Habakkuk 1
NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)
NLT — New Living Translation Bible (NLT)
Verse 1
The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.
Habakkuk’s Complaint
This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.
Habakkuk’s Complaint
Verse 2
How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
Verse 3
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.
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
Verse 4
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
The Lord’s Answer
The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
The Lord’s Reply
Verse 5
“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
The Lord replied,
“Look around at the nations;
look and be amazed![a]
For I am doing something in your own day,
something you wouldn’t believe
even if someone told you about it.
Verse 6
I am raising up the Babylonians,[a]
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
I am raising up the Babylonians,[b]
a cruel and violent people.
They will march across the world
and conquer other lands.
a cruel and violent people.
They will march across the world
and conquer other lands.
Verse 7
They are a feared and dreaded people;
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
They are notorious for their cruelty
and do whatever they like.
and do whatever they like.
Verse 8
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
Their horses are swifter than cheetahs[c]
and fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their charioteers charge from far away.
Like eagles, they swoop down to devour their prey.
and fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their charioteers charge from far away.
Like eagles, they swoop down to devour their prey.
Verse 9
they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes[b] advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
Their hordes[b] advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
“On they come, all bent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind,
sweeping captives ahead of them like sand.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind,
sweeping captives ahead of them like sand.
Verse 10
They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
They scoff at kings and princes
and scorn all their fortresses.
They simply pile ramps of earth
against their walls and capture them!
and scorn all their fortresses.
They simply pile ramps of earth
against their walls and capture them!
Verse 11
Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
Habakkuk’s Second Complaint
They sweep past like the wind
and are gone.
But they are deeply guilty,
for their own strength is their god.”
and are gone.
But they are deeply guilty,
for their own strength is their god.”
Habakkuk’s Second Complaint
Verse 12
Lord, are you not from everlasting?
My God, my Holy One, you[c] will never die.
You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment;
you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.
My God, my Holy One, you[c] will never die.
You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment;
you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.
O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal—
surely you do not plan to wipe us out?
O Lord, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us,
to punish us for our many sins.
surely you do not plan to wipe us out?
O Lord, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us,
to punish us for our many sins.
Verse 13
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
Why are you silent while the wicked
swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
Why are you silent while the wicked
swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil.
Will you wink at their treachery?
Should you be silent while the wicked
swallow up people more righteous than they?
Will you wink at their treachery?
Should you be silent while the wicked
swallow up people more righteous than they?
Verse 14
You have made people like the fish in the sea,
like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
Are we only fish to be caught and killed?
Are we only sea creatures that have no leader?
Are we only sea creatures that have no leader?
Verse 15
The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks,
he catches them in his net,
he gathers them up in his dragnet;
and so he rejoices and is glad.
he catches them in his net,
he gathers them up in his dragnet;
and so he rejoices and is glad.
Must we be strung up on their hooks
and caught in their nets while they rejoice and celebrate?
and caught in their nets while they rejoice and celebrate?
Verse 16
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.
and burns incense to his dragnet,
for by his net he lives in luxury
and enjoys the choicest food.
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.
and burn incense in front of them.
“These nets are the gods who have made us rich!”
they will claim.
Verse 17
Is he to keep on emptying his net,
destroying nations without mercy?
destroying nations without mercy?
Will you let them get away with this forever?
Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?
Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?