God’s Word Translation
Habakkuk 1:13
13Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. You can’t watch wickedness. Why do you keep watching treacherous people? Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those who are more righteous than they are?
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
11They will move quickly and pass through like the wind. So they will be guilty, because their own strength is their god. 12Didn’t you exist before time began, O Lord, my God, my Holy One? We will not die! O Lord, you have appointed the Babylonians to bring judgment. O Rock, you have destined them to correct us. Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. You can’t watch wickedness. Why do you keep watching treacherous people? Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those who are more righteous than they are? 14You make all people like the fish in the sea, like schools of sea life that have no ruler. 15The Babylonians pull them all up with fishhooks, drag them away in nets, and gather them in dragnets. So they rejoice and are happy.
Read all of Habakkuk 1Habakkuk 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 15:15If God doesn’t trust his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight,
- Psalms 5:4You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness. Evil will never be your guest.
- Psalms 11:4The Lord is in his holy temple. The Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes see. They examine Adam’s descendants.
- Psalms 34:15The Lord’s eyes are on righteous people. His ears hear their cry for help.
- 1 Peter 1:15But because the God who called you is holy, you must be holy in every aspect of your life.
- Psalms 10:1Why are you so distant, Lord? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
- Psalms 73:3because I was envious of arrogant people when I saw the prosperity that wicked people enjoy.
- Jeremiah 12:1O Lord, even if I would argue my case with you, you would always be right. Yet, I want to talk to you about your justice. Why do wicked people succeed? Why do treacherous people have peace and quiet?
- Isaiah 21:2I was shown a harsh vision. The traitor betrays. The destroyer destroys. Go to war, Elam! Surround them, Media! I will put an end to all the groaning.
- Isaiah 33:1How horrible it will be for you, you destroyer, although you haven’t been destroyed. How horrible it will be for you, you traitor, although you haven’t been betrayed. When you’ve finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you’ve finished being a traitor, you will be betrayed.
- Esther 4:14The fact is, even if you remain silent now, someone else will help and rescue the Jews, but you and your relatives will die. And who knows, you may have gained your royal position for a time like this.”
- Psalms 35:22You have seen it, O Lord. Do not remain silent. O Lord, do not be so far away from me.
- Psalms 50:3Our God will come and will not remain silent. A devouring fire is in front of him and a raging storm around him.
- Psalms 83:1O God, do not remain silent. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. Do not keep quiet, O God.
- Proverbs 31:8“Speak out for the one who cannot speak, for the rights of those who are doomed.
- Isaiah 64:12Despite these things, Lord, will you hold back? Will you be silent and make us suffer more than we can bear?
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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