Habakkuk 3 16

Habakkuk 3:16 kjv

When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.

Habakkuk 3:16 nkjv

When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops.

Habakkuk 3:16 niv

I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.

Habakkuk 3:16 esv

I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.

Habakkuk 3:16 nlt

I trembled inside when I heard this;
my lips quivered with fear.
My legs gave way beneath me,
and I shook in terror.
I will wait quietly for the coming day
when disaster will strike the people who invade us.

Habakkuk 3 verses

Habakkuk 3 16 Meaning

This verse graphically describes the prophet Habakkuk's profound and visceral response to God's revealed plan: to use the terrifying Babylonian empire as an instrument of judgment against Judah. The words convey an overwhelming spiritual and physical terror, illustrating the depth of his shock and dread upon comprehending the severity of the coming "day of distress" and the invasion that awaited his people. Despite this consuming fear, the latter part of the verse implies a compelled posture of expectant waiting for God's sovereign plan to unfold.

Habakkuk 3 16 Context

Habakkuk prophesied during the late 7th century BCE, a tumultuous period leading up to the Babylonian exile. The book opens with the prophet's complaints to God: first, regarding the unpunished wickedness in Judah (Hab. 1:2-4), and then, concerning God's shocking revelation that He would use the Chaldeans (Babylonians), a brutal pagan nation, to punish Judah (Hab. 1:5-11). Habakkuk further questions how a holy God could use an even more wicked people (Hab. 1:12-2:1). Chapter 2 contains God's response, emphasizing the certainty of judgment for the Chaldeans too, and famously declares, "the righteous will live by his faith" (Hab. 2:4). Chapter 3 is a psalm or prayer (shigayon), where Habakkuk recalls God's past powerful interventions in history, expresses profound awe and fear at the prospect of God's present intervention through judgment (vv. 3-15), leading directly to the intensely personal fear described in verse 16. This visceral fear then sets the stage for his remarkable declaration of faith in Habakkuk 3:17-19, where he expresses unwavering trust in God even in the face of utter desolation.

