Habakkuk 3 11

Habakkuk 3:11 kjv

The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.

Habakkuk 3:11 nkjv

The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; At the light of Your arrows they went, At the shining of Your glittering spear.

Habakkuk 3:11 niv

Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear.

Habakkuk 3:11 esv

The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear.

Habakkuk 3:11 nlt

The sun and moon stood still in the sky
as your brilliant arrows flew
and your glittering spear flashed.

Habakkuk 3 verses

(h2) MeaningThis verse powerfully depicts the Lord God's overwhelming majesty and control over all creation. It portrays celestial bodies, the sun and moon, standing still in awe or in obedience, rendered subservient to God's glorious presence and His implements of divine judgment. This dramatic cosmic event serves to emphasize God's absolute sovereignty and terrifying power as He executes His righteous decrees, whether in battle or in delivering His people.

(h2) Cross References| Verse | Text | Reference ||---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|| Josh 10:12-13 | "Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon... And the sun stood still..." | Sun and moon obeying divine command in battle. || Exod 15:3 | "The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is His name." | God as a divine warrior. || Deut 33:2 | "The LORD came from Sinai and dawned on them from Seir..." | Theophany with cosmic display. || Judg 5:20 | "From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera." | Cosmic elements aiding God's people. || Ps 18:7-14 | "The earth rocked... smoke from His nostrils... hailstones and coals..." | God's powerful manifestation and judgment. || Ps 77:18 | "The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind... lightning lit up..." | God's might through cosmic phenomena. || Ps 7:12-13 | "If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword... prepares His arrows."| God's divine weaponry and judgment. || Ps 45:3-5 | "Gird Your sword... Your arrows are sharp..." | Messiah's powerful military victory. || Zech 9:14 | "The LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning."| God's arrow as a symbol of swift action. || Job 9:7 | "who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars;" | God's control over celestial bodies. || Isa 13:10 | "For the stars of the heavens and their constellations... sun will be dark..."| Cosmic signs of God's judgment day. || Joel 2:10 | "The sun and moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining." | Cosmic phenomena as a sign of judgment. || Joel 3:15 | "The sun and moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining." | God's judgment causing cosmic disruptions. || Matt 24:29 | "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light..." | Future cosmic signs of end times. || Rev 6:12-13 | "The sun became black... and the full moon became like blood..." | Cosmic disturbances in divine wrath. || Isa 24:23 | "Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts will reign..." | Cosmic shame before God's ultimate glory. || Lam 3:12 | "He bent His bow and set me as a target for His arrow." | Arrows symbolizing divine affliction/judgment. || Deut 32:41-42 | "If I sharpen My lightning sword... My arrows I will make drunk with blood."| God's instruments of wrath. || Ps 27:1 | "The LORD is my light and my salvation." | God Himself is the ultimate source of light. || Isa 60:19 | "The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light." | God's glory surpasses created light. || Ps 8:3 | "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars..." | Acknowledging God as creator of cosmos. || Jer 31:35 | "Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars..." | God's established order over celestial bodies. |

(h2) ContextHabakkuk chapter 3 is a psalm of prayer and prophetic vision. It serves as Habakkuk's worshipful response to the Lord's terrifying revelation of coming judgment through the Chaldeans, which was presented in chapters 1-2. The prophet had previously wrestled with God over the apparent injustice of God using a more wicked nation (Babylon) to punish a less wicked one (Judah). Chapter 3, however, marks a shift from lament and questioning to fearful yet trusting awe and affirmation of God's sovereignty. The prophet recounts past acts of God's might, particularly those related to the Exodus and the conquest, when God displayed Himself as a powerful warrior coming to deliver His people and judge their enemies. Verse 11, specifically, draws upon historical divine interventions (most notably linked to Joshua 10:12-13) to paint a vivid picture of God's unmatched power over creation, assuring the prophet and the audience that despite the impending dark times, God remains in absolute control and will ultimately save His people and defeat their oppressors. It's a vivid theophany, depicting God's glorious and fearful manifestation.

