Habakkuk 2:3

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; and it hastens toward the end, and it will not lie. If it delays, wait for it, for it will surely come; it will not be late.”
Habakkuk 2:3 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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Habakkuk keeps watch and is told the vision has its time: if it delays, waitWaiting on God

With the Hebrew beneath

Forכִּיthe visionחָזוֹןis yetעוֹדfor the appointed time;לַמּוֹעֵדand it hastensוְיָפֵחַtoward the end,לַקֵּץand it will notוְלֹאlie.יְכַזֵּבIfאִםit delays,יִתְמַהְמָהּwait forחַכֵּהit,לוֹforכִּיit will surelyבֹאcome;יָבֹאit will notלֹאbe late.יְאַחֵר

Quotation · Hebrews 10:37-38

Go to Hebrews 10:37-38

Hebrews quotes without a formula. It says “the one who is coming,” with the article, and puts the two sentences of Habakkuk 2:4 in reverse order.

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: ἔτι γὰρ μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἥξει καὶ οὐ χρονίσει ὁ δὲ δίκαιός μου ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται καὶ ἐὰν ὑποστείληται οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ

Hebrew (Masoretic text): כִּי עוֹד חָזוֹן לַמּוֹעֵד וְיָפֵחַ לַקֵּץ וְלֹא יְכַזֵּב אִם יִתְמַהְמָהּ חַכֵּה לוֹ כִּי בֹא יָבֹא לֹא יְאַחֵר הִנֵּה עֻפְּלָה לֹא יָשְׁרָה נַפְשׁוֹ בּוֹ וְצַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ יִחְיֶה

Septuagint (Habakkuk 2:3-4 in the Septuagint numbering): διότι ἔτι ὅρασις εἰς καιρόν, καὶ ἀνατελεῖ εἰς πέρας καὶ οὐκ εἰς κενόν· ἐὰν ὑστερήσῃ, ὑπόμεινον αὐτόν, ὅτι ἐρχόμενος ἥξει καὶ οὐ μὴ χρονίσῃ. ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχὴ μου ἐν αὐτῷ· ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως μου ζήσεται.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 9 consecutive words: “ἐὰν ὑποστείληται οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Habakkuk 2:3, word by word

the visionחָזוֹןchazon

vision

Vision: what God makes a prophet see or understand; by extension, his message.

Where else “chazon” appears

for the appointed timeמּוֹעֵדmoed

appointed time

A date fixed beforehand.

Where else “moed” appears

and it hastensיָפֵחַyafeach

hasten

To hasten toward fulfillment, toward the end.

Where else “yafeach” appears

toward the endקֵּץkets

end

What comes when something finishes: "some days later".

Where else “kets” appears

lieיְכַזֵּבyechazev

lie

To say what is not true, or not to keep what was promised.

Where else “yechazev” appears

it delaysיִתְמַהְמָהּyitmahmah

linger

Linger, delay, hesitate.

Where else “yitmahmah” appears

wait forחַכֵּהchake

wait, wait for

To wait, to wait for something to happen or for someone to act (2 Kings 7:9). In the Psalms and in Isaiah it is also used for waiting on God with trust (Isaiah 30:18).

Where else “chake” appears

it will surelyבֹאvo

come

To come, arrive: "days are coming".

Where else “vo” appears

be lateיְאַחֵרyeacher

delay

Delay, hold back; stay late.

Where else “yeacher” appears

Translation note

Hebrews 10:37-38 quotes this verse and the next.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Hebrews 10:37-38

Hebrews quotes without a formula. It says “the one who is coming,” with the article, and puts the two sentences of Habakkuk 2:4 in reverse order.

See them side by side

Habakkuk 2:3

³For the vision is yet for the appointed time; and it hastens toward the end, and it will not lie. If it delays, wait for it, for it will surely come; it will not be late.

Hebrews 10:37-38

³⁷For yet a very little while, and the one who is coming will come and will not delay.

The context

2And YHWH answered me and said: “Write the vision, and engrave it clearly on the tablets, so that the one who reads it may run.

3 · This verse (above)

4Look, the one who is puffed up, his soul is not upright in him; but the righteous by his faithfulness will live.

Read all of Habakkuk 2

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