English Standard Version
Habakkuk 3:13
13You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah
Habakkuk 3:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
- New International Version (NIV)You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness, you stripped him from head to foot.
- New King James Version (NKJV)You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, By laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah
- New Living Translation (NLT)You went out to rescue your chosen people, to save your anointed ones. You crushed the heads of the wicked and stripped their bones from head to toe.
Context of Habakkuk 3:13
11The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. 12You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah 14You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. 15You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters.
Read all of Habakkuk 3Habakkuk 3:13 word by word
יָצָ֙אתָ֙ לְיֵ֣שַׁע עַמֶּ֔ךָ לְיֵ֖שַׁע אֶת־מְשִׁיחֶ֑ךָ מָחַ֤צְתָּ רֹּאשׁ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית רָשָׁ֔ע עָר֛וֹת יְס֥וֹד עַד־צַוָּ֖אר סֶֽלָה׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thou wentest forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- for the salvationיֵ֫שַׁעyesha‛ yêsha‛ · salvationH3468
- of thy peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- with thine anointedמָשִׁיחַmâshîyach · anointedH4899
- thou woundedstמָחַץmâchats · to woundH4272
- the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
- out of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
- by discoveringעָרָה‛ârâh · to uncoverH6168
- the foundationיְסוֹדyesôd · foundationH3247
- unto the neckצַוָּארtsavvâ'r tsavvâr tsavvârôn tsavvâ'râh · neckH6677
- Selahסֶ֫לָהselâh · SelahH5542
Cross-references for Habakkuk 3:13
- Exodus 14:13And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
- Exodus 15:1Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, "I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
- Psalms 68:7O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
- Psalms 77:20You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
- Psalms 89:19Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: "I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.
- Psalms 99:6Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the Lord, and he answered them.
- Psalms 105:15saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"
- Isaiah 63:11Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit,
- Exodus 12:29At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.
- Joshua 10:11And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
- Joshua 11:8And the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel, who struck them and chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. And they struck them until he left none remaining.
- Psalms 18:37I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed.
- Psalms 68:21But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
- Psalms 74:13You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
- Psalms 110:6He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.
Commentaries on Habakkuk 3:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people - Their deliverance would not have been effected but through thy interference. For salvation with thine anointed - That is, with Joshua, whom God had anointed, or solemnly appointed to fill the place of Moses, and lead the people into the promised land. If we read, with the common text, משיחך meshichecha, "thy anointed," the singular number, Joshua is undoubtedly meant, who was God's instrument to put the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Thou wentest forth - Even a Jew says of this place, Kimchi: “The past is here used for the future; and this is frequent in the language of prophecy; for prophecy, although it be future, yet since it is, as it were, firmly fixed, they use the past concerning it.” The prophet speaks again in the past, perhaps to fix the mind on that signal going-forth, when God destroyed Pharaoh, the first enemy who essayed to destroy the chosen line. This stands at the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-15Verses 3-15 God's people, when in distress, and ready to despair, seek help by considering the days of old, and the years of ancient times, and by pleading them with God in prayer. The resemblance between the Babylonish and Egyptian captivities, naturally presents itself to the mind, as well as the possibility of a like deliverance through the power of Jehovah. God appeared in his glory. All the powers of nature are shaken, and the course of nature…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-15The Lord acts as a divine warrior for his people, using his power to save them. This picture of God as a divine warrior appears in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, it is seen in Israel’s escape from Egypt and their journey to Mount Sinai (Exodus 15:1–18). It also appears as Israel approached the promised land from the south and during their early victories in the land (for example, Judges 5:4–5; Psalms 18:8–16…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. with thine anointed--with Messiah; of whom Moses, Joshua, and David, God's anointed leaders of Israel, were the types (Psa 89:19, 20, 38). God from the beginning delivered His people in person, or by the hand of a Mediator (Is 63:11). Thus Habakkuk confirms believers in the hope of their deliverance, as well because God is always the same, as also because the same anointed Mediator is ready now to fulfil God's will and interpose for Israel, as of old…Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Habakkuk 3
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries