The Meaning of Habakkuk 1:16 Explained

Habakkuk 1:16

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

YLT: Therefore he doth sacrifice to his net, And doth make perfume to his drag, For by them is his portion fertile, and his food fat.

Darby: therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; for by them his portion is become fat, and his meat dainty.

ASV: Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because by them his portion is fat, and his food plenteous.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Habakkuk 1:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Habakkuk 1:1-17 - The Apparent Prosperity Of The Wicked
Habakkuk probably lived toward the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, when the Chaldeans were preparing to invade the land. Jerusalem was filled with wickedness. Crimes of violence and lawlessness had become so numerous that the prophet was appalled at the sight. He could only point to the fate of other nations, which must also befall Judah unless the people repented. Paul quotes Habakkuk 1:5 in Acts 13:41. The Chaldeans are compared to the leopard, the evening wolf, and the east wind. The prophet turns to Jehovah in an agony of expostulation and entreaty. Was He not from everlasting? Was He not Israel's Rock? The prophet's solace is the reflection, "We shall not die." An ancient reading is, "Thou canst not die." We are reminded of Revelation 1:18. O thou undying, unchanging, life-giving Savior, we cling to thee amid the storms that sweep the world, as limpets to the rock. [source]

Chapter Summary: Habakkuk 1

1  Unto Habakkuk, complaining of the iniquity of the land,
5  is shown the fearful vengeance by the Chaldeans
12  He complains that vengeance should be executed by them who are far worse

What do the individual words in Habakkuk 1:16 mean?

Upon thus they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their dragnet because by them sumptuous their share [is] and their food fat
עַל־ כֵּן֙ יְזַבֵּ֣חַ לְחֶרְמ֔וֹ וִֽיקַטֵּ֖ר לְמִכְמַרְתּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י בָהֵ֙מָּה֙ שָׁמֵ֣ן חֶלְק֔וֹ וּמַאֲכָל֖וֹ בְּרִאָֽה

עַל־  Upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כֵּן֙  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
יְזַבֵּ֣חַ  they  sacrifice 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
לְחֶרְמ֔וֹ  to  their  net 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֵרֶם 
Sense: a thing devoted, thing dedicated, ban, devotion.
וִֽיקַטֵּ֖ר  and  burn  incense 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מֻקְטָר 
Sense: .
לְמִכְמַרְתּ֑וֹ  to  their  dragnet 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַכְמֹר 
Sense: net, fishing net.
כִּ֤י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בָהֵ֙מָּה֙  by  them 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
שָׁמֵ֣ן  sumptuous 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמֵן  
Sense: fat, rich, robust.
חֶלְק֔וֹ  their  share  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
וּמַאֲכָל֖וֹ  and  their  food 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַאֲכָל  
Sense: food, fruit, meat.
בְּרִאָֽה  fat 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: בָּרִיא  
Sense: fat.