Habakkuk 1:2–3
Habakkuk asks God why he looks on wickedness and violence and does not save
Study it word by word2How long, YHWH, will I cry for help and you will not listen? I cry out to you, “Violence,” and you do not save.
3Why do you make me see wickedness, and you look on trouble? Devastation and violence are before me; and there is dispute, and strife rises up.
In its context
1The burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw.
…
4Therefore instruction grows numb, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surrounds the righteous; therefore justice goes forth twisted.
5“Look among the nations, and observe, and be astonished, be astonished; for a work I am working in your days that you would not believe if it were told.
Its words in the original
- אָנָהana· where to?
Where? To where?; "how long?"
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- שִׁוַּעְתִּיshivati· cry for help
To cry out for help, to call aloud to be rescued.
- תִשְׁמָעtishma· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- אֶזְעַקezak· cry out
Cry out, shout for help; also call together.
- חָמָסchamas· violence
Violence; unjust harm done to others.
- תוֹשִׁיעַtoshia· save
Save: deliver someone from danger or from an oppressor. From this root come the names Joshua and Jesus.
- תַרְאֵtare· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- אָוֶןaven· wickedness, trouble
Wickedness, trouble: what is empty and comes to nothing; also the evil and the affliction it brings.
- עָמָלamal· trouble, toil
Hard work, trouble, suffering.
- תַּבִּיטtabit· look
Look intently, gaze; regard, pay attention to.
- שֹׁדshod· destruction, violence
Devastation, ruin that comes with violence.
- נֶגְדִּnegdi· in front of, counterpart
In front of, opposite, before. The full phrase "as in front of him" means someone who corresponds to him, a counterpart.
- יְהִיyehi· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- רִיבriv· dispute, case
Dispute, quarrel; also a case brought before a judge.
- מָדוֹןmadon· strife
Strife, quarrel, a cause of dispute.
- יִשָּׂאyisa· lift, carry, bear
Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.