Habakkuk

Habakkuk 1:2–4

2How long, O LORD, must I call for help

but You do not hear,

or cry out to You, “Violence!”

but You do not save?

3Why do You make me see iniquity?

Why do You tolerate wrongdoing?

Destruction and violence are before me.

Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.

4Therefore the law is paralyzed,

and justice never goes forth.

For the wicked hem in the righteous,

so that justice is perverted.

Read all of Habakkuk 1

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Habakkuk 1:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
How longעַד־‘aḏ-PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
O LORDיְהוָ֛הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
must I call for helpשִׁוַּ֖עְתִּיšiw·wa‘·tîVerb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularH7768 cry out for help
but You do notוְלֹ֣אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
hearתִשְׁמָ֑עṯiš·mā‘Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH8085 hear
or cry outאֶזְעַ֥ק’ez·‘aqVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH2199 cry, cry out, call
to Youאֵלֶ֛יךָ’ê·le·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH413 motion to
Violenceחָמָ֖סḥā·māsNoun - masculine singularH2555 violence, wrong
but You do notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
saveתוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ṯō·wō·šî·a‘Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH3467 deliver

Habakkuk 1:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whyלָ֣מָּהlām·māhInterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
do You make me seeתַרְאֵ֤נִיṯar·’ê·nîVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singularH7200 see
iniquityאָ֙וֶן֙’ā·wenNoun - masculine singularH205 trouble, sorrow, wickedness
Why do You tolerateתַּבִּ֔יטtab·bîṭVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5027 look
wrongdoingוְעָמָ֣לwə·‘ā·mālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH5999 trouble, labour, toil
Destructionוְשֹׁ֥דwə·šōḏConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH7701 violence, havoc, devastation, ruin
and violenceוְחָמָ֖סwə·ḥā·māsConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH2555 violence, wrong
before meלְנֶגְדִּ֑יlə·neḡ·dîPreposition-l; first person common singularH5048 what is conspicuous or in front
Strifeרִ֦יבrîḇNoun - masculine singularH7379 strife, dispute
is ongoingוַיְהִ֧יway·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
and conflictוּמָד֖וֹןū·mā·ḏō·wnConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH4066 strife, contention
aboundsיִשָּֽׂא׃yiś·śāVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH5375 lift, take, carry

Habakkuk 1:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Thereforeעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the lawתּוֹרָ֔הtō·w·rāhNoun - feminine singularH8451 direction, instruction, law
is paralyzedתָּפ֣וּגtā·p̄ūḡVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularH6313 grow numb
and justiceמִשְׁפָּ֑טmiš·pāṭNoun - masculine singularH4941 judgment
neverוְלֹֽא־wə·lō-Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
goes forthיֵצֵ֥אyê·ṣêVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3318 go or come out
Forכִּ֤יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the wickedרָשָׁע֙rā·šā‘Adjective - masculine singularH7563 wicked, criminal
hem inמַכְתִּ֣ירmaḵ·tîrVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularH3803 surround
the righteousהַצַּדִּ֔יקhaṣ·ṣad·dîqArticle; Adjective - masculine singularH6662 just, righteous
so thatעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
justiceמִשְׁפָּ֖טmiš·pāṭNoun - masculine singularH4941 judgment
isיֵצֵ֥אyê·ṣêVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3318 go or come out
pervertedמְעֻקָּֽל׃mə·‘uq·qālVerb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularH6127 bend, twist

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Habakkuk 1:2 Psalm 22:1–2 · Psalm 13:1–2 · Lamentations 3:8 · Jeremiah 14:9 · Psalm 94:3 · Revelation 6:10 · Psalm 74:9–10

Habakkuk 1:3 Psalm 55:9–11 · Jeremiah 20:8 · Micah 7:1–4 · Jeremiah 9:2–6 · Ecclesiastes 5:8 · Psalm 120:5–6 · 2 Peter 2:8 · Ecclesiastes 4:1 · Psalm 12:1–2 · Ezekiel 2:6 · Matthew 10:16 · Psalm 73:3–9

Habakkuk 1:4 Psalm 94:20–21 · Job 21:7 · Isaiah 1:21–23 · Psalm 119:126 · Jeremiah 12:1 · Ezekiel 9:9 · Isaiah 59:13–15 · Isaiah 5:20 · Psalm 58:1–2 · Exodus 23:6 · Ezekiel 22:25–30 · Amos 5:12

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.