The Meaning of Habakkuk 1:3 Explained

Habakkuk 1:3

KJV: Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

YLT: Why dost Thou shew me iniquity, And perversity dost cause to behold? And spoiling and violence are before me, And there is strife, and contention doth lift itself up,

Darby: Why dost thou cause me to see iniquity, and lookest thou upon grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up.

ASV: Why dost thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? for destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up.

Discover Habakkuk 1:3

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Habakkuk 1:3?

MEANING: What does Habakkuk 1:3 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Habakkuk 1:3 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Habakkuk 1:3?

What is the context of Habakkuk 1:3?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause [me] to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence [are] before me: and there are [that] raise up strife and contention.

What does Habakkuk 1:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Habakkuk wanted to know why Yahweh allowed the iniquity and wickedness that he had to observe every day to continue in Judah. Destruction, ethical wrong, strife, and contention were not only common, but they were increasing. Yet Yahweh did nothing about the situation.

"Violence" (Heb. hamas) occurs six times in Habakkuk ( Habakkuk 1:2-3; Habakkuk 1:9; Habakkuk 2:8; Habakkuk 2:17 ^[1]), an unusually large number of times for such a short book. The Hebrew word means more than just physical brutality. It refers to flagrant violation of moral law by which someone injures his fellowman (e.g, Genesis 6:11). It is ethical wrong, and physical violence is only one manifestation of it. By piling up synonyms for injustice, Habakkuk stressed the severity of the oppression.

"This is not an instance of the earthen vessel finding fault with the potter who made it-an attitude rebuked by Isaiah and Paul. It is to the one who answers back in unbelief that Paul says, "Who indeed are you ... to argue with God?" ( Romans 9:20). But there are others who answer back in faith; their words, when they do Song of Solomon , are the expression of their loyalty to God." ^[2]

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 1:3 mean?

why do You show me iniquity and trouble cause [me] to see for plundering and violence [are] before me and there is strife and contention arises

לָ֣מָּה תַרְאֵ֤נִי אָ֙וֶן֙ ؟ וְעָמָ֣ל תַּבִּ֔יט וְשֹׁ֥ד וְחָמָ֖ס לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וַיְהִ֧י רִ֦יב וּמָד֖וֹן יִשָּֽׂא

לָ֣מָּה	why
Parse: Interrogative Root: לָמָּה Sense: what, how, of what kind.
תַרְאֵ֤נִי	do You show me
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular Root: רָאָה Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אָ֙וֶן֙	iniquity
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: אָוֶן Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.
؟ וְעָמָ֣ל	and trouble
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular Root: עָמָל Sense: .
תַּבִּ֔יט	cause [me] to see
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular Root: נָבַט Sense: to look, regard.
וְשֹׁ֥ד	for plundering
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular Root: שֹׁד Sense: havoc, violence, destruction, devastation, ruin.
וְחָמָ֖ס	and violence
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular Root: חָמָס Sense: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice.
לְנֶגְדִּ֑י	[are] before me
Parse: Preposition-l, first person common singular Root: נֶגֶד Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
וַיְהִ֧י	and there is
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: אֶהְיֶה Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
רִ֦יב	strife
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: רִיב Sense: strife, controversy, dispute.
וּמָד֖וֹן	and contention
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular Root: מָדֹון Sense: strife, contention.
יִשָּֽׂא	arises
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: נָשָׂא Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.

What are the major concepts related to Habakkuk 1:3?

Loading Information...

Similar Scriptures for Habakkuk 1:3

		Psalms 55:9-11 [6]
		Jeremiah 9:2-6 [4]
		Micah 7:1-4 [4]
		Ecclesiastes 5:8 [4]
		Jeremiah 20:8 [4]
		Matthew 10:16 [3]
		Psalms 73:3-9 [3]
		Ecclesiastes 4:1 [3]
		Ezekiel 2:6 [3]
		2 Peter 2:8 [3]
		Psalms 12:1-2 [3]
read more (1)
		Psalms 120:5-6 [3]
read less