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Habakkuk

Chapter 1

1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

2 O Jehovah/God,
how long shall I cry,
and You will not hear!

Even cry out unto You of violence,
and You will not deliver!

3 Why do You show me iniquity,
and cause me to behold grievance?

For spoiling and violence are before me.

And there are those who raise up strife and contention.

4 Therefore the law is slacked,
and judgment does never go forth . . .
for the wicked does compass about the righteous.

Therefore wrong judgment proceeds.

{Paul quotes in Acts 13:41}
5~~Behold you among the heathen,
and regard,
and wonder marvelously
for I will work a work in your days,
which you will not believe,
though it be told you.

6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans,
that bitter and hasty nation,
which shall march through the breadth of the land,
to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.

7 They are terrible and dreadful.

Their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

{Description of Chaldean Cavalry}
8~~ Their horses are swifter than the leopards,
  {speaking figuratively - very swift horses}
and are keener/sharp/alert {chadad}
than the wolves in the evening
  {nose up and sniffs for a meal - radar is out - great alertness}.

And their horses 'paw the ground'
  {means they are combat trained and ready to go}
and their riders shall come from far.
  {cover great distances on marches}

They fly like the eagle that swoops down to devour.
  {analogy of their agility in combat - used also in II Samuel 1:23}

9 They shall come all for violence.

Their faces shall sup up as the east wind,
and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

10 And they shall scoff at the kings,
and the princes shall be a scorn unto them.

They shall deride every strong hold . . .
for they shall heap dust, and take it.

11 Then shall his mind change,
and he shall pass over,
and offend,
imputing this his power unto his god/'elowahh.

12 {Are} You not from everlasting,
O Jehovah/God my 'Elohiym/Godhead,
my Holy One?

We shall not die.

O Jehovah/God, You have ordained them for judgment;
and, O Mighty,
You have established them for correction.

13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,
and can not look on iniquity.

Why do You look upon them that deal treacherously,
and hold Your tongue
when the wicked devours
the man that is more righteous than he?

14 And make men as the fishes of the sea,
as the creeping things,
that have no ruler over them?

15 They take up all of them with the angle,
they catch them in their net,
and gather them in their drag.

Therefore they rejoice and are glad.

16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net,
and burn incense unto their drag . . .
because by them their portion is fat,
and their meat plenteous.

17 Shall they therefore empty their net,
and not spare continually to slay the nations?