Devine Scripture

Habakkuk 3:7

What does Habakkuk 3:7 mean?

A plain-English look at Habakkuk 3:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Habakkuk 3:7 means

Habakkuk continues to recall historical instances of God's power by remembering the distress of specific nations. He sees the "tents of Cushan in affliction" and the "curtains of the land of Midian did tremble." Both Cushan (possibly related to Cush/Ethiopia) and Midian were ancient peoples known to have opposed Israel in various periods. Their affliction and trembling before God's might serve as examples of His past triumphs over the enemies of His people, reinforcing the theme of God's unwavering control over nations.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

The curtains of Cushan were troubled, and the tents of Midian were shaking.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

Under sorrow I have seen tents of Cushan, Tremble do curtains of the land of Midian.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

I saw the tents of Ethiopia for their iniquity, the curtains of the land of Madian shall be troubled.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

Context

Building on the general declaration of God's power over mountains and nations in the previous verse, verse 7 provides specific examples of peoples who experienced affliction due to God's presence. This transitions into a more direct recounting of God's intervention on behalf of Israel, serving as a preamble to the dramatic questions in the following verse about God's motivation in using His chariots of salvation. It grounds God's power in concrete historical encounters.

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.

v.7This passage

v.8Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? Was thine anger against the rivers, Or thy wrath against the sea, That thou didst ride upon thy horses, Upon thy chariots of salvation?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Genesis 25:1

    And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.

  • Numbers 31:2

    Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

  • Genesis 10:6

    And the sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, and Put, and Canaan.

  • Exodus 15:14

    The peoples have heard, they tremble: Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.

  • Judges 7:24

    And Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill-country of Ephraim, saying, Come down against Midian, and take before them the waters, as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan. So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and took the waters as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan.

  • Joshua 2:10

    For we have heard how Jehovah dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan, unto Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

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