Habakkuk 3:14
Habakkuk 3:14 in Multiple Translations
With his own spear You pierced his head, when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though ready to secretly devour the weak.
Thou 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.
Thou 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.
You 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.
With his own arrows you pierced the heads of his warriors, those who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating like those who secretly abuse the poor.
Thou didest strike thorowe with his owne staues the heades of his villages: they came out as a whirle winde to scatter me: their reioycing was as to deuoure the poore secretly.
Thou hast pierced with his staves the head of his leaders, They are tempestuous to scatter me, Their exultation [is] as to consume the poor in secret.
You pierced the heads of his warriors with their own spears. They came as a whirlwind to scatter me, gloating as if to devour the wretched in secret.
Thou didst strike through with his staffs the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
Thou 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.
With his own spear you destroyed the leader of those soldiers who rushed like [SIM] a whirlwind to attack and scatter us, thinking that they could conquer us Israelis easily.
Berean Amplified Bible — Habakkuk 3:14
BAB
Word Study
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Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Habakkuk 3:14 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
נָקַ֤בְתָּ
בְ/מַטָּי/ו֙
רֹ֣אשׁ
פרז/ו
פְּרָזָ֔י/ו
יִסְעֲר֖וּ
לַ/הֲפִיצֵ֑/נִי
עֲלִ֣יצֻתָ֔/ם
כְּמוֹ
לֶ/אֱכֹ֥ל
עָנִ֖י
בַּ/מִּסְתָּֽר
נָקַ֤בְתָּ
nâqab
H5344
to pierce
V-Qal-Perf-2ms
בְ/מַטָּי/ו֙
maṭṭeh
H4294
tribe
Prep | N-mp | Suff
רֹ֣אשׁ
rôʼsh
H7218
head
N-ms
פרז/ו
pârâz
H6518
warrior
N-ms | Suff
פְּרָזָ֔י/ו
pârâz
H6518
warrior
N-mp | Suff
יִסְעֲר֖וּ
çâʻar
H5590
to rage
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
לַ/הֲפִיצֵ֑/נִי
pûwts
H6327
to scatter
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a | Suff
עֲלִ֣יצֻתָ֔/ם
ʻălîytsûwth
H5951
exultation
N-fs | Suff
כְּמוֹ
kᵉmôw
H3644
like
Prep
לֶ/אֱכֹ֥ל
ʼâkal
H398
to eat
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
עָנִ֖י
ʻânîy
H6041
afflicted
Adj
בַּ/מִּסְתָּֽר
miçtâr
H4565
hiding
Prep | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Habakkuk 3:14
נָקַ֤בְתָּ
nâqab
H5344
"to pierce"
V-Qal-Perf-2ms
This Hebrew word means to curse or blaspheme, often with a sense of violence or strong emotion. It can also mean to pierce or strike through, as seen in Exodus.
Definition: 1) to pierce, perforate, bore, appoint 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pierce, bore 1a2) to prick off, designate 1b) (Niphal) to be pricked off, be designated, be specified
Usage: Occurs in 23 OT verses. KJV: appoint, blaspheme, bore, curse, express, with holes, name, pierce, strike through. See also: Genesis 30:28; 2 Chronicles 31:19; Proverbs 11:26.
בְ/מַטָּי/ו֙
maṭṭeh
H4294
"tribe"
Prep | N-mp | Suff
In the Bible, this word can mean a tribe, like the 12 tribes of Israel, or a staff, like the one Moses used to lead his people in Exodus 4:2.
Definition: : tribe 1) staff, branch, tribe 1a) staff, rod, shaft 1b) branch (of vine) 1c) tribe 1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)
Usage: Occurs in 205 OT verses. KJV: rod, staff, tribe. See also: Genesis 38:18; Numbers 34:19; Psalms 105:16.
רֹ֣אשׁ
rôʼsh
H7218
"head"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means chief or prince, and is used to describe leaders in the Bible, such as in the book of 1 Samuel. It signifies a position of authority and importance.
Definition: : head 1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning 1a) head (of man, animals) 1b) top, tip (of mountain) 1c) height (of stars) 1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest) 1e) head, front, beginning 1f) chief, choicest, best 1g) head, division, company, band 1h) sum
Usage: Occurs in 547 OT verses. KJV: band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top. See also: Genesis 2:10; Numbers 17:18; 2 Samuel 4:7.
פרז/ו
pârâz
H6518
"warrior"
N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to a strong leader or warrior, often a chieftain in charge of a group of people. It appears in books like Joshua and 1 Samuel, describing leaders of tribes. The term is used to convey strength and authority.
