God’s Word Translation
Habakkuk 3:8
8The Lord is not angry with the rivers, is he? If you are angry with the rivers, if you are furious with the sea, ⌞why⌟ do you ride your horses, your chariots of salvation?
Habakkuk 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
- New International Version (NIV)Were you angry with the rivers, Lord? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode your horses and your chariots to victory?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation?
- New King James Version (NKJV)O Lord, were You displeased with the rivers, Was Your anger against the rivers, Was Your wrath against the sea, That You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation?
Context of Habakkuk 3:8
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. The Lord is not angry with the rivers, is he? If you are angry with the rivers, if you are furious with the sea, ⌞why⌟ do you ride your horses, your chariots of salvation? 9You get your bow ready for action, for the arrows ⌞you⌟ promised. Selah You split the land with rivers. 10The mountains look at you. They writhe in pain. Floodwaters pass by. The deep ocean roars. Its waves rise up high.
Read all of Habakkuk 3Habakkuk 3:8 word by word
הֲבִנְהָרִים֙ חָרָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה אִ֤ם בַּנְּהָרִים֙ אַפֶּ֔ךָ אִם־בַּיָּ֖ם עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י תִרְכַּב֙ עַל־סוּסֶ֔יךָ מַרְכְּבֹתֶ֖יךָ יְשׁוּעָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Was the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- displeasedחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
- against the riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
- thine angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- thy wrathעֶבְרָה‛ebrâh · furyH5678
- against the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- that thou didst rideרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
- upon thine horsesסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- thy chariotsמֶרְכָּבָהmerkâbâh · chariotH4818
- of salvationיְשׁוּעָהyeshû‛âh · salvationH3444
Cross-references for Habakkuk 3:8
- Exodus 14:21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. All that night the Lord pushed back the sea with a strong east wind and turned the sea into dry ground. The water divided,
- Joshua 3:16the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side ⌞of the Jordan River⌟ directly opposite Jericho.
- Psalms 114:3The Red Sea looked at this and ran away. The Jordan River turned back.
- Isaiah 50:2Why was no one here when I came? Why was no one here to answer when I called? Am I too weak to reclaim you? Don’t I have the power to rescue you? I dry up the sea with my command, and I turn rivers into deserts. Their fish stink because there is no water, and people die of thirst.
- Nahum 1:4He yells at the sea and makes it dry. He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither. The flowers of Lebanon wither.
- Mark 4:39Then he got up, ordered the wind to stop, and said to the sea, “Be still, absolutely still!” The wind stopped blowing, and the sea became very calm.
- Revelation 16:12The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River. The water in the river dried up to make a road for the kings from the east.
- Habakkuk 3:15You march with your horses into the sea, into the mighty raging waters.
- Deuteronomy 33:26“There’s no one like your God, Jeshurun! He rides through the heavens to help you. In majesty he rides through the clouds.
- Psalms 18:10He rode on one of the angels as he flew, and he soared on the wings of the wind.
- Psalms 45:4Ride on victoriously in your majesty for the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand teach you awe-inspiring things.
- Psalms 68:4Sing to God; make music to praise his name. Make a highway for him to ride through the deserts. The Lord is his name. Celebrate in his presence.
- Psalms 104:3You lay the beams of your home in the water. You use the clouds for your chariot. You move on the wings of the wind.
- Isaiah 19:1This is the divine revelation about Egypt. The Lord is riding on a fast-moving cloud and is coming to Egypt. Egypt’s idols will tremble in his presence. Egypt’s courage will fail.
- Revelation 6:2Then I looked, and there was a white horse, and its rider had a bow. He was given a crown and rode off as a warrior to win battles.
- Revelation 19:11I saw heaven standing open. There was a white horse, and its rider is named Faithful and True. With integrity he judges and wages war.
Commentaries on Habakkuk 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? - Floods; here is a reference to the passage of the Red Sea. The Lord is represented as heading his troops, riding in his chariot, and commanding the sea to divide, that a free passage might be left for his army to pass over.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? - The prophet asks the question thrice, as to the two miracles of the dividing of the Red Sea and the Jordan River, thereby the more earnestly declaring, that God meant somewhat by these acts and beyond them. He asks, as Daniel Daniel 7:16. and Zechariah asked, what was the truth of the things which they saw. God‘s defilings with His former people were as much ensamples of what should be with us 1 Corinthians…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. 8angry at the rivers … wrath against the streams: See Exodus 7:19–20; 14:15–31. chariots of salvation: This is an ironic reference to the Egyptian chariots that chased the Israelites when God helped them escape through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Was the Lord displeased against the rivers?--"Was the cause of His dividing the Red Sea and Jordan His displeasure against these waters?" The answer to this is tacitly implied in "Thy chariots of salvation." "Nay; it was not displeasure against the waters, but His pleasure in interposing for His people's salvation" (compare Ha 3:10). thy chariots--in antithesis to Thy foe, Pharaoh's chariots," which, notwithstanding their power and numbers, were…Read the comment
Topics related to Habakkuk 3:8
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
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