Habakkuk 1

Habakkuk · Chapter 1

Habakkuk 1:8

1The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.2O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!3Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.4Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.5Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.6For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.7They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.8Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.9They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.10And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.11Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.12Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.13Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?14And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?15They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.16Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.17Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
8Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and they are swiftוְקַלּ֨וּve-ka-LUH7043
to lighten

קָלַל (qa.lal) 1) to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be slight, be abated (of water) 1a2) to be swift 1a3) to be trifling, be of little account 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be swift, show oneself swift 1b2) to appear trifling, be too trifling, be insignificant 1b3) to be lightly esteemed 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to make despicable 1c2) to curse 1d) (Pual) to be cursed 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to make light, lighten 1e2) to treat with contempt, bring contempt or dishonour 1f) (Pilpel) 1f1) to shake 1f2) to whet 1g) (Hithpalpel) to shake oneself, be moved to and fro

more than leopardsמִנְּמֵרִ֜יםmi-ne-me-RIMH5246
leopard

נְמַר (ne.mar) leopard Aramaic of na.mer (נָמֵר "leopard" H5246)

horses itsסוּסָ֗יוsu-SAVH5483M
horse

סוּס (sus) 1) horse 1a) chariot horses

and they are keenוְחַדּוּ֙ve-cha-DUH2300A
be sharp

חָדַד (cha.dad) 1) to be sharp, be alert, be keen 1a) (Qal) to be sharp, be keen 1b) (Hiphil) to sharpen 1c) (Hophal) to be sharpened Also means: cha.dah (חָדַה "to sharpen" H2300B)

more than wolves ofמִזְּאֵ֣בֵיmi-ze-'E-veiH2061
wolf

זְאֵב (ze.ev) wolf

[the] eveningעֶ֔רֶב'E-revH6153
evening

עֶ֫רֶב (e.rev) 1) evening, night, sunset 1a) evening, sunset 1b) night

and they paw [the] groundוּפָ֖שׁוּu-FA-shuH6335A
to leap

פּוּשׁ (push) 1) to spring about 1a) (Qal) to frisk, act proudly (fig.)

warhorses itsפָּֽרָשָׁ֑יוpa-ra-SHAVH6571B
horseman

פָּרָשׁ (pa.rash) horseman

and horsemen itsוּפָֽרָשָׁיו֙u-fa-ra-SHAVH6571B
horseman

פָּרָשׁ (pa.rash) horseman

from a distanceמֵרָח֣וֹקme-ra-CHOKH7350
distant

רָחֹק (ra.choq) adj 1) remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones 1a) of distance, time n m 2) distance 2a) from a distance (with prep) Aramaic equivalent: ra.chiq (רְחִיק "far" H7352)

they comeיָבֹ֔אוּya-VO-'uH0935G
to come (in): come

בּוֹא (bo) : come/go_in 1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to enter, come in 1a2) to come 1a2a) to come with 1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy) 1a2c) to come to pass 1a3) to attain to 1a4) to be enumerated 1a5) to go 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to lead in 1b2) to carry in 1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon 1b4) to bring to pass 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought, brought in 1c2) to be introduced, be put

they flyיָעֻ֕פוּya-'U-fuH5774A
to fly

עוּף (uph) v 1) to fly, fly about, fly away 1a)(Qal) 1a1) to fly, hover 1a2) to fly away 1b) (Hiphil) to cause to fly, light upon 1c) (Polel) 1c1) to fly about or to and fro 1c2) to cause to fly to and fro, brandish 1d) (Hithpolel) to fly away 2) (Qal) to cover, be dark

like an eagleכְּנֶ֖שֶׁרke-NE-sherH5404
eagle

נְשַׁר (ne.shar) eagle, vulture, griffon-vulture Aramaic of ne.sher (נֶשֶׁר "eagle" H5404)

making hasteחָ֥שׁchashH2363A
to hasten

חוּשׁ (chush) 1) to haste, make haste, hurry 1a) (Qal) to make haste 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to show haste, act quickly, hasten, come quickly

to devourלֶאֱכֽוֹל׃le-'e-KHOLH0398
to eat

אָכַל (a.khal) 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.