Habakkuk 1:16

Habakkuk 1:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their dragnet; Because by them their share is sumptuous And their food plentiful.

Context of Habakkuk 1:16

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. Their nets give them everything that they need, so they offer sacrifices to their nets. Their nets give them plenty of good food to eat, so they burn incense to thank their nets. 17Will you let them continue to do that? Will they make their nets full of fish as many times as they want to? Will they continue to destroy other nations and never stop?

Habakkuk 1:16 word by word

עַל־כֵּן֙ יְזַבֵּ֣חַ לְחֶרְמ֔וֹ וִֽיקַטֵּ֖ר לְמִכְמַרְתּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י בָהֵ֙מָּה֙ שָׁמֵ֣ן חֶלְק֔וֹ וּמַאֲכָל֖וֹ בְּרִאָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore they sacrificeזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• unto their netחֵ֫רֶםchêrem cherem · netH2764
• and burn incenseקָטַרqâţar · to offer: offerH6999
• unto their dragמִכְמֶ֫רֶתmikmereth mikmôreth · netH4365
• because by themהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• their portionחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
• fatשָׁמֵןshâmên · richH8082
• and their meatמַאֲכָלma'ăkâl · foodH3978
• plenteousבָּרִיאbârîy' · fatH1277

Cross-references for Habakkuk 1:16

• Habakkuk 1:11Their 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.’
• Deuteronomy 8:17You must never say to yourself, ‘I have got all these valuable things because I am strong and clever!’
• Isaiah 10:13The king of Assyria says this: ‘I have won these battles because of my own strength. I have been very wise and clever. I have marched into nations as if they had no borders. I have taken their valuable things for myself. Like a wild bull, I have removed kings from their thrones.
• Isaiah 37:24You have sent your servants to insult the Lord God. You have said, ‘I have taken all my chariots and I have gone up high mountains, the highest mountains in Lebanon. I have cut down its tall cedar trees, and I have cut down its best pine trees. I went up to its highest places, and I went far into its forests.
• Ezekiel 28:3You think that you are wiser than Daniel, and that you know all secrets.
• Ezekiel 29:3Tell them, “The Almighty Lord says this: Listen, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, I have become your enemy. You are like the great monster that lies in Egypt's streams. You say, ‘The Nile river belongs to me! I made it for myself.’
• Daniel 4:30The king said, ‘Look how great Babylon is! It is the city that I have built to be my home as king. It shows that I am a great and powerful king!’
• Daniel 5:23You thought that you were greater than the Lord of heaven. So you told your servants to bring the valuable cups that belong to God's temple. You yourself, your wives, your other women and your important friends drank wine from those cups. You praised your gods that were made from silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone. Those are idols that cannot see or hear. They cannot understand anything. But you worshipped them instead of the true God. He is the God who gives life to you. He has power over everything that you do.

Commentaries on Habakkuk 1:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16They sacrifice unto their net - He had no God; he cared for none; and worshipped only his armor and himself. King Mezentius, one of the worst characters in the Aeneid of Virgil, is represented as invoking his own right hand and his spear in battle. Aen. 10:773. Dextra mihi Deus, et telum quod missile libro, Nunc adsint. "My strong right hand and sword, assert my stroke. Those only gods Mezentius will invoke." Dryden. And Capaneus, in Statius, gives us a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag - literally he sacrifices unto his, etc. Whatever a man trusts in is his god. If a man relies to compass his end by his strength, or his wisdom, or his forethought, or his wealth, his armies or navies, these his forces are his God. So the Assyrian said Isaiah 10:13, Isaiah 10:15, “By the strength of my hand I did it; and by my wisdom, for I am prudent;” and God answered, “Shall the…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. 16See study note on Habakkuk 1:11; compare 1 John 5:21.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. sacrifice unto their net--that is, their arms, power, and military skill, wherewith they gained their victories; instead of to God. Compare Ha 1:11, Maurer's interpretation. They idolize themselves for their own cleverness and might (De 8:17; Is 10:13; 37:24, 25). by them--by their net and dragnet. their portion--image from a banquet: the prey which they have gotten.Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 1:16

• Covetousness
• Happiness
• Idolatry
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Possess
• Pure
• Scoff
• Wrong
• Fisher; Fisherman
• Habakkuk

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