Habakkuk Chapter 1

Chaldeans Used to Punish Judah

1The 12oracleH4853 whichH834 HabakkukH2265 the prophetH5030 sawH2372.

23HowH575 longH5704, O LordH3068, will I callH7768 for helpH7768, And You will not hearH8085? I cryH2199 out to You, “ViolenceH2555!” Yet You do 4not saveH3467.3WhyH4100 do You makeH7200 me 5seeH7200 iniquityH205, And cause me to lookH5027 on wickednessH5999? Yes, 6destructionH7701 and violenceH2555 are beforeH5048 me; 7StrifeH7379 existsH1961 and contentionH4066 arisesH5375.4ThereforeH5921H3651 the 8lawH8451 is 9ignoredH6313 And justiceH4941 10is neverH3808H5331 upheldH3318. For the wickedH7563 11surroundH3803 the righteousH6662; ThereforeH5921H3651 justiceH4941 comesH3318 out 12pervertedH6127.

5“13LookH7200 among the nationsH1471! ObserveH5027! Be astonishedH8539! 14WonderH8539! BecauseH3588 I am doingH6466 15somethingH6467 in your daysH3117-- You would not believeH539 ifH3588 16you were toldH5608.6For beholdH2009, I am 17raisingH6965 up the ChaldeansH3778, That 18fierceH4751 and impetuousH4116 peopleH1471 Who marchH1980 19throughoutH4800 the earthH776 To 2021seizeH3423 dwellingH4908 placesH4908 which are not theirs.7They are dreadedH366 and 22fearedH3372; Their 23justiceH4941 and 24authorityH7613 25originateH3318 with themselves.8Their 26horsesH5483 are swifterH7043 thanH4480 leopardsH5246 And 27keenerH2300 thanH4480 28wolvesH2061 in the eveningH6153. Their 29horsemenH6571 comeH935 gallopingH6335, Their horsemenH6571 comeH935 from afarH7350; They flyH5774 like an 30eagleH5404 swoopingH2363 down to devourH398.9AllH3605 of them comeH935 for violenceH2555. 31Their hordeH4041 of 32facesH6440 moves forwardH6921. They collectH622 captivesH7628 like sandH2344.10They 33mockH7046 at kingsH4428 And rulersH7336 are a laughingH4890 matter to them. They 34laughH7832 at everyH3605 fortressH4013 And 35heapH6651 up rubbleH6083 to captureH3920 it.11ThenH227 they will sweepH2498 throughH2498 like the 36windH7307 and passH5674 on. But they will be heldH816 37guiltyH816, They whoseH2098 38strengthH3581 is their godH433.”

12Are You not from 39everlastingH6924, O LordH3068, my GodH430, my HolyH6918 OneH6918? We will not dieH4191. You, O LordH3068, have 40appointedH7760 them to judgeH4941; And You, O 41RockH6697, have establishedH3245 them to correctH3198.13Your eyesH5869 are tooH4480 42pureH2889 to 43approveH7200 evilH7451, And You canH3201 not lookH5027 on wickednessH5999 with favor. WhyH4100 do You 44lookH5027 with favor On those who dealH898 45treacherouslyH898? Why are You 46silentH2790 when the wickedH7563 47swallowH1104 up Those moreH4480 righteousH6662 thanH4480 they?14Why have You madeH6213 menH120 like the fishH1709 of the seaH3220, Like creepingH7431 thingsH7431 withoutH3808 a rulerH4910 over them?15The Chaldeans 48bringH5927 allH3605 of them up with a hookH2443, 49DragH1641 them awayH1641 with their netH2764, And gatherH622 them together in their fishingH4365 netH4365. ThereforeH5921H3651 they rejoiceH8055 and are gladH1523.16ThereforeH5921H3651 they offerH2076 a sacrificeH2076 to their netH2764 And 50burnH6999 incenseH6999 to their fishingH4365 netH4365; BecauseH3588 through 51theseH1992 thingsH1992 their 52catchH2506 is 53largeH8082, And their foodH3978 is 54plentifulH1277.17Will they thereforeH5921H3651 emptyH7385 their 55netH2764 And continuallyH8548 56slayH2026 nationsH1471 withoutH3808 sparingH2550?