Habakkuk 3:8 kjv
Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
Habakkuk 3:8 nkjv
O LORD, were You displeased with the rivers, Was Your anger against the rivers, Was Your wrath against the sea, That You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation?
Habakkuk 3:8 niv
Were you angry with the rivers, LORD? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode your horses and your chariots to victory?
Habakkuk 3:8 esv
Was your wrath against the rivers, O LORD? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation?
Habakkuk 3:8 nlt
Was it in anger, LORD, that you struck the rivers
and parted the sea?
Were you displeased with them?
No, you were sending your chariots of salvation!
Habakkuk 3 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 14:21-29 | Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea... and the Lord drove the sea back... | Red Sea parting for deliverance. |
| Ex 15:1-18 | I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously... | Song of the Sea, celebrating God's triumph. |
| Ps 18:9-10 | He bowed the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted a cherub and flew... | God's majestic, storm-riding appearance. |
| Ps 29:3-4 | The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders—the Lord over many waters. | God's voice asserting power over waters. |
| Ps 74:13-14 | You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. | God's cosmic victory over chaotic waters. |
| Ps 77:16-19 | The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you; they trembled... You made your way through the sea... | Waters recognizing and fearing God's presence. |
| Ps 89:9-10 | You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. | God's sovereignty over the chaotic sea. |
| Ps 93:3-4 | The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice... Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty! | God's supremacy over all natural forces. |
| Ps 104:6-9 | You covered it with the deep as with a garment... at your rebuke the waters fled... | God establishing boundaries for the sea. |
| Isa 19:1 | Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt... | God's majestic coming for judgment/action. |
| Isa 43:16 | Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters... | God creating a way through water, referencing Red Sea. |
| Isa 51:9-11 | Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces and pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea... | Recalling God's defeat of chaos for deliverance. |
| Isa 63:11-13 | ...who led them through the deep, as a horse in the desert... | God leading His people through waters. |
| Jer 5:22 | Do you not fear me? says the Lord. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea... | God's power establishing limits for the sea. |
| Zech 9:9-10 | Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!... He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem... | Messianic figure who comes riding, bringing salvation, but disarms war. |
| Mk 4:39 | And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. | Jesus demonstrating divine power over nature. |
| Eph 1:20-22 | ...He raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand... far above all rule and authority and power and dominion... | Christ's supreme authority, echoing God's sovereignty. |
| Col 1:16-17 | For by him all things were created... and in him all things hold together. | Christ's active role in creation and cosmic control. |
| Rev 19:11 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. | Divine warrior imagery, associated with Christ's return. |
| Rev 20:13 | And the sea gave up the dead who were in it... | The sea itself is subject to God's command. |
Habakkuk 3 verses
Habakkuk 3 8 Meaning
Habakkuk 3:8 uses a series of rhetorical questions to declare God's supreme power and authority over the forces of nature, particularly the "rivers" and the "sea." The implied answer to these questions is a resounding "No," signifying that God's majestic display of power was not born of anger towards these natural elements themselves, but was a deliberate, powerful act for the sake of His people's "salvation" or deliverance. It depicts Yahweh as a divine warrior riding victoriously, manifesting His glory and might for redemptive purposes.
Habakkuk 3 8 Context
Habakkuk 3 is a psalm-like prayer and majestic hymn. It is Habakkuk's response to God's revelation of coming judgment through the Babylonians (Chapter 1) and God's promise of ultimate justice and salvation (Chapter 2). Before asking for mercy (v. 2), Habakkuk recalls Yahweh's powerful historical interventions on behalf of His people. Verse 8 is part of a grand theophany, describing God's awesome descent from Sinai, with all of creation trembling before Him. The purpose is to remind himself, and implicitly Judah, of Yahweh's unparalleled power to deliver, which transcends even the mightiest forces of nature and history. The rhetorical questions anticipate the answer: God's actions were not out of aimless rage against nature but purposeful acts of salvation for Israel.
Historically, this hymn invokes imagery from the Exodus (God parting the Red Sea) and the wilderness wanderings (God providing water, guiding His people) to instill faith in a God who can, and will, intervene in the current crisis.
