Habakkuk 3 13

Habakkuk 3:13 kjv

Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.

Habakkuk 3:13 nkjv

You went forth for the salvation of Your people, For salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, By laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah

Habakkuk 3:13 niv

You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness, you stripped him from head to foot.

Habakkuk 3:13 esv

You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah

Habakkuk 3:13 nlt

You went out to rescue your chosen people,
to save your anointed ones.
You crushed the heads of the wicked
and stripped their bones from head to toe.

Habakkuk 3 verses

Habakkuk 3 13 Meaning

Habakkuk 3:13 proclaims God's powerful and deliberate intervention in history for the specific purpose of delivering His covenant people and His chosen, consecrated leader (the "Anointed One"). It asserts that this divine action includes a complete and devastating judgment upon their oppressive enemies, symbolized by striking the head and laying bare the foundation of the wicked's power structure, ensuring total collapse.

Habakkuk 3 13 Context

Habakkuk chapter 3 is a psalm-like prayer where the prophet recounts God's majestic and fearful appearances in history, particularly His deliverance of Israel from Egypt. It serves as Habakkuk's petition and expression of trust in the midst of looming judgment from Babylon. The prophet had previously questioned God's allowance of injustice (Hab 1) and God's use of wicked nations to punish His own people (Hab 1-2). In chapter 3, Habakkuk shifts from complaint to awe and confidence, remembering God's past demonstrations of power as a divine warrior. Verse 13 specifically articulates the core purpose of God's previous interventions (like the Exodus) and His assured future action: to deliver His chosen people and their designated leader while utterly dismantling the opposing forces of evil. This historical perspective reassures Habakkuk that despite the coming Chaldean invasion, God's ultimate purpose of salvation for His people will prevail, just as it did in the past.

Habakkuk 3 13 Word analysis

• You went forth (יָצָאתָ, yatza'ta): A perfect verb, denoting a completed action, but with ongoing impact. It signifies God's active and decisive deployment, like a divine warrior marching out for battle. It highlights God's initiative in intervention.

• for the salvation (לְיֵשַׁע, l'yesha): Yesha' means deliverance, salvation, victory, rescue. The preposition "for" (l / le) indicates purpose or objective. God's action is directed towards bringing about salvation. The repetition emphasizes the central theme.

• of Your people (עַמֶּךָ, am'meḵā): Refers specifically to Israel, God's covenant nation, facing oppression. God's interventions are covenantally motivated.

• for the salvation (לְיֵשַׁע, l'yesha): Repetition for emphasis, underscoring the purpose of divine action.

• of Your Anointed (מְשִׁיחֶךָ, m'shiḥeḵā): Meshiach (Messiah in English transliteration) literally means "anointed one." In the Old Testament, it refers to those consecrated for special service, particularly kings (e.g., David), priests, and sometimes prophets. Here, in the context of salvation and warfare, it points most strongly to the king as God's chosen representative leading His people. Historically, it would refer to a king of Judah; ultimately, it foreshadows the Christ, the true King who embodies God's saving power. It's a polemic against human rulers and pagan deities, asserting God's true ruler.

• You struck (מָחַצְתָּ, mahaṣ'ta): A strong verb meaning to crush, smite, wound fatally, or utterly break. It implies a violent and decisive defeat.

• the head (רֹאשׁ, rosh): The strategic center of power, leadership, or origin. Metaphorically, it represents the ruling power or the very core strength of the enemy. To strike the head means to dismantle the authority and essence of the opponent.

• from the house (מִבֵּית, mi'beit): Denotes the entire system, dynasty, or entity of the wicked, not just an individual. It implies systemic corruption or an oppressive empire.

• of the wicked (רָשָׁע, rasha'): A comprehensive term for the morally depraved, lawless, and those hostile to God and His people. It points to the intrinsic nature of the enemy.

• by laying bare (עָרוֹת, arot): From the root 'arah, meaning to uncover, to make naked, to strip bare. Here it signifies a total exposure or stripping away, often in the context of demolition, removing coverings to expose what is beneath.

• the foundation (יְסוֹד, yesod): The base or underlying structure of a building or institution. To expose or lay bare the foundation means to destroy something completely from its very base, leaving nothing stable or concealed.

• to the neck (עַד צַוָּאר, ad tsawar): This vivid imagery suggests an almost unbelievable level of destruction. It could imply: 1) The structure is entirely removed "up to its neck" in the ground, meaning it is thoroughly dismantled and its depths uncovered. 2) Like a flood rising "to the neck," signifying overwhelming inundation and ruin. 3) Stripped bare from bottom to top, leaving no hidden strength. It emphasizes total, fundamental, and absolute ruin without recovery.

• You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for the salvation of Your Anointed: This parallelism emphasizes God's twofold covenantal purpose. The deliverance of God's people is intricately tied to the welfare and vindication of His chosen representative. The destinies are intertwined, showcasing God's holistic faithfulness to His promises.

• You struck the head from the house of the wicked, by laying bare the foundation to the neck: This powerful combination uses two complementary images of total destruction. "Striking the head" addresses the overthrow of the leadership and immediate power. "Laying bare the foundation to the neck" depicts a demolition that is so complete it leaves the enemy's very basis utterly exposed and permanently annihilated, ensuring no possibility of resurgence. The wickedness is not merely suppressed but rooted out and utterly obliterated.

Habakkuk 3 13 Bonus section

• The prayer of Habakkuk (chapter 3) functions as a mini-Exodus narrative, mirroring the first major demonstration of God as a Divine Warrior acting to save His people. Verse 13 firmly grounds this redemptive purpose.
• The "house of the wicked" is often seen as a broader reference to any oppressive, ungodly power that stands against God's people and His purposes, not limited solely to Babylon. This makes the verse applicable to various contexts of conflict between righteousness and evil throughout history.
• The imagery of "laying bare the foundation" can also allude to stripping someone naked as a sign of utter humiliation and defeat in ancient warfare, adding another layer of meaning to the complete disgrace and ruin of the wicked.
• From a Christological perspective, the "Anointed One" (Messiah) points directly to Jesus Christ, and God's intervention through Him culminated in His victory over sin and death, thereby ultimately "striking the head" of Satan (Gen 3:15, Rom 16:20) and disarming all evil powers (Col 2:15).

Habakkuk 3 13 Commentary

Habakkuk 3:13 captures the heart of God's character as a righteous deliverer and formidable warrior. In this verse, the prophet declares with unwavering conviction that God's purpose in coming forth, recalling His glorious past manifestations, is precisely for the redemption of His people and the establishment of His Anointed One. This dual focus underscores the inseparable nature of God's redemptive plan: He saves His chosen nation through His chosen king, ultimately culminating in Christ. The subsequent vivid imagery of "striking the head from the house of the wicked" and "laying bare the foundation to the neck" depicts an utterly comprehensive and final judgment. God doesn't merely wound or weaken His adversaries; He obliterates their power from the top down and from the very roots, leaving nothing hidden, nothing to rebuild upon. This provides profound comfort to Habakkuk in the face of the fearsome Chaldean invasion, assuring him that God's power will dismantle even the mightiest oppressive forces, ultimately bringing salvation and justice to fruition through His sovereign intervention.