Habakkuk 3:5
What does Habakkuk 3:5 mean?
A plain-English look at Habakkuk 3:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Habakkuk 3:5 means
This verse dramatizes the devastating effects accompanying God's presence, portraying Him as a divine warrior. "Pestilence" and "fiery bolts" precede and follow Him, respectively, indicating the destructive power that is inherent in His movements. These are not merely natural occurrences but are instruments of divine judgment and power, serving to clear the way before Him and execute His will. It further underscores the terrifying holiness and uncontrollable might of God when He comes forth in judgment or deliverance.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Before him went the pestilence, And fiery bolts went forth at his feet.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Before him went the pestilence, And fiery bolts went forth at his feet.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Before him went disease, and flames went out at his feet.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Before Him goeth pestilence, And a burning flame goeth forth at His feet.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Death shall go before his face. And the devil shall go forth before his feet.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Before him went the pestilence, And a burning flame went forth at his feet.
Context
Following the visual descriptions of God's glory and radiant power in verses 3-4, verse 5 shifts to the destructive forces that accompany His presence. This verse sets the stage for God's powerful actions upon the earth and its inhabitants, which are detailed in the subsequent verses. It emphasizes the overwhelming nature of God's historical interventions, where even pestilence and fire are His attendants, preparing the reader for the depiction of God's dominion over creation and nations.
v.4Andhisbrightness was as the light; He had rayscoming forthfrom his hand; And there was the hiding of his power.
v.5This passage
v.6He stood, and measured the earth; He beheld, and drove asunder the nations; And the eternal mountains were scattered; The everlasting hills did bow; His goings were as of old.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Deuteronomy 32:24
They shall bewasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, With the poison of crawling things of the dust.
- Numbers 14:12
I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.
- Psalms 78:50
He made a path for his anger; He spared not their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence,
- Exodus 12:29
And it came to pass at midnight, that Jehovah smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle.
- Numbers 16:46
And Moses said unto Aaron, Take thy censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly unto the congregation, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Jehovah; the plague is begun.
- Nahum 1:2
Jehovah is a jealous God and avengeth; Jehovah avengeth and is full of wrath; Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
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