1tn Heb “The burden.” The Hebrew term aC*m^, usually translated “oracle” (NEB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or “utterance” (BDB 672 s.v. III. aC*m^), in prophetic literature is a technical term introducing a message from the Lord (see Zech 9:1; 12:1; Mal 1:1). Since it derives from a verb meaning “to carry,” its original nuance was that of a burdensome message, that is, one with ominous content
2tn Heb “The message [traditionally, “burden”] which Habakkuk the prophet saw.”
3tn Or “deliver.”
4tn Heb “Why do you make me see injustice?” Here “see” is figurative for “experience, undergo.”
5tn Heb “Why do you look at wrongdoing?”
sn Habakkuk complains that God tolerates social injustice and fails to intervene on behalf of the oppressed (put up with wrongdoing).
6tn Heb “are before.”
7tn Heb “and there is conflict and strife he lifts up.” The present translation takes the verb aC*y] in the sense of “carry, bear,” and understands the subject to be indefinite (“one”).
8tn Heb “the law is numb,” i.e., like a hand that has “fallen asleep” (see Ps 77:2).
9tn Heb “never goes out.”
10tn Or “for.”
11tn Heb “surround.”
12tn Or “righteous.”
13tn Heb “comes out crooked.”
14tn Or “look among the nations and observe.” The imperatival forms in v. 5 are plural, indicating that the Lord’s message is for the whole nation, not just the prophet.
15tn The Hebrew text combines the Hitpael and Qal imperatival forms of the verb hmt, “be amazed.” A literal translation might read, “Shock yourselves and be shocked!” The repetition of sounds draws attention to the statement. The imperatives here have the force of an emphatic assertion. On this use of the imperative in Hebrew, see GKC §110.c and IBHS 572-73.
16tc Heb “for a work working in your days.” Following the LXX reading, some supply a first person singular pronoun with the participle lup. Ellipsis of a first singular pronoun before participles is relatively rare (see GKC §116.s); perhaps an original ykna (or yna) followed the initial yk and was omitted by homoioteleuton.
17tn Heb “you will not believe when it is told.” In this context the force of yk may be “when,” “if,” or “even though.” For these uses of yk see HALOT 2:471.
18tn Heb “raise up.”
19tn Heb “bitter.” Other translation options for this word in this context include “fierce” (NASB, NRSV); “savage” (NEB); or “grim.”
20tn Heb “hasty, quick.” Some translate here “impetuous” (so NEB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or “rash,” but in this context greed may very well be the idea. The Babylonians move quickly and recklessly ahead in their greedy quest to expand their empire.
21tn Heb “the open spaces.”
22tn Heb “from him his justice, even his lifting up, goes out.” In this context tac probably has the nuance “authority.” See R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 150.
23tn Heb “sharper,” in the sense of “keener” or “more alert.” Some translate “quicker” on the basis of the parallelism with the first line (see HALOT 1:291).
24tn Heb “wolves of the evening,” that is, wolves that prowl at night. The present translation assumes an emendation to hbru (“desert”). On this phrase see also Zeph 3:3.
25tn Or “horsemen,” “cavalry.”
26tn The precise nuance of the rare verb vwp is unclear here. Elsewhere it is used of animals jumping or leaping (see Jer 50:11; Mal 4:2).
27tn Or “eagle” (so NASB, NRSV). The term can refer to either eagles or vultures, but in this context of gruesome destruction and death “vulture” is preferred.
28tn Heb “they fly like a vulture/an eagle quickly to devour.” The direct object “their prey” is not included in the Hebrew text but is implied, and has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
29tn Heb “come.”
30tn Heb “The totality of their faces is to the east” (or “is forward”). The precise meaning of the Hebrew term tmgm is unclear. For a discussion of options see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 93. NEB has “a sea of faces rolls on”; NIV “their hordes advance like a desert wind”; NRSV “with faces pressing forward.”
31tn Heb “and he gathers like sand, prisoners.”
