Habakkuk 1:3

Habakkuk 1:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
• New International Version (NIV)Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises.

Context of Habakkuk 1:3

1The pronouncement which Habakkuk the prophet saw: 2How long, Lord, have I called for help, And You do not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. Why do You make me see disaster, And make me look at destitution? Yes, devastation and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. 4Therefore the Law is ignored, And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out confused. 5“Look among the nations! Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless! For I am accomplishing a work in your days-- You would not believe it even if you were told!

Habakkuk 1:3 word by word

לָ֣מָּה תַרְאֵ֤נִי אָ֙וֶן֙ וְעָמָ֣ל תַּבִּ֔יט וְשֹׁ֥ד וְחָמָ֖ס לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וַיְהִ֧י רִ֦יב וּמָד֖וֹן יִשָּֽׂא׃Read the interlinear

• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• do You makeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• disasterאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
• lookנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
• at destitutionעָמָל‛âmâl · troubleH5999
• devastationשֹׁדshôd shôd · violenceH7701
• and violenceחָמָסchâmâs · violenceH2555
• are beforeנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• Strifeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
• existsהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• and contentionמָדוֹןmâdôn · strifeH4066
• arisesנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375

Cross-references for Habakkuk 1:3

• Psalms 12:1Help, Lord, for the godly person has come to an end, For the faithful have disappeared from the sons of mankind.
• Psalms 55:9Confuse them, Lord, divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
• Psalms 73:3For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
• Psalms 120:5Woe to me, for I reside in Meshech, For I have settled among the tents of Kedar!
• Ecclesiastes 4:1Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them.
• Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.
• Jeremiah 9:2Oh that I had in the desert A travelers’ lodging place; So that I might leave my people And go away from them! For all of them are adulterers, An assembly of treacherous people.
• Ezekiel 2:6And as for you, son of man, you are not to fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; you are not to fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, since they are a rebellious house.
• Micah 7:1Woe to me! For I am Like harvests of summer fruit, like gleanings of grapes. There is not a cluster of grapes left to eat, Nor an early fig, which I crave.
• Matthew 10:16“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as wary as serpents, and as innocent as doves.
• 2 Peter 2:8(for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),

Commentaries on Habakkuk 1:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And cause me to behold grievance - עמל amal, labor, toil, distress, misery, etc., the common fruits of sin.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Why dost Thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold - , or rather, “Why beholdest Thou grievance?” God seemed to reverse what He had said by Balaam Numbers 23:21, “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, and hath not seen grievousness in Israel”; and in the Psalms Psalm 10:14, “Thou hast seen, for thou (emphatic) beholdest grievousness and wrong, to put it in Thy hand,” i. e., Thou layest it up in Thy hand, to cast it back on the head of the evildoer…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3In Habakkuk’s time, destruction and violence were widespread in Judean society (see Habakkuk Book Introduction, “Setting”).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. violence ... Why dost thou show me iniquity?--Similar language is used of the Chaldeans (Ha 1:9, 13), as here is used of the Jews: implying, that as the Jews sinned by violence and injustice, so they should be punished by violence and injustice (Pr 1:31). Jehoiakim's reign was marked by injustice, treachery, and bloodshed (Jr 22:3, 13-17). Therefore the Chaldeans should be sent to deal with him and his nobles according to their dealings with others…Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 1:3

• God Continued...
• Minister, Christian
• Punishment
• Strife
• Wicked (People)
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Possess
• Pure
• Scoff
• Wrong
• Grievance
• Habakkuk
• strife, disputes, quarrel, arguing, conflict

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