Habakkuk 3 8 Word analysis
- Was the LORD displeased against the rivers?
- LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH, Yahweh): The covenant God of Israel. Emphasizes personal, relational, yet all-powerful aspect. Not a generic deity.
- displeased (חָרָה, ḥārâ): To burn, glow, be hot. Metaphorically, to be incensed, enraged, filled with fierce anger. The question asks if God's fury was directed at inanimate rivers.
- rivers (נְהָרִים, nāhārîm): Literal rivers (like the Jordan, or wadis during the wilderness) but often in prophetic poetry represent powerful, potentially overwhelming forces or boundaries. They can signify sources of life or sources of destruction/obstruction. Here, an obstruction that God overcame.
- was thine anger against the rivers?
- thine anger (אַפְּךָ, ’appəkā): Literally "your nose/nostrils," referring to the hot breath of fury or violent indignation. Intensifies the sense of divine displeasure.
- was thy wrath against the sea,
- thy wrath (חֲמָתְךָ, ḥămātəkā): Strong, fierce heat, indicating vehement rage or burning fury. Stronger than ḥārâ, denoting overflowing passion.
- sea (יָם, yām): In ancient Near Eastern thought, often depicted as a primordial, chaotic force, sometimes deified. This rhetorical question directly challenges the pagan belief that such forces were autonomous or truly powerful against Yahweh. It asserts God's ultimate sovereignty over creation and chaos, a clear polemic against the mythical powers like Yam, the Ugaritic sea god. God’s act over the sea (like the Red Sea crossing) was not a struggle but an effortless demonstration of authority.
- that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
- ride (רָכַב, rāḵab): To mount, ride, implying sovereign motion. God is depicted as a divine warrior king, actively engaging.
- thine horses (סוּסֶיךָ, sûseyḵā): Horses as symbols of military strength and speed. In divine contexts, they denote the swift and overwhelming nature of God's intervention. Not literal steeds but figurative of irresistible power.
- chariots (מַרְכְּבֹתֶיךָ, markěbōteykā): War chariots, supreme symbols of military power and authority in the ancient world. When ascribed to God, they underscore His invincible might and triumphant movement. Often linked to the divine "clouds" or heavenly forces.
- salvation (יְשׁוּעָה, yĕšû‘â): Deliverance, victory, help, welfare. This is the explicit purpose of God's majestic display. His power is not for destruction of creation itself, but for the redemption and liberation of His people. It points to a saving purpose rather than mere arbitrary display of power.
Habakkuk 3 8 Bonus section
The "horses and chariots" imagery is deeply embedded in Old Testament divine warrior motifs, often representing not literal steeds but divine intervention, the host of heaven, or powerful instruments through which God manifests His power. This portrayal of God riding His war machines through creation highlights His absolute control, not just over the elements but over the very means of power and battle, ensuring that ultimate victory belongs to Him alone. The theophany of Habakkuk 3:8 is a deliberate callback to the Exodus event, specifically the parting of the Red Sea (Yam), casting it as a definitive example of Yahweh's victory over cosmic chaos and His unwavering commitment to Israel's salvation. It teaches that even in the most chaotic circumstances, God’s ultimate goal is redemption for His chosen.
Habakkuk 3 8 Commentary
Habakkuk 3:8, through pointed rhetorical questions, climactically presents God not as an arbitrary force reacting against nature, but as the supreme, sovereign Yahweh who directs all creation towards His salvific purposes. The rivers and the sea, potent symbols of insurmountable obstacles and primeval chaos in the ancient world, are depicted as completely subservient to God. His majestic "riding" upon celestial "horses and chariots" isn't a mere display of might; it's a warrior's purposeful advance for "salvation." This verse reaffirms that the very forces that might impede humanity are merely tools or pathways for the Divine Deliverer. It directly counters any pagan notion of co-equal forces of chaos or autonomous deities by demonstrating Yahweh's unrivaled power and His unwavering commitment to His people's deliverance, thereby encouraging faith in the face of daunting circumstances. It reassures that when God moves, His power is absolute and for His redemptive plan.