Habakkuk 3:14
What does Habakkuk 3:14 mean?
A plain-English look at Habakkuk 3:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Habakkuk 3:14 means
Habakkuk continues to vividly describe God's defeat of the enemies of His people. God "didst pierce with his own staves the head of his warriors," implying that the enemies' own weapons or leaders were turned against them or rendered useless by divine intervention, leading to their downfall. These enemies are characterized by their aggressive intent: they "came as a whirlwind to scatter me" and rejoiced "as to devour the poor secretly." This highlights both the malicious nature of the adversaries and God's powerful protection of the vulnerable from their destructive intentions.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Thou didst pierce with his own staves the head of his warriors: They came as a whirlwind to scatter me; Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Thou 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Thou didst pierce with his own staves the head of his warriors: They came as a whirlwind to scatter me; Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949You have put your spears through his head, his horsemen were sent in flight like dry stems; they had joy in driving away the poor, in making a meal of them secretly.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Thou hast pierced with his staves the head of his leaders, They are tempestuous to scatter me, Their exultation <FI>is<Fi> as to consume the poor in secret.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Thou hast cursed his sceptres, the head of his warriors, them that came out as a whirlwind to scatter me. Their joy was like that of him that devoureth the poor man in secret.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Thou didst strike through with his own spears the head of his leaders: They came out as a whirlwind to scatter me, Whose exulting was as to devour the afflicted secretly.
Context
Building on the declaration of God's purpose to save His people and His anointed in verse 13, verse 14 provides further graphic detail of how God executes judgment against the wicked. It precedes another powerful image of God's dominion over the sea. This verse underscores the decisiveness of God's triumph over oppressive enemies, reinforcing the prophet's confidence that God will ultimately defend Judah against those who seek to destroy them, even if it feels like they are currently being scattered.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Judges 7:22
And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and Jehovah set every man’s sword against his fellow, and against all the host; and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.
- Exodus 1:10
come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.
- Exodus 15:9
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
- Exodus 14:17
And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
- Psalms 83:2
For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult; And they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
- Psalms 64:2
Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers, From the tumult of the workers of iniquity;
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