Definition: 1) chieftain, leader, warrior 1a) meaning uncertain
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: village. See also: Habakkuk 3:14.
פְּרָזָ֔י/ו
pârâz
H6518
"warrior"
N-mp | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to a strong leader or warrior, often a chieftain in charge of a group of people. It appears in books like Joshua and 1 Samuel, describing leaders of tribes. The term is used to convey strength and authority.
Definition: 1) chieftain, leader, warrior 1a) meaning uncertain
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: village. See also: Habakkuk 3:14.
יִסְעֲר֖וּ
çâʻar
H5590
"to rage"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
This word means to rage or storm, like a strong wind or a turbulent sea. It can describe a fierce emotion or a violent natural event, and it's translated in the KJV as 'tempest' or 'whirlwind'.
Definition: 1) to storm, rage 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to storm 1a2) stormy, growing storm (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be enraged 1c) (Piel) to storm away 1d) (Pual) to be driven by storm
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: be (toss with) tempest(-uous), be sore, troubled, come out as a (drive with the, scatter with a) whirlwind. See also: 2 Kings 6:11; Jonah 1:11; Isaiah 54:11.
לַ/הֲפִיצֵ֑/נִי
pûwts
H6327
"to scatter"
Prep | V-Hiphil-Inf-a | Suff
To shatter means to break something into pieces, either physically or figuratively. It can also mean to disperse or scatter people or things, as seen in various Bible translations.
Definition: 1) to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered 1a) (Qal) to be dispersed, be scattered 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be scattered 1b2) to be spread abroad 1c) (Hiphil) to scatter 1d) Hithpael) scatter
Usage: Occurs in 66 OT verses. KJV: break (dash, shake) in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive, retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad. See also: Genesis 10:18; Jeremiah 10:21; Psalms 18:15.
עֲלִ֣יצֻתָ֔/ם
ʻălîytsûwth
H5951
"exultation"
N-fs | Suff
This Hebrew word means great joy or rejoicing, like the feeling of celebration in a happy time. It is used in the Bible to describe a sense of triumph. In the KJV, it is translated as rejoicing.
Definition: exultation
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: rejoicing. See also: Habakkuk 3:14.
כְּמוֹ
kᵉmôw
H3644
"like"
Prep
This word means like or as, used to compare things. It appears in the Bible to describe similarities or to make comparisons, such as in the book of Psalms.
Definition: adv 1) like, as, the like of which conj 2) when, according as, as it were
Usage: Occurs in 126 OT verses. KJV: according to, (such) as (it were, well as), in comparison of, like (as, to, unto), thus, when, worth. See also: Genesis 19:15; Job 40:17; Psalms 29:6.
לֶ/אֱכֹ֥ל
ʼâkal
H398
"to eat"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Definition: 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)
Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.
עָנִ֖י
ʻânîy
H6041
"afflicted"
Adj
This word describes someone who is depressed, humble, or weak, often due to difficult circumstances, as described in the Psalms and other biblical books.
Definition: 1) poor, afflicted, humble, wretched 1a) poor, needy 1b) poor and weak 1c) poor, weak, afflicted, wretched 1d) humble, lowly
Usage: Occurs in 77 OT verses. KJV: afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor. See also: Exodus 22:24; Psalms 88:16; Psalms 9:13.
בַּ/מִּסְתָּֽר
miçtâr
H4565
"hiding"
Prep | N-ms
This Hebrew word means a secret or hiding place, often used for protection or to conceal something, as seen in the Bible's description of hiding from danger. It can also refer to a place where wrongdoings are hidden. The KJV translates it as secret or secretly.
Definition: 1) secret place, hiding place 1a) secret place 1b) hiding place 1b1) for protection 1b2) for perpetration of crime
Usage: Occurs in 10 OT verses. KJV: secret(-ly, place). See also: Psalms 10:8; Jeremiah 13:17; Psalms 10:9.
Study Notes — Habakkuk 3:14
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Habakkuk 3:14 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Habakkuk 3:14
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Habakkuk 3:14
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
- Trapp's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
- Ellicott's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
- Cambridge Bible on Habakkuk 3:14
- Barnes' Notes on Habakkuk 3:14
- Whedon's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
- Sermons on Habakkuk 3:14
Context — Habakkuk’s Prayer
12You marched across the earth with fury; You threshed the nations in wrath.
13You went forth for the salvation of Your people, to save Your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked and stripped him from head to toe. Selah
14With his own spear You pierced his head, when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though ready to secretly devour the weak.
