Habakkuk 1:3

Habakkuk 1:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Why 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises.

Context of Habakkuk 1:3

1This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision: 2How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save? Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds. 4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. 5“Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.

Habakkuk 1:3 word by word

לָ֣מָּה תַרְאֵ֤נִי אָ֙וֶן֙ וְעָמָ֣ל תַּבִּ֔יט וְשֹׁ֥ד וְחָמָ֖ס לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וַיְהִ֧י רִ֦יב וּמָד֖וֹן יִשָּֽׂא׃Read the interlinear

• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• do You make me seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• iniquityאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
• Why do You tolerateנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
• wrongdoingעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• Destructionשֹׁדshôd shôd · violenceH7701
• and violenceחָמָסchâmâs · violenceH2555
• before meנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• Strifeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
• is ongoingהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• and conflictמָדוֹןmâdôn · strifeH4066
• aboundsנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375

Cross-references for Habakkuk 1:3

• Psalms 12:1Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.
• Psalms 55:9O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
• Psalms 73:3For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
• Psalms 120:5Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.
• Jeremiah 9:2If only I had a traveler’s lodge in the wilderness, I would abandon my people and depart from them, for they are all adulterers, a crowd of faithless people.
• Ezekiel 2:6But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns surround you, and you dwell among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their presence, though they are a rebellious house.
• Micah 7:1Woe is me! For I am like one gathering summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster to eat, no early fig that I crave.
• Matthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
• 2 Peter 2:8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—

Commentaries on Habakkuk 1:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And cause me to behold grievance - עמל amal, labor, toil, distress, misery, etc., the common fruits of sin.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Why dost Thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold - , or rather, “Why beholdest Thou grievance?” God seemed to reverse what He had said by Balaam Numbers 23:21, “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, and hath not seen grievousness in Israel”; and in the Psalms Psalm 10:14, “Thou hast seen, for thou (emphatic) beholdest grievousness and wrong, to put it in Thy hand,” i. e., Thou layest it up in Thy hand, to cast it back on the head of the evildoer…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3In Habakkuk’s time, destruction and violence were widespread in Judean society (see Habakkuk Book Introduction, “Setting”).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. violence ... Why dost thou show me iniquity?--Similar language is used of the Chaldeans (Ha 1:9, 13), as here is used of the Jews: implying, that as the Jews sinned by violence and injustice, so they should be punished by violence and injustice (Pr 1:31). Jehoiakim's reign was marked by injustice, treachery, and bloodshed (Jr 22:3, 13-17). Therefore the Chaldeans should be sent to deal with him and his nobles according to their dealings with others…Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 1:3

• God Continued...
• Minister, Christian
• Punishment
• Strife
• Wicked (People)
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Possess
• Pure
• Scoff
• Wrong
• Grievance
• Habakkuk
• strife, disputes, quarrel, arguing, conflict

Commentaries on Habakkuk 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings