Habakkuk 1:17 kjv

Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

Habakkuk 1:17 nkjv

Shall they therefore empty their net, And continue to slay nations without pity?

Habakkuk 1:17 niv

Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?

Habakkuk 1:17 esv

Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?

Habakkuk 1:17 nlt

Will you let them get away with this forever?
Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?

Habakkuk 1 verses

Habakkuk 1 17 Meaning

Habakkuk 1:17 poses a rhetorical question, expressing the prophet's profound distress and questioning of God's ways. It directly asks if the ruthless Chaldeans (Babylonians), whom God has raised as His instrument of judgment, will perpetually continue their pattern of violent conquest, devouring nations like a fisherman repeatedly emptying his net of captured prey, showing absolutely no mercy or pity. The verse encapsulates Habakkuk's struggle with divine justice, questioning God's apparent tolerance for such unbridled evil and unending cruelty against numerous peoples.

Habakkuk 1 17 Context

Habakkuk 1:17 falls within the second major lament of the prophet Habakkuk (vv. 12-17) to the LORD. His initial complaint (vv. 1-4) focused on the internal injustice and moral decay within Judah and God's apparent silence. In vv. 5-11, God responds by stating He is raising up the Chaldeans (Babylonians), a fearsome and ruthless nation, to execute His judgment upon Judah. This response, rather than alleviating Habakkuk's concerns, deeply troubled him.

In Habakkuk 1:12-17, the prophet articulates his new perplexity. While acknowledging God's eternal nature and sovereignty ("Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?"), he grapples with the paradox of God using a nation far more wicked than Judah as His instrument of judgment. He describes the Chaldeans' wanton destruction and self-idolatry (vv. 14-16), celebrating their own power and success in warfare. Verse 17 culminates this anguished query: Will these Babylonians perpetually ravage nations without end, continuously acting with such extreme cruelty and lacking all compassion? It’s a challenge to God’s holy character and justice, questioning how long such unchecked evil can persist.

Historically, this was the late 7th century BC, a tumultuous period following the decline of the Assyrian Empire. The Neo-Babylonian (Chaldean) Empire was rapidly rising under Nebuchadnezzar II, becoming the dominant world power. Known for their brutal military tactics and extensive conquests, their unsparing approach would have instilled terror across the Near East. Habakkuk’s prophecy captures the fearful and morally confusing reality of Judah being threatened by such an oppressive global force, raising profound theological questions about God’s governance of the nations and His response to profound wickedness.

