Habakkuk 3

Habakkuk 3 is the third (and the last) chapter of the Book of Habakkuk in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.[1][2] This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Habakkuk, and is a part of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets.[3][4] This chapter records "Habakkuk's song", a poetic psalm "extolling God's triumphs."[5]

Habakkuk 3
← chapter 2 Zephaniah 1 →
The beginning of Habakkuk Commentary, 1QpHab, among the Dead Sea Scrolls from the 1st century BC.
Book	Book of Habakkuk
Category	Nevi'im
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	35

Text

The original text was written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 19 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).[6] Fragments containing all verses of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, Wadi Murabba'at Minor Prophets (Mur88; MurXIIProph; 75-100 CE) with extant verses 1–19.[7][8]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (with a different verse numbering), made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).[9] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Greek were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, Naḥal Ḥever 8Ḥev1 (8ḤevXII^gr); late 1st century BCE) with extant verses 8–15.[7][10]

Verse 1

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. (KJV)[11]

• "Shigionoth" (Hebrew: שגינות from the root singular word שִׁגָּיוֹן Shiggayon, the title could be rendered "wild, passionate song, with rapid changes of rhythm"[12] or "a hymn."[13]

Verse 19

The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet,

and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. (KJV)[14]

Masoretic text:

יהוה אדני חילי וישם רגלי כאילות ועל במותי ידרכני למנצח בנגינותי׃

Transliteration:

YHWH a·do·nai khi·li wai·ya·syem rag·lai ka·'ai·ya·lot

we·'al ba·mo·tai yad·ri·khe·ni

lam·na·tze·akh bin·gi·no·tai.<ref>Habakkuk 3:19 in Hebrew - Biblehub]

Verse 19 note

• The phrase "make my feet like hinds' feet" is similar to the phrases in Psalm 18:33 or 2 Samuel 22:34
• The last word of the verse (and of the Book of Habakkuk) נגינותי׃, neginotai is translated as "my stringed instruments", originally from plural form of the Hebrew word נְגִינַת, neginath, which is also found in the beginning of some psalms, namely Psalm 4; Psalm 6; Psalm 54; Psalm 55; Psalm 67; Psalm 76.[15][16]

Discussion

Some scholars suggest that Chapter 3 may be a later independent addition to the book,[17] in part because it is not included among the Dead Sea Scrolls. However, this chapter does appear in all copies of the Septuagint, as well as in texts from as early as the 3rd century BC.[17] This final chapter is a poetic praise of God, and has some similarities with texts found in the Book of Daniel. However, the fact that the third chapter is written in a different style, as a liturgical piece, does not necessarily mean that Habakkuk was not also its author.[18] Its omission from the Dead Sea Scrolls is attributed to the inability of the Qumran sect to fit Habakkuk's theology with their own narrow viewpoint.[19]

See also

• Related Bible parts: 2 Samuel 22, Psalm 4, Psalm 6, Psalm 7, Psalm 18, Psalm 54, Psalm 55, Psalm 67, Psalm 76.

References

1. Collins 2014, p. 351.
2. Hayes 2015, 18. Judean Prophets: Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Jeremiah.
3. Metzger, Bruce M., et al. The Oxford Companion to the Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.
4. Keck, Leander E. 1996. The New Interpreter's Bible: Volume: VII. Nashville: Abingdon.
5. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Augmented Third Edition, New Revised Standard Version, Indexed. Michael D. Coogan, Marc Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, Editors. Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2007. p. 1344 Hebrew Bible. ISBN 978-0195288810
6. Würthwein 1995, pp. 35-37.
7. Dead sea scrolls - Habakkuk
8. Fitzmyer 2008, pp. 140-141.
9. Würthwein 1995, pp. 73-74.
10. Fitzmyer 2008, p. 127.
11. Habakkuk 3:1
12. Brown, 1994 & "שִׁגָּיוֹן". sfn error: no target: CITEREFBrown1994"שִׁגָּיוֹן" (help)
13. Gesenius, 1979 & "שִׁגָּיוֹן". sfn error: no target: CITEREFGesenius1979"שִׁגָּיוֹן" (help)
14. Habakkuk 3:19
15. Brown, 1994 & "נְגִינַת". sfn error: no target: CITEREFBrown1994"נְגִינַת" (help)
16. Gesenius, 1979 & "נְגִינַת". sfn error: no target: CITEREFGesenius1979"נְגִינַת" (help)
17. Baker (1988), p. 46.
18. Cross (2005).
19. Széles (1987), p. 9.

Sources

• Baker, David W. (1988). Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press. ISBN 0-87784-249-3.
• Brown, Francis; Briggs, Charles A.; Driver, S. R. (1994). The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (reprint ed.). Hendrickson Publishers. ISBN 978-1565632066.
• Collins, John J. (2014). Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. Fortress Press. ISBN 9781451469233.
• Cross, F. L. & Livingston, E. A., eds. (2005). The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-280290-9.
• Fitzmyer, Joseph A. (2008). A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 9780802862419.
• Gesenius, H. W. F. (1979). Gesenius' Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures: Numerically Coded to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, with an English Index. Translated by Tregelles, Samuel Prideaux (7th ed.). Baker Book House.
• Hayes, Christine (2015). Introduction to the Bible. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300188271.
• Széles, Mária Eszenyei (1987). Wrath and Mercy: A Commentary on the Books of Habakkuk and Zephaniah. International Theological Commentary. trans. George A. F. Knight. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-0242-7.
• Würthwein, Ernst (1995). The Text of the Old Testament. Translated by Rhodes, Erroll F. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-0788-7. Retrieved January 26, 2019.

External links

Historic manuscripts

• The Commentary on Habakkuk Scroll, The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls, hosted by the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

Jewish translations

• Chavakuk – Habakkuk (Judaica Press) translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org

Christian translations

• Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• Habakkuk public domain audiobook at LibriVox Various versions

Further information

• A Brief Introduction to The Prophecy of Habakkuk for Contemporary Readers (Christian Perspective)
• Introduction to the book of Habakkuk from the NIV Study Bible
• Introduction to