Habakkuk 1:16

Habakkuk 1:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their dragnet; Because by them their share is sumptuous And their food plentiful.

Context of Habakkuk 1:16

14Are we only fish to be caught and killed? Are we only sea creatures that have no leader? 15Must we be strung up on their hooks and caught in their nets while they rejoice and celebrate? Then they will worship their nets and burn incense in front of them. “These nets are the gods who have made us rich!” they will claim. 17Will you let them get away with this forever? Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?

Habakkuk 1:16 word by word

עַל־כֵּן֙ יְזַבֵּ֣חַ לְחֶרְמ֔וֹ וִֽיקַטֵּ֖ר לְמִכְמַרְתּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י בָהֵ֙מָּה֙ שָׁמֵ֣ן חֶלְק֔וֹ וּמַאֲכָל֖וֹ בְּרִאָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore they sacrificeזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• unto their netחֵ֫רֶםchêrem cherem · netH2764
• and burn incenseקָטַרqâţar · to offer: offerH6999
• unto their dragמִכְמֶ֫רֶתmikmereth mikmôreth · netH4365
• because by themהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• their portionחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
• fatשָׁמֵןshâmên · richH8082
• and their meatמַאֲכָלma'ăkâl · foodH3978
• plenteousבָּרִיאbârîy' · fatH1277

Cross-references for Habakkuk 1:16

• Habakkuk 1:11They sweep past like the wind and are gone. But they are deeply guilty, for their own strength is their god.”
• Deuteronomy 8:17He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’
• Isaiah 10:13He boasts, “By my own powerful arm I have done this. With my own shrewd wisdom I planned it. I have broken down the defenses of nations and carried off their treasures. I have knocked down their kings like a bull.
• Isaiah 37:24By your messengers you have defied the Lord. You have said, ‘With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypress trees. I have reached its farthest heights and explored its deepest forests.
• Ezekiel 28:3You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel and think no secret is hidden from you.
• Ezekiel 29:3Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: “I am your enemy, O Pharaoh, king of Egypt— you great monster, lurking in the streams of the Nile. For you have said, ‘The Nile River is mine; I made it for myself.’
• Daniel 4:30As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’
• Daniel 5:23For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!

Commentaries on Habakkuk 1:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16They sacrifice unto their net - He had no God; he cared for none; and worshipped only his armor and himself. King Mezentius, one of the worst characters in the Aeneid of Virgil, is represented as invoking his own right hand and his spear in battle. Aen. 10:773. Dextra mihi Deus, et telum quod missile libro, Nunc adsint. "My strong right hand and sword, assert my stroke. Those only gods Mezentius will invoke." Dryden. And Capaneus, in Statius, gives us a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag - literally he sacrifices unto his, etc. Whatever a man trusts in is his god. If a man relies to compass his end by his strength, or his wisdom, or his forethought, or his wealth, his armies or navies, these his forces are his God. So the Assyrian said Isaiah 10:13, Isaiah 10:15, “By the strength of my hand I did it; and by my wisdom, for I am prudent;” and God answered, “Shall the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 However matters may be, yet God is the Lord our God, our Holy One. We are an offending people, he is an offended God, yet we will not entertain hard thoughts of him, or of his service. It is great comfort that, whatever mischief men design, the Lord designs good, and we are sure that his counsel shall stand. Though wickedness may prosper a while, yet God is holy, and does not approve the wickedness. As he cannot do iniquity himself, so he is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16See study note on Habakkuk 1:11; compare 1 John 5:21.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. sacrifice unto their net--that is, their arms, power, and military skill, wherewith they gained their victories; instead of to God. Compare Ha 1:11, Maurer's interpretation. They idolize themselves for their own cleverness and might (De 8:17; Is 10:13; 37:24, 25). by them--by their net and dragnet. their portion--image from a banquet: the prey which they have gotten.Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 1:16

• Covetousness
• Happiness
• Idolatry
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Possess
• Pure
• Scoff
• Wrong
• Fisher; Fisherman
• Habakkuk

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