
in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of , as
the waters cover the sea.
15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him,
and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin
be uncovered: the cup of 's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and
shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.
17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which
made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of
the city, and of all that dwell therein.
18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the
molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth
therein, to make dumb idols?
19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it
shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there
is no breath at all in the midst of it.
20 But is in holy temple: let all the earth keep silence
before .
~ Habakkuk 3 ~
1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
2 O LORD, I have heard speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive
work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath
remember mercy.
3 came from Teman, and the HOLY ONE from mount Paran. Selah. glory
covered the heavens, and the earth was full of praise.
4 And brightness was as the light; had horns coming out
of hand: and there was the hiding of power.
5 Before went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at feet.
6 stood, and measured the earth: beheld, and drove asunder the nations;
and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow:
ways are everlasting.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land
of Midian did tremble.
8 Was displeased against the rivers? was anger against
the rivers? was wrath against the sea, that didst ride upon
horses and chariots of salvation?
9 bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even
word. Selah. didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw , and they trembled: the overflowing of the
water passed by: the deep uttered voice, and lifted up hands on
high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of
arrows they went, and at the shining of glittering spear.
12 didst march through the land in indignation, didst thresh the
heathen in anger.
13 wentest forth for the salvation of people, even for
salvation with anointed; woundedst the head out of the house of the
wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
14 didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came
out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the
poor secretly.
15 didst walk through the sea with horses, through the heap
of great waters.
16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness
entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of
trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be
in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no
meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no
herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in , I will joy in the of my salvation.
19 is my strength, and will make my feet like hinds' feet,
and will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my
stringed instruments.