32tn Heb “they heap up dirt.” This is a reference to the piling up of earthen ramps in the process of laying siege to a fortified city.
33tn The precise meaning of v. 11a is uncertain. The present translation assumes the first line further describes the Babylonian hordes, comparing them to a destructive wind. Another option is to understand jwr as “spirit,” rather than “wind,” and take the form <vaw with what precedes (as suggested by the scribal punctuation). Repointing this form as a geminate verb from <mv, “be astonished,” one could then translate the line, “The spirit passed on and departed, and I was astonished.” In this case the line would describe the cessation of the divine revelation which began in v. 5. For a detailed defense of this view, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 97-100.
34tn Heb “and guilty is the one whose strength is his god.” This assumes that <va is a predicate adjective meaning “guilty” and that it relates to what follows.
35tn Heb “Are you not from antiquity, O Lord?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Yes, of course.” The present translation reflects the force of the rhetorical question, rendering it as an affirmation. When used in a temporal sense the phrase <dqm means “from antiquity, ancient times,” often referring to earlier periods in Israel’s history. See its use in Neh 12:46; Pss 74:12; 77:11; Isa 45:21; 46:10; Mic 5:2.
36tn Heb “My God, my holy one.” God’s “holiness” in this context is his sovereign transcendence as the righteous judge of the world (see vv. 12b-13a), thus the translation “My sovereign God.”
37tc The MT reads, “we will not die,” but an ancient scribal tradition has “you [i.e., God] will not die.” This is preferred as a more difficult reading that can explain the rise of the other variant. Later scribes who copied the manuscripts did not want to associate the idea of death with God in any way, so they softened the statement to refer to humanity.
38tn Heb “him,” a collective singular referring to the Babylonians. The plural pronoun “them” has been used in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.
39tn Heb “for judgment.”
40tn Heb “Rock” or “Cliff.” This divine epithet views God as a place where one can go to be safe from danger. The translation “Protector” conveys the force of the metaphor (cf. NEB “O mighty God”).
41tn Heb “to correct, reprove.”
42tn Heb “[you] are too pure of eyes.” God’s “eyes” here signify what he looks at with approval. His “eyes” are “pure” in that he refuses to tolerate any wrongdoing in his presence.
43tn Heb “to see.” Here “see” is figurative for “tolerate,” “put up with.”
44tn Heb “to look at.” Cf. NEB “who canst not countenance wrongdoing”; NASB “You can not look on wickedness with favor.”
45tn Heb “Why do you look at treacherous ones?” The verb dgb, “be treacherous,” is often used of those who are disloyal or who violate agreements. See TDOT 1:470-73.
46tn Or “swallow up.”
47tn Heb “more innocent than themselves.”
48tn The Hebrew word cmr usually refers to animals that creep, but here the referent seems to be marine animals that glide through the water (note the parallelism in the previous line). See also Ps 104:25.
49tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Babylonian tyrant) has been specified in the translation for clarity (cf. NASB “The Chaldeans”; NIV “The wicked foe”; NRSV “The enemy”). Babylonian imperialism is here compared to a professional fisherman who repeatedly brings in his catch and has plenty to eat.
50tn Apparently two different types of fishing nets are referred to here. The <rj, or “throw net,” was used by fishermen standing on the shore (see Ezek 47:10), while the trmkm, or “dragnet,” was used by men in a boat. See R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 165.
51tn Heb “and he gathers.”
52tn Heb “Therefore he is happy and rejoices.” Here two synonyms are joined for emphasis.
53tn Heb “therefore.”
54sn The fishing implements (throw net and dragnet) represent Babylonian military might. The prophet depicts the Babylonians as arrogantly worshiping their own power (sacrifices…burns incense, see also v. 11b).
55tn Heb “for by them his portion is full [or, “fat”].”
56tn Heb “and his food is plentiful [or, “fat”].”
57tn Or “therefore.”
58tn Heb “Will he then empty his throw net?” The words “continue to fill and” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
59tn Or “continually.”
60tn Heb “kill.”
61tn Or “without showing compassion.”