Habakkuk 3:13
What does Habakkuk 3:13 mean?
A plain-English look at Habakkuk 3:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Habakkuk 3:13 means
This verse clarifies the ultimate purpose behind God's mighty actions and judgments: the "salvation of thy people, For the salvation of thine anointed." God's interventions are not arbitrary but are redemptive, aimed at delivering His chosen ones. He is depicted as striking down the "head out of the house of the wicked man," utterly destroying the source of evil and laying "bare the foundation even unto the neck," indicating complete and decisive overthrow. This points forward metaphorically, and sometimes literally, to Christ, the ultimate Anointed One, through whom God accomplishes His greatest salvation. "Selah" again marks a pause.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, For the salvation of thine anointed; Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked man, Laying bare the foundation even unto the neck. [Selah
KJV
King James Version · 1611Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, For the salvation of thine anointed; Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked man, Laying bare the foundation even unto the neck. [Selah
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of the one on whom your holy oil was put; wounding the head of the family of the evil-doer, uncovering the base even to the neck. Selah.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Thou hast gone forth for the salvation of Thy people, For salvation with Thine anointed, Thou hast smitten the head of the house of the wicked, Laying bare the foundation unto the neck. Pause!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people: for salvation with thy Christ. Thou struckest the head of the house of the wicked: thou hast laid bare his foundation even to the neck.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, For the salvation of thine anointed; Thou didst smite off the head from the house of the wicked, Laying bare the foundation even to the neck. Selah.
Context
Following the description of God's wrathful threshing of nations in verse 12, verse 13 provides the crucial theological explanation for *why* God engages in such powerful acts. It links directly to the concept of salvation and sets up additional details of God's destructive power against His enemies in the subsequent verses. This verse is central as it frames all of God's historical might within His covenantal purpose of delivering His people and His Anointed, providing assurance for Habakkuk amid impending judgment.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily beareth our burden, Even the God who is our salvation. [Selah
- Psalms 77:20
Thou leddest thy people like a flock, By the hand of Moses and Aaron.
- Psalms 68:7
O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, When thou didst march through the wilderness; [Selah
- Psalms 105:15
Saying, Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm.
- Psalms 89:19
Then thou spakest in vision to thy saints, And saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
- Joshua 11:8
And Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they smote them, and chased them unto great Sidon, and unto Misrephoth-maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.
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