God’s Word Translation
Habakkuk 3:5
5Diseases go ahead of him. Plagues follow after him.
Habakkuk 3:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
- New International Version (NIV)Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Before Him went pestilence, And fever followed at His feet.
Context of Habakkuk 3:5
3God comes from Teman. The Holy One comes from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covers the heavens. His praise fills the earth. 4His brightness is like the sunlight. Rays of light ⌞stream⌟ from his hand. That is where his power is hidden. Diseases go ahead of him. Plagues follow after him. 6He stands and shakes the earth. He casts a glance and startles the nations. The oldest mountains break apart. The ancient hills sink. The ancient paths belong to him. 7I see trouble in the tents of Cushan. I see trembling in the tents of Midian.
Read all of Habakkuk 3Habakkuk 3:5 word by word
לְפָנָ֖יו יֵ֣לֶךְ דָּ֑בֶר וְיֵצֵ֥א רֶ֖שֶׁף לְרַגְלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Habakkuk 3:5
- Exodus 12:29At midnight the Lord killed every firstborn male in Egypt from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who ruled the land to the firstborn son of the prisoner in jail, and also every firstborn animal.
- Numbers 14:12I’ll strike them with a plague, I’ll destroy them, and I’ll make you into a nation larger and stronger than they are.”
- Numbers 16:46Moses said to Aaron, “Take your incense burner, put burning coals from the altar and incense in it, and go quickly into the community to make peace with the Lord for the people. The Lord is showing his anger; a plague has started.”
- Psalms 78:50He cleared a path for his anger. He did not spare them. He let the plague take their lives.
- Nahum 1:2God does not tolerate rivals. The Lord takes revenge. The Lord takes revenge and is full of anger. The Lord takes revenge against his enemies and holds a grudge against his foes.
- Psalms 18:7Then the earth shook and quaked. Even the foundations of the mountains trembled. They shook violently because he was angry.
- Deuteronomy 32:24They will be starved by famines and ravaged by pestilence and deadly epidemics. I will send vicious animals against them along with poisonous animals that crawl on the ground.
Commentaries on Habakkuk 3:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Before him went the pestilence - This plague was several times inflicted on the disobedient Israelites in the wilderness; see Numbers 11:33; Numbers 14:37; Numbers 16:46; and was always the proof that the just God was then manifesting his power among them. Burning coals event forth at his feet - Newcome translates, "And flashes of fire went forth after him." The disobedient Israelites were consumed by a fire that went out from Jehovah; see Leviticus 10:2…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Before Him went (goeth) the pestilence - then to consume His enemies. Exodus 23:27: “I will send My fear before thee, and will destroy all the people, to whom thou shalt come,” and the lightnings are a token that, Psalm 68:1-2, “they which hate Him, flee before Him, and the wicked perish at the Presence of God.” So, on His Ascension, Herod and Pilate were smitten by Him, and Elymas and Simon Magus before His apostles, and whatsoever hath lifted itself up…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. 5Habakkuk speaks of pestilence and plague as if they were people. He describes them as soldiers in God’s army, carrying out God’s purposes (see Deuteronomy 32:24; Exodus 7–12; Amos 4:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. pestilence--to destroy His people's foes (1Sa 5:9, 11). As Jehovah's advent is glorious to His people, so it is terrible to His foes. burning coals--Psa 18:8 favors English Version. But the parallelism requires, as the Margin translates, "burning disease" (compare De 32:24; Psa 91:6). went ... at his feet--that is, after Him, as His attendants (Jud 4:10).Read the comment
Topics related to Habakkuk 3:5
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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