Habakkuk 1 17 Word analysis

• Is he therefore (הַעַל כֵּן - Ha'al ken): The interrogative prefix 'Ha-' turns this into a direct question. 'Al ken' means "therefore" or "for this reason." Habakkuk questions the very premise or justification behind the relentless cruelty. He is implicitly asking: Is this (the endless slaughter and lack of pity) God's intended or accepted outcome, given God's holy character?
• to empty (יָרִיק - yaríq): From the root ריק (r.y.q), "to be empty," here in the Hiphil form, meaning "to make empty," or "to pour out." It implies an active, thorough, and decisive emptying, indicating that the Babylonians gather a full, successful "catch" every time and completely exhaust it of its value or life. It signifies successful and repeated predatory action.
• his net (חֶרְמּוֹ - ḥerˈmô): Refers to a fishing net used for trapping or snaring. It's a vivid metaphor for the Babylonians' military prowess and their complete subjugation and plundering of nations, capturing them like fish. The 'net' also implies entrapment, deceit, and irresistible force.
• continually (וְתָמִיד - w'tamíd): The conjunction 'waw' (and) combined with 'tamid', meaning "always," "perpetually," "constantly." This word emphasizes the unending and ceaseless nature of the Babylonian conquests and destructions, intensifying Habakkuk’s plea. It highlights that this is not an isolated incident but an ongoing, relentless pattern.
• to kill (לַהֲרֹג - laharōg): From the root הרג (h.r.g), "to kill," "to slay." The preposition 'la-' means "to" or "for the purpose of." It directly refers to violent, purposeful, and merciless killing, indicating that the Babylonians' actions go beyond simple conquest to include mass slaughter.
• nations (גּוֹיִם - gōyím): The plural form of 'goy' (nation, people). This highlights the widespread nature of the Babylonian onslaught, affecting multiple ethnic groups and kingdoms, not just Judah. It emphasizes the universal scale of their predatory behavior.
• without pity (לֹא יַחְמֹל - lō' yaḥmōl): 'Lo' means "not." 'Yaḥmōl' is from the root חמל (h.m.l), meaning "to spare," "to pity," "to have compassion," or "to show mercy." This is the core of Habakkuk’s ethical protest. The rhetorical question here implicitly asserts that the Babylonians indeed will not show pity or mercy, underscoring their utter ruthlessness and moral depravity. This directly contrasts with the merciful character of God.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Is he therefore to empty his net continually": This phrase emphasizes the cyclical, insatiable nature of the Babylonians' conquests. The image of the "net" (military power and cunning) being repeatedly "emptied" (success in subjugation and plunder) highlights their constant military campaigns and material gain from those they conquer, questioning if this destructive pattern will endlessly proceed.
• "and kill nations without pity?": This segment focuses on the horrifying ethical dimension of their actions. It underscores the utter lack of humanity, mercy, or compassion shown by the Babylonians towards their victims, specifically their brutal and unsparing slaughter of entire "nations." This phrase constitutes Habakkuk’s most direct moral accusation against God's allowing such unchecked brutality to continue indefinitely.

Habakkuk 1 17 Bonus section

• The irony in Habakkuk's questioning lies in the fact that while God uses the Chaldeans as His instrument (His "net," metaphorically), this very "net" becomes idolatrous, sacrificing to its own power (v. 16), and will therefore eventually be "emptied" by God's own judgment upon it, just as Babylon "emptied" others.
• This verse captures a universal human dilemma known as the "problem of evil" or "theodicy"—how can a good and all-powerful God permit so much suffering and wickedness in the world? Habakkuk's journey offers a model for faith, demonstrating that honest questioning and persistent waiting upon the LORD are integral to grappling with such deep mysteries.
• The phrase "without pity" contrasts starkly with biblical injunctions for compassion even in judgment (e.g., Pss 78:38, Joel 2:13, Jon 4:11), highlighting the stark difference between God's character and the ruthless Chaldeans.
• Habakkuk’s complaint, and God's eventual response (Hab 2), implicitly warn against relying solely on present appearances or human understanding for judging divine action. God's perspective and timing are ultimate, requiring enduring faith.

Habakkuk 1 17 Commentary

Habakkuk 1:17 represents the prophet's profound spiritual crisis and an apex of his challenging lament. After God reveals that the wicked Babylonians will be His instruments of judgment, Habakkuk's immediate thought shifts from local injustice to global evil. He sees the Babylonians not merely as a temporary scourge but as an unending, predatory force that consistently conquers, consumes, and cruelly devastates "nations." The "net" imagery conveys their absolute efficiency and ruthlessness in sweeping up peoples like fish, while "empty his net continually" portrays an insatiable appetite for power and spoils, seemingly without limits. The final accusation, "kill nations without pity," underscores their inherent godlessness, contrasting their complete lack of compassion with the merciful character of the Almighty God.

This rhetorical question is not asked out of unbelief, but out of faith in turmoil. Habakkuk’s deep understanding of God's holiness and justice collides with the observable reality of profound wickedness prevailing. He is wrestling with the timing and methods of divine justice, essentially crying out: "Will You truly allow such immense and continuous evil to go on forever, with no intervention or ultimate judgment on the instruments of wickedness?" This bold questioning paves the way for God's profound answer in Habakkuk Chapter 2, where the Lord promises that the wicked will indeed fall, and that "the righteous shall live by his faith."