Habakkuk 1

1 This is the burden [message from God, prophecy] that Habakkuk [embrace, one who clings to God] the prophet [one who speaks for God, spokesperson] received [saw, perceived] in a vision [revelation, spiritual sight]: word study 2 How long, O [Yehovah] LORD, must I call [cry out, shout] for help but You do not [refuse to] hear, or cry out [shout, proclaim] to You, “Violence [cruelty, injustice]!” but You do not [fail to] save [rescue, deliver]? word study 3 Why do You make me see [reveal to my eyes, cause me to behold] iniquity [evil, wickedness, trouble]? Why do You tolerate [allow, permit] wrongdoing [perverseness, injustice]? Destruction [desolation, spoiling] and violence [cruelty, injustice] are before [in front of, visible to] me. Strife [dispute, quarrel] is ongoing [continual, persistent], and conflict [contention, argument] abounds [rises up, multiplies]. word study 4 Therefore the law [instruction, guiding principles] is paralyzed [slacked, feeble], and justice [righteous judgment] never goes forth [is never executed, does not prevail]. For the wicked [morally wrong, guilty] hem in [surround, crowd out] the righteous [just, upright], so that justice [judgment] is perverted [twisted, distorted]. word study 5 “Look [behold, observe carefully] at the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] and observe [regard, pay attention]— be utterly [completely, totally] astounded [amazed, stunned]! For I am doing [working, accomplishing] a work [deed, action] in your days [time, era] that you would never [not at all] believe [trust, have faith] even if someone [a messenger, a prophet] told you [informed, instructed you]. word study 6 For behold [look, see], I am raising up [causing to become powerful] the Chaldeans [Babylonians, a cruel people] — that ruthless [bitter, harsh] and impetuous [hasty, swift] nation [gentile, non-Hebrew people] which marches [goes, walks] through the breadth [wide spaces, broad areas] of the earth [land, world] to seize [possess, occupy] dwellings [tabernacles, homes] not their own [belonging to others]. word study 7 They are dreaded [terrible, fearsome] and feared [to revere, stand in awe]; from [out of, proceeding from] themselves [their own authority] they derive [proceed, come forth] justice [righteous judgment] and sovereignty [elevation, dignity, a sense of pride]. word study 8 Their horses [faster than leopards, swifter than the wind] are swifter than leopards, fiercer [more savage, intensely fierce] than wolves [evening wolves, beasts of the night] of the night. Their horsemen [cavalry soldiers, charioteers] charge ahead, and their cavalry [horsemen, armed riders] comes from afar [a distant place, far away]. They fly [soar, hasten] like a vulture [an eagle, a bird of prey], swooping down [rushing, hastening] to devour [consume, eat ravenously]. word study 9 All [every single one, without exception] of them come bent on [determined to commit] violence [cruelty, injustice]; their hordes [large armies, crowds] advance like the east wind [a strong, sweeping force]; they gather prisoners [captives, those taken away] like sand [innumerable, countless]. word study 10 They scoff [mock, deride] at kings [rulers, monarchs] and make rulers [princes, leaders] an object of scorn [laughingstock, ridicule]. They laugh [deride, make fun of] at every fortress [stronghold, fortified city] and build up [heap up, gather] siege ramps [earthworks, dirt ramps] to seize [capture, take control of] it. word study 11 Then [at that time, in the past] they sweep by [like a whirlwind, rapidly] like the wind [a gentle breeze, a powerful gust] and pass on through [cross over, transition quickly]. They are guilty [accountable, deserving punishment]; their own strength [power, might] is their god [Elohim, their object of worship].” word study 12 Are You [not from the beginning, eternal] not from everlasting, O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], my God [Elohim, the supreme God], my Holy One [set apart, sacred]? We will not [experience spiritual] die. O LORD, You have appointed them [for our punishment, to judge] to execute judgment; O Rock [a refuge, strong foundation], You have established them [to punish, for reproof] for correction. word study 13 Your eyes [of purer insight, too holy] are too pure [clean, morally upright] to look upon [behold, gaze at] evil [bad, morally wrong], and You cannot tolerate [endure, put up with] wrongdoing [iniquity, unrighteousness]. So why do You tolerate [permit, allow] the faithless [those who deal treacherously]? Why are You silent [still, holding Your peace] while the wicked [morally wrong] swallow up [devour, consume] those more righteous [just, upright] than themselves? word study 14 You have made men [like fish in the sea, or crawling insects] like the fish [a group of fish, often referring to a school] of the sea, like creeping things [small moving animals, reptiles] that have no [absence of] ruler [one who has power over, a king]. word study 15 The foe [enemy, adversary] pulls all of them up with a hook [angle, fishhook]; he catches them in his dragnet [net, drag], and gathers them in his fishing net [seine]; so he rejoices [is glad, delights] gladly [with joy, triumphantly]. word study 16 Therefore he sacrifices [to worship, offer victims] to his dragnet [net, fishing net] and burns incense [to make an offering, turn to smoke] to his fishing net [drag, yarn], for by these things his portion [inheritance, smoothness] is sumptuous [rich, fat, plenteous] and his food [meat, something to eat] is rich [fat, plenteous]. word study 17 Will he, therefore [for this reason, thus], empty [pour out] his net [devoted thing, a doomed object] and continue [always, continually] to slay [kill with intent] nations [Gentiles, large groups, Goyim] without [not, Lo] mercy [spare, have pity, showing no compassion]? word study