Habakkuk 3:2
in Habakkuk 3O LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds. Revive them in these years; make them known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
O Jehovah, I have heard the report of thee, and am afraid: O Jehovah, revive thy work in the midst of the years; In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.
KJV
O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
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This verse in Habakkuk 3
Commentary
5 notes on this verseO Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid,.... Or, "thy hearing" (p); which the Lord had caused to be heard from and of himself; the report that had been made to him, and other prophets before him, particularly Isaiah, who says, "who hath believed our report?"
This site's exposition
upon Shigionoth
on Habakkuk 3:1-2
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth turns the book from dialogue to worship, a musical term the bench reads as a wild, irregular ode fitting the terror and joy both about to follow. O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid answers chapter 2's vision with reverence rather than argument, and the prayer's center follows at once, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in wrath remember mercy, judgment accepted and mercy still asked for in the same breath. Calvin and Henry read the plea as the whole book's turn, complaint become petition, the prophet no longer demanding an answer but asking God to act mercifully within the answer already given.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Thy speech - In answer to the inquiry made chap. i, 13, 14. Was afraid - Trembled at what thou speakest. In the midst of the years - Even before the seventy years are expired.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
In the midst of the years - בקרב שנים bekereb shanim, “As the years approach.” The nearer the time, the clearer and fuller is the prediction; and the signs of the times show that the complete fulfillment is at hand. But as the judgments will be heavy, (and they are not greater than we deserve), yet, Lord, in the midst of wrath - infliction of punishment - remember mercy, and spare the souls that return unto thee with humiliation and prayer.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This is Habakkuk's reply to God's communication [GROTIUS]. MAURER translates, "the report of Thy coming," literally, "Thy report." and was afraid--reverential fear of God's judgments (Hab 3:16). revive thy work--Perfect the work of delivering Thy people, and do not let Thy promise lie as if it were dead, but give it new life by performing it [MENOCHIUS].
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
concerning the errors This may be interpreted according to the Targum. However, according to the apparent meaning, Habakkuk is begging for mercy for himself because he spoke rebelliously: (1: 4) “Therefore Torah is slackened,” and (verse 14) “You have made man like the fish of the sea.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | O Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי | shama'ti | I have heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| שִׁמְעֲךָ֮ | shimakha | report your | H8088 → | |
| יָרֵאתִי֒ | yareti | I fear | H3372 → | |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | O Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| פָּֽעָלְךָ֙ | paalekha | work your | H6467 → | |
| בְּקֶ֤רֶב | bekerev | in [the] midst of | H7130 → | 227 times |
| שָׁנִים֙ | shanim | years | H8141 → | |
| חַיֵּ֔יהוּ | chaiyeihu | restore it | H2421 → | |
| בְּקֶ֥רֶב | bekerev | in [the] midst of | H7130 → | 227 times |
| שָׁנִ֖ים | shanim | years | H8141 → | |
| תּוֹדִ֑יעַ | todia' | you will make [it] known | H3045 → | |
| בְּרֹ֖גֶז | berogez | in wrath | H7267 → | |
| רַחֵ֥ם | rachem | to have compassion | H7355 → | |
| תִּזְכּֽוֹר׃ | tizkor | you will remember | H2142 → |
יְהוָ֗הO Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
שָׁמַ֣עְתִּיI have heard
shama'tiH8085 →1159 times
שִׁמְעֲךָ֮report your
shimakhaH8088 →
יָרֵאתִי֒I fear
yaretiH3372 →
יְהוָ֗הO Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
פָּֽעָלְךָ֙work your
paalekhaH6467 →
בְּקֶ֤רֶבin [the] midst of
bekerevH7130 →227 times
שָׁנִים֙years
shanimH8141 →
חַיֵּ֔יהוּrestore it
chaiyeihuH2421 →
בְּקֶ֥רֶבin [the] midst of
bekerevH7130 →227 times
שָׁנִ֖יםyears
shanimH8141 →
תּוֹדִ֑יעַyou will make [it] known
todia'H3045 →
בְּרֹ֖גֶזin wrath
berogezH7267 →
רַחֵ֥םto have compassion
rachemH7355 →
תִּזְכּֽוֹר׃you will remember
tizkorH2142 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 85:6Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?
it leads to
- Psalms 80:18
Then we will not turn away from You; revive us, and we will call on Your name.
- Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,…
- Psalms 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
- Hosea 6:2
After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.
- Psalms 71:20
Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.
- Psalms 80:18
Through
Lamentations 3:32Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion.
it leads to
- Psalms 78:38
And yet He was compassionate; He forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them. He often restrained His anger and did not unleash His full wrath.
- Psalms 30:5
For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.
- Psalms 103:11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.
- Psalms 78:38
Where this verse is studied
About Habakkuk
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.