Habakkuk 3 16 Word analysis

• "I heard" (שָׁמַע - shama): More than just auditory perception; it implies deep listening, understanding, and even an internalizing of the message. Here, it refers to the terrifying prophecy of God's coming judgment and the invasion by Babylon previously revealed.
• "my inward parts trembled" (בִּטְנִי רָגַז - biṭni ragaz):
  • Biṭni (בִּטְנִי): Literally "my belly" or "my stomach," but often signifies the innermost being, the seat of emotions, will, and deep-seated feelings in Hebrew thought, more than just physical organs.
  • Ragaz (רָגַז): To shake, quake, be agitated, tremble. It describes a deep, uncontrollable tremor, reflecting extreme emotional upheaval.
• "my lips quivered at the sound" (שִׂפְתַי צָלְלוּ לְקוֹל - siftai tsalelu leqol):
  • Siftai (שִׂפְתַי): My lips.
  • Tsalelu (צָלְלוּ): Can mean to tingle, shudder, quiver, or chatter. This depicts an external, involuntary physical manifestation of overwhelming fear, making coherent speech impossible.
  • Leqol (לְקוֹל): "at the sound," referring to the sound of God's terrible decree or the future sound of the impending doom.
• "Rottenness entered my bones" (רָקָב יָבוֹא בַּעֲצָמָי - raqav yavo ba'atsamai):
  • Raqav (רָקָב): Decay, rottenness, worm-eaten destruction.
  • Atsamai (עֲצָמָי): My bones. In Hebrew thought, bones represent the deep structure, the very strength and core of one's being. This phrase conveys a sense of debilitating, pervasive terror that drains strength and vitality from the very core of one's existence, like a slow, internal decomposition.
• "I trembled in my place" (וְתַחְתַּי אֶרְגָּז - wetaḥtai ergaz):
  • Taḥtai (תַּחְתַּי): "beneath me" or "where I stood."
  • Ergaz (אֶרְגָּז): A repeat of ragaz, emphasizing a complete lack of stability, shaking uncontrollably to the point of collapse or utter weakness even when standing.
• "Because I must wait quietly" (אֲשֶׁר אָנוּחַ - ʾǎšer ʾânûaḥ / וְאִיעַלף - wʾīʿaleph): This phrase has been widely debated among scholars.
  • The Masoretic Text (MT) has ʾānûaḥ (אָנוּחַ), from the root nuakh, meaning "to rest" or "to settle down." This could be interpreted as a compelled or forced quiet waiting, or finding rest despite terror.
  • However, many ancient versions and some scholars prefer a reading derived from a root suggesting "to be faint," "to weaken," or "to groan" (similar to ʿālāf in Arabic), which aligns more strongly with the intense physical symptoms preceding it (e.g., "I should grow faint" or "I am weak/faint"). The NASB's "wait quietly" might be an interpretive harmonization, suggesting a state of forced repose or a resigned submission to God's will. It's the prophet wrestling between his inner turmoil and his outward stance of endurance. The choice to wait "quietly" would then imply a powerful act of the will, imposing calm over chaos.
• "for the day of distress" (לְיוֹם צָרָה - leyom tsarah):
  • Yom tsarah (יוֹם צָרָה): "day of trouble," "day of calamity," "day of adversity." A common biblical idiom for a period of intense suffering or divine judgment. Here, it refers specifically to the invasion.
• "For the people to arise who will invade us" (לַעֲלוֹת לָעָם יְגוּדֶנּוּ - laʿalot laʿam yegudennu):
  • Laʿalot (לַעֲלוֹת): "to come up" or "to ascend." Implies advance, especially of an army.
  • Laʿam (לָעָם): "for the people" (i.e., the Chaldeans/Babylonians).
  • Yegudennu (יְגוּדֶנּוּ): From gûd, meaning "to attack," "to invade," "to make a troop or band." This clearly identifies the source of the distress as the foreign army that will come to devastate Judah.

Habakkuk 3 16 Bonus section

This verse can be understood as a prophetic interlude of human response, anchoring the grand theological and historical sweep of Habakkuk 3 (which narrates God's awesome coming and past acts) with the raw, personal, and deeply uncomfortable reality of what it means to be God's servant receiving a hard word. It serves as a necessary psychological pivot. Without this profound expression of terror, Habakkuk's subsequent leap of faith in verses 17-19 would appear less dramatic or humanly attainable. The severity of his reaction underscores the magnitude of the coming judgment, proving that Habakkuk truly understood and internalized the message. The phrase "rottenness entered my bones" finds echoes in ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, where physical decay often symbolizes deep psychological distress or divine displeasure, adding to its resonance for the original audience. The juxtaposition of overwhelming fear and the subsequent choice to wait or to trust is a foundational element in many biblical narratives of faith and endurance.

Habakkuk 3 16 Commentary

Habakkuk 3:16 serves as a climactic depiction of a prophet overwhelmed by divine revelation. It highlights the profound terror and physiological collapse that can accompany a genuine encounter with God's majesty and righteous judgment. Habakkuk's body reacts violently, from the deepest "inward parts" to the outward quivering lips and trembling limbs, indicative of a terror that is total and all-consuming. The metaphor of "rottenness entered my bones" conveys not just fear but a profound loss of inner strength and vitality. This is not simply emotional distress but a spiritual shock that shakes his very constitution. The final clause, "Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress," reveals the challenging position of the prophet: he is not paralyzed by fear but is compelled to endure the impending doom. It implies a resigned waiting, perhaps even a defiant act of quiet submission in the face of inevitable destruction, knowing it is God's will. This deep fear paradoxically strengthens his eventual defiant faith in Habakkuk 3:17-19, where he declares trust in God regardless of outward circumstances. The verse is a powerful testament to the overwhelming reality of divine sovereignty and the raw, human experience of facing its terrifying implications.