(h2) Word analysis(ul)

• The sun: שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh). Represents a dominant cosmic element often deified in pagan cultures (e.g., Baal worship). Its reaction signifies God's ultimate dominion over all perceived powers.
• and moon: יָרֵחַ (yareach). Companion to the sun, completing the celestial duo. Together, they represent the entire cosmic order and their submission underscores God's total authority.
• stood still: עָמַד (amad). This powerful verb means to stand, stand still, or cease movement. In the context of the sun and moon, it strongly evokes the miracle in Josh 10, where God literally caused them to stop for Israel's battle. It suggests a direct divine command that overrules natural order.
• in their habitation: זְבוּל (z'bul). Refers to a dwelling, abode, or lofty palace. Here, it denotes their appointed place in the heavens, emphasizing that even in their elevated celestial home, they are subject to God's will. Some interpretations suggest it speaks of them being "eclipsed" or "dimmed" in the presence of God's overwhelming glory, implying their light is overshadowed.
• at the light of Your arrows: אוֹר (or - light), חֵץ (chetz - arrow). "Light" here signifies the brilliant, terrifying manifestation of God's power accompanying His "arrows." Arrows are a common biblical metaphor for divine judgment, swift action, or wrath, often depicted as shining or flaming, indicating precision and destructive force.
• as they sped: יְהַלֵּכוּן (yehallechun - they walk/go). This describes the active, swift movement of God's arrows. They are not stagnant but launched with purpose and speed, indicating decisive divine action.
• at the flash: נֹגַהּ (nogah). This term refers to brilliance, splendor, refulgence, or gleaming light. It describes an intense, radiating glow, conveying the formidable and awe-inspiring nature of God's weaponry.
• of Your gleaming spear: בְּרַק (baraq - lightning/flash), חֲנִיתֶךָ (chaniteka - your spear). The phrase emphasizes the spear's bright, perhaps lightning-like, quality. The spear, another instrument of warfare, reinforces God as a divine warrior whose implements are potent and dreadful. Its "gleam" connects to God's own luminous glory.(ul)
• "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation": This phrase captures the absolute cosmic disruption orchestrated by God. It indicates a reversal or suspension of the natural order at His command, specifically linking to Joshua's extended day for Israel's victory. It asserts that nature's laws are subservient to God's purpose.
• "at the light of Your arrows as they sped, at the flash of Your gleaming spear": This describes the source and nature of the cosmic disruption. The divine "light," "arrows," and "spear" are personifications of God's terrifying, brilliant, and swift acts of judgment and deliverance. They symbolize the irresistible force of God's intervention, making clear that His coming is accompanied by overwhelming power, striking down enemies and delivering His people. The imagery is of a powerful, luminous display of divine warfare.

(h2) CommentaryHabakkuk 3:11 is a profoundly poetic and evocative verse within the prophet's prayer of reverent awe. It presents a divine manifestation (theophany) of such immense power that even the most formidable celestial bodies, the sun and moon, cease their natural course or dim their light in absolute deference to the Lord. This imagery is primarily drawn from the historical miracle recorded in Joshua 10, underscoring that the same God who intervened spectacularly for Israel in the past retains all power to do so in the future.

The "light of Your arrows" and "flash of Your gleaming spear" are vivid anthropomorphic descriptions of God's swift, brilliant, and terrifying judgment. They are not merely physical weapons but metaphors for divine actions – precise, decisive, and overwhelming. God's interventions are so glorious and forceful that they naturally overshadow or even halt the regular order of the cosmos. This verse reinforces several crucial theological truths: God's absolute sovereignty over creation, His active involvement in human history, His character as a mighty warrior for His people, and the certainty of His coming judgment upon evil. It serves as a reminder to Habakkuk, and to believers facing dark times, that God's power knows no bounds, and His purpose will prevail.

• Example: When facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, remember God's power is such that even the sun and moon bend to His will.
• Example: In times of fear of human oppressors, recall that God’s instruments of justice move with irresistible light and speed.

(h2) Bonus sectionThe concept of celestial bodies reacting to God's presence or commands serves as a powerful polemic against any pagan worship of the sun, moon, or stars. By demonstrating that Yahweh's glory and power can literally make them "stand still" or be eclipsed, the verse asserts God's unparalleled supremacy over all alleged deities of the cosmic realm. The language suggests a terrifying, almost electrifying, presence of God on the battlefield of history. Some ancient commentators viewed the "habitation" as the place of celestial gods, whose powers were annulled by the Lord's coming. This vision prepares Habakkuk for the severity of the coming Babylonian judgment, showing that God is not only powerful enough to use a pagan nation for His purpose but also powerful enough to control all of creation and eventually deliver His faithful. The theophanic descriptions throughout Habakkuk 3 often blend past historical events with future prophetic fulfillment, portraying God's consistent nature as both judge and redeemer.