Habakkuk 3:8

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 takes his battle position and shakes the earth; with a mere look he frightens the nations. The ancient mountains disintegrate; the primeval hills are flattened. He travels on the ancient roads. 7I see the tents of Cushan overwhelmed by trouble; the tent curtains of the land of Midian are shaking. Is the Lord mad at the rivers? Are you angry with the rivers? Are you enraged at the sea? Is this why you climb into your horse-drawn chariots, your victorious chariots? 9Your bow is ready for action; you commission your arrows. Selah. You cause flash floods on the earth’s surface. 10When the mountains see you, they shake. The torrential downpour sweeps through. The great deep shouts out; it lifts its hands high.

Habakkuk 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 14:21Moses stretched out his hand toward the sea, and the Lord drove the sea apart by a strong east wind all that night, and he made the sea into dry land, and the water was divided.
• Joshua 3:16the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing. It piled up far upstream at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea). The people crossed the river opposite Jericho.
• Psalms 114:3The sea looked and fled; the Jordan River turned back.
• Isaiah 50:2Why does no one challenge me when I come? Why does no one respond when I call? Is my hand too weak to deliver you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water.
• Nahum 1:4He shouts a battle cry against the seaand makes it dry up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither; the blossom of Lebanon withers.
• Mark 4:39So he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be quiet! Calm down!” Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm.
• Revelation 16:12Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
• Habakkuk 3:15But you trample on the sea with your horses, on the surging, raging waters.
• Deuteronomy 33:26There is no one like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the sky to help you, on the clouds in majesty.
• Psalms 18:10He mounted a winged angel and flew; he glided on the wings of the wind.
• Psalms 45:4Appear in your majesty and be victorious! Ride forth for the sake of what is right, on behalf of justice! Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts!
• Psalms 68:4Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Exalt the one who rides on the clouds! For the Lord is his name! Rejoice before him!
• Psalms 104:3and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds. He makes the clouds his chariot, and travels along on the wings of the wind.
• Isaiah 19:1Here is a message about Egypt: Look, the Lord rides on a swift-moving cloud and approaches Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him; the Egyptians lose their courage.
• Revelation 6:2So I looked, and here came a white horse! The one who rode it had a bow, and he was given a crown, and as a conqueror he rode out to conquer.
• Revelation 19:11Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to 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

• Chariot
• Readings, Select
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Arrow
• Chariot
• Hiding
• Joy
• Meat
• Poetry
• Psalms
• Remember
• Wrath

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