Habakkuk 1:13

Habakkuk 1:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou 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?
• New International Version (NIV)Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
• English Standard Version (ESV)You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
• New King James Version (NKJV)You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he?

Context of Habakkuk 1:13

11Their army quickly moves on to another place, like a wind that blows. They think that their own god has made them strong, and so they are guilty.’ 12Lord, you have always been God, since the beginning. You are the God that I worship as holy, and you will never die. Lord, you have chosen the Babylonians as your weapon to punish your people. You are a strong rock to protect us, but you have decided to use them to punish us. But you are too holy to accept anything that is evil. You cannot agree with people who do wrong things. So why do you let these wicked people live? Why do you say nothing? They are killing people who are more righteous than themselves. 14It seems that you have made people like fish in the sea. They are like animals that have no leader to rule them. 15The Babylonians can easily catch them, like people who catch fish with hooks. They throw their nets into the water, and they catch as many as they want. When they store their fish in special nets, they sing happy songs.

Habakkuk 1:13 word by word

טְה֤וֹר עֵינַ֙יִם֙ מֵרְא֣וֹת רָ֔ע וְהַבִּ֥יט אֶל־עָמָ֖ל לֹ֣א תוּכָ֑ל לָ֤מָּה תַבִּיט֙ בּֽוֹגְדִ֔ים תַּחֲרִ֕ישׁ בְּבַלַּ֥ע רָשָׁ֖ע צַדִּ֥יק מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• of purerטָהוֹרţâhôr ţâhôr · pureH2889
• eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• than to beholdרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• and canstיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• not lookנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
• on iniquityעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• thou upon them that deal treacherouslyבָּגַדbâgad · to act treacherouslyH898
• holdest thy tongueחָרֵשׁchârash · be quietH2790
• when the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• devourethבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
• more righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662

Cross-references for Habakkuk 1:13

• Job 15:15God does not even trust his own angels. He knows that they make mistakes.
• Psalms 5:4My God, you do not like anything that is bad. Evil people cannot live near you.
• Psalms 11:4The Lord is in his holy temple. He rules from his throne in heaven. He carefully watches what people are doing. He knows about each person.
• Psalms 34:15The Lord watches over righteous people. He hears them when they call to him for help.
• 1 Peter 1:15God has chosen you to be his own people. He is completely good. So you must be completely good too, in the way that you live.
• Psalms 10:1Must you stand so far away, Lord? Why do you hide when there is trouble?
• Psalms 73:3When I saw that wicked people had plenty of things, I was jealous of those proud people.
• Jeremiah 12:1Lord, when I complain to you, you always do what is right. But I must ask you about your justice. Why do wicked people have success in life? Why do people who cheat their friends live in comfort?
• Isaiah 21:2The Lord showed me a vision of terrible things. ‘People are deceiving one another! People are destroying one another! Elam, go to attack Babylon! People from Media, attack all round the city! I will stop all the tears that Babylon's armies have caused.’
• Isaiah 33:1It will be very bad for you who destroy other nations. No other nation has destroyed you yet. It will be very bad for you who deceive other nations. No other nation has deceived you yet. But in the end, when you stop destroying, others will destroy you. When you stop deceiving, other nations will deceive you.
• Esther 4:14You must speak now on behalf of all the Jewish people. If you do not, they will receive help from another place to make them safe and free. Then you and your father's family will come to an end. But I think that perhaps you have become queen so that you can help at a time like this.’
• Psalms 35:22Lord, you have seen all this. Do not remain silent, my Lord. Do not stay far away from me.
• Psalms 50:3Our God is coming, and he does not come quietly! A fire burns up everything that is in front of him. There is a great storm all round him.
• Psalms 83:1God, do not continue to be silent! Do not remain quiet. Please do something!
• Proverbs 31:8Speak on behalf of people who cannot speak for themselves. Help helpless people to receive justice.
• Isaiah 64:12Lord, see what is happening and do something! Will you continue to keep quiet? Will you continue to give us so much trouble?

Commentaries on Habakkuk 1:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Thou art of purer eyes - Seeing thou art so pure, and canst not look on iniquity - it is so abominable - how canst thou bear with them who "deal treacherously, and hold thy tongue when the wicked devour the righteous?" All such questions are easily solved by a consideration of God's ineffable mercy, which leads him to suffer long and be kind. He has no pleasure in the death of a sinner.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil - The prophet repeats his complaint (as troubling thoughts are accustomed to come back, after they have been repelled,), in order to answer it more strongly. All sin is hateful in God‘s sight, and in His Holy Wisdom He cannot endure to “look toward iniquity.” As man turns away from sickening sights, so God‘s abhorrence of wrong is pictured by His not being able to “look toward it.” If He looked toward them, they…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 However matters may be, yet God is the Lord our God, our Holy One. We are an offending people, he is an offended God, yet we will not entertain hard thoughts of him, or of his service. It is great comfort that, whatever mischief men design, the Lord designs good, and we are sure that his counsel shall stand. Though wickedness may prosper a while, yet God is holy, and does not approve the wickedness. As he cannot do iniquity himself, so he is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-17Habakkuk struggled to understand how God's answer in Habakkuk 1:5–11 fit with God's character. How could a holy and just God punish Judah using a people more unrighteous than they were?Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. purer ... than to behold evil--without being displeased at it. canst not look on iniquity--unjust injuries done to Thy people. The prophet checks himself from being carried too far in his expostulatory complaint, by putting before himself honorable sentiments of God. them that deal treacherously--the Chaldeans, once allies of the Jews, but now their violent oppressors. Compare "treacherous dealers," (Is 21:2; 24:16). Instead of speaking evil against…Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 1:13

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Anthropomorphisms
• Eye
• God Continued...
• Happiness
• Persecution
• Sin
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Possess
• Pure
• Scoff
• Wrong
• Grievance
• Habakkuk
• Justice
• Peace

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