New International Version
Habakkuk 3:5
5Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps.
Habakkuk 3:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Pestilence marches before him; plague follows close behind.
Context of Habakkuk 3:5
3God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. 4His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps. 6He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed— but he marches on forever. 7I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish.
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 struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.
- Numbers 14:12I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”
- Numbers 16:46Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.”
- Psalms 78:50He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague.
- Nahum 1:2The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies.
- Psalms 18:7The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.
- Deuteronomy 32:24I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.
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
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