15You trampled the sea with Your horses, churning the great waters. 16I heard and trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress to come upon the people who invade us.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zechariah 9:14 | Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south. |
| 2 | Daniel 11:40 | At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, invading many countries and sweeping through them like a flood. |
| 3 | Psalms 118:10–12 | All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were extinguished like burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off. |
| 4 | Exodus 1:10–16 | Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country. ” So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. They worked the Israelites ruthlessly and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh. Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.” |
| 5 | Exodus 12:12–13 | On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn male, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood on the houses where you are staying will distinguish them; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will fall on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. |
| 6 | Psalms 10:8 | He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless. |
| 7 | Exodus 14:17–18 | And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. Then I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army and chariots and horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I am honored through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” |
| 8 | Judges 7:22 | And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath. |
| 9 | Exodus 15:9–10 | The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’ But You blew with Your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. |
| 10 | Exodus 1:22 | Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.” |
Habakkuk 3:14 Summary
This verse is saying that God is powerful and can defeat anyone who tries to hurt His people. He can even use the strength of the wicked against them, like a spear turning back on itself. This is a reminder that God is always in control, even when it seems like the bad guys are winning, as we see in Psalm 23:4, where God is with us even in the darkest valley. We can trust in God's power to save us, just like He saved His people in the past, as seen in Exodus 14:13-14, where God parted the Red Sea to save the Israelites from the Egyptians.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that God pierced the head of the wicked with his own spear?
This phrase symbolizes God's judgment on the wicked, where their own strength and power are turned against them, as seen in Psalm 7:16, where the wicked fall into their own trap.
Who are the warriors that stormed out to scatter God's people?
These warriors represent the forces of evil that seek to destroy God's people, but God ultimately defeats them, as prophesied in Ezekiel 38:21, where God fights against the enemies of His people.
What does it mean to 'devour the weak'?
This phrase represents the intent of the wicked to exploit and oppress the vulnerable, but God is the defender of the weak, as seen in Psalm 82:3-4, where He commands us to defend the weak and fatherless.
How does this verse relate to the salvation of God's people?
This verse is part of a larger narrative of God's salvation, where He defeats the wicked and saves His people, as seen in Habakkuk 3:13, where God goes forth to save His anointed and crush the head of the wicked.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I have seen God defeat the wicked and save His people in my own life or in the lives of others?
- How can I trust in God's power to defeat the forces of evil that seek to destroy me or my loved ones?
- What does it mean to 'wait patiently for the day of distress' as mentioned in Habakkuk 3:16, and how can I apply this to my own life?
- How can I be a part of God's plan to defend the weak and fatherless, as commanded in Psalm 82:3-4?
Gill's Exposition on Habakkuk 3:14
Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages,.... Of his warriors, mighty men, princes; so the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions; or of his armies, as
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Habakkuk 3:14
Thou 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.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
Thou, O God, didst strike through with his staves; either meant of the staves or arms of the Canaanitish kings which they lifted up against Israel, thereby provoking Israel to fight, in which being overcome, they perished by their own arms taken from them; or it may be meant of the weapons of Joshua and Israel, called staves, for that they were arrows and spears, which are armed staves: or it might be translated tribes; so with the tribes of Israel, the tribes of God’ s anointed, or by them, were these Canaanites destroyed. The head of his villages; all the cities, and all the unwalled towns; for so Israel destroyed the daughters with the mothers, i.e. the villages with the cities. They; the inhabitants of Canaan, but particularly the five kings, ; of whose conspiracy you read Joshua 10, which see. Came out as a whirlwind; with violence invading every side; a tempest made up of contrary winds and exhalations, moving as violently as irregularly. To scatter; to disperse and drive away from the earth. Their rejoicing was as to devour; the joy they took was such as is the joy of men who take the spoil of enemies, and come to feast, not fight; they dreamed of nothing else but eating up God’ s people as they would eat bread. The poor; helpless and friendless as they seemed to be, poor Israel. Secretly; either by secret conspiracy, or by secret execution of the plot they laid against Israel.
Trapp's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
Habakkuk 3:14 Thou 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.Ver. 14. Thou didst strike through with his staves, the heads of his villages] Heb. Thou didst pierce, or bore through, as with an auger, with his staves (a metaphor from shepherds, according to that, Psalms 23:4, "thy rod and thy staff"), or, with his tribes (the Dωδεκαφυλον, Acts 26:7), that entered the land of promise; with these men, or with these weapons, though never so unlikely, thou didst, by the hand of David, wound the hairy scalp of thine enemies, those pagans and persecutors; and much more wilt, by the Son of David, subdue Satan and his complices. They came out as a whirlwind to scatter me] Heb. They tempested, they raised a hurly-burly, being turbulent spirits, as the devil is, to disperse me, as the dust of the mountains is scattered before a whirlwind. Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor] i.e. Poor me, they devoured in secret, as if God had been nothing aware of their doings; and this was their exultation, or rejoicing; they took pleasure in their cruelty, and promised themselves impunity.
