Habakkuk 3:11
What does Habakkuk 3:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Habakkuk 3:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Habakkuk 3:11 means
Habakkuk describes an extraordinary cosmic event in which even the celestial bodies are subject to God's command. The "sun and moon stood still in their habitation," a clear reference to the miracle recorded in Joshua 10:12-14, where God intervened in the natural order to aid Israel in battle. This cessation of normal cosmic rhythm occurred "At the light of thine arrows as they went, At the shining of thy glittering spear," attributing these celestial phenomena directly to God's active involvement in warfare. It emphasizes God's absolute mastery over creation, even its most powerful elements.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The sun and moon stood still in their habitation, At the light of thine arrows as they went, At the shining of thy glittering spear.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The sun and moon stood still in their habitation, At the light of thine arrows as they went, At the shining of thy glittering spear.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949At the light of your arrows they went away, at the shining of your polished spear.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Sun--moon--hath stood--a habitation, At the light thine arrows go on, At the brightness, the glittering of thy spear.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The sun and the moon stood still in their habitation, in the light of thy arrows, they shall go in the brightness of thy glittering spear.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation, At the light of thine arrows which shot forth, — At the shining of thy glittering spear.
Context
Following the dramatic imagery of mountains quaking and the deep roaring in verse 10, verse 11 provides a specific, astounding example of God's power over the cosmos. It transitions into God's active judgment against the nations. This particular historical reference, recalling God's intervention on behalf of Israel in battle by manipulating the sun and moon, powerfully illustrates God's capacity to alter the natural order to achieve His redemptive purposes, thereby strengthening Habakkuk's faith.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 19:4
Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
- Psalms 77:17
The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad.
- Psalms 18:12
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, Hailstones and coals of fire.
- Joshua 10:11
And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, that Jehovah cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
- Isaiah 28:21
For Jehovah will rise up as in mount Perazim, he will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
- Isaiah 38:8
behold, I will cause the shadow on the steps, which is gone down on the dial of Ahaz with the sun, to return backward ten steps. So the sun returned ten steps on the dial whereon it was gone down.
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