Ellicott's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
(14) Thou dost strike through with his staves . . .—Better, Thou dost pierce with his (scil., thine anointed people’s) spears the head of his (the enemy’s) princes, when they sweep by to scatter me abroad, when they exult as if to devour the afflicted secretly. The first clause is very obscure. Matteh means not only “spear,” but also “rod,” “stem,” “tribe” (see on Habakkuk 3:9); and the word which we translate “princes” may also, perhaps, mean “villages.” (See on Judges 5:7.) It is also uncertain to whom the possessive pronouns attached to these substantives refer the last clause we are reminded of several passages in the Psalms, notably, Psalms 10:9; Psalms 14:4; Psalms 17:12.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
Verse 14. Thou didst strike through] The Hebrew will bear this sense: "Thou hast pierced amidst their tribes the head of their troops," referring to Pharaoh and his generals, who came like a whirlwind to fall upon the poor Israelites, when they appeared to be hemmed in by sea, and no place for their escape. If we follow the common reading, it seems to intimate that the troops of Pharaoh, in their confusion (for God shone out upon them from the cloud) fell foul of each other; and with their staves, or weapons, slew one another: but the head of the villages or towns, i.e., Pharaoh, was drowned with his army in the Red Sea.
Cambridge Bible on Habakkuk 3:14
14. Thou didst strike through] Thou hast pierced through with thy spears the head of his warriors. The Heb. text reads his spears or staves, which would mean that the weapons of the enemy were turned against himself. But though the idea is not uncommon (Ezekiel 38:21; Zechariah 14:13; cf. 1 Samuel 14:20) that the enemies of God’s people shall be thrown into a panic and mutually destroy each other, there is nothing in the present passage to suggest that idea. The term rendered warriors with Vulgate (A.V. villages) does not occur again; Sept. princes. They came out] which were come out as a whirlwind. Their rejoicing was] exulting as about to devour the afflicted in secret places; lit. their exulting was as to devour. The figure is taken from the wild beast who devours his prey in his covert (Psalms 10:7-9; Psalms 17:12). The enemy exulted or raised a cry of exultation, feeling that their prey, the afflicted, that is the people Israel, was within their grasp. Comp.
Exodus 14:3; 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.”
Barnes' Notes on Habakkuk 3:14
Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages - The destruction comes not upon himself only, but upon the whole multitude of his subjects; and this not by any mere act of divine
Whedon's Commentary on Habakkuk 3:14
14. The enemy was overwhelmed completely when his warriors were cut to pieces. With his staves — Or, spears; R.V., “with his own staves”; that is, the staves of the enemy.
Sermons on Habakkuk 3:14
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The King of the North by John F. Walvoord | John F. Walvoord preaches about the prophetic significance of the great world conflict predicted in the Scriptures, involving a revived Roman Empire, a ten-nation confederacy, and |
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The Nations in the Millennium and the Eternal State by John F. Walvoord | John F. Walvoord preaches about the divine purpose of God for the Gentiles reaching its natural conclusion at the end of the times of the Gentiles marked by the second coming of Je |
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(Exodus) Exodus 11:10 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of the gods of Egypt claiming the firstborn of both man and beast. However, God intervenes and takes what belongs to Him. The spea |
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Dagon Was Fallen Upon His Face to the Earth by F.B. Meyer | F.B. Meyer emphasizes the confrontation between the Ark of the Lord and the idol Dagon, illustrating the supremacy of Jehovah over false gods. The fall of Dagon symbolizes the inev |
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The Blood of the Lamb Exodus 12 by John Nelson Darby | John Nelson Darby emphasizes the significance of the Passover in Exodus 12, illustrating how the blood of the lamb served as a protective sign for the Israelites during God's judgm |
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Bible Survey - Exodus by Peter Hammond | Peter Hammond preaches on the Book of Exodus, highlighting God's almighty power, sovereignty, holiness, faithfulness, and His acts of redemption, judgment, and provision for His pe |
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Step 24 on Meekness, Simplicity, Guilelessness Which Come Not From Nature but From Habit, and About Malice by St. John Climacus | St. John Climacus preaches on the virtues of meekness, highlighting its importance as a precursor to humility. Meekness is described as an unchangeable state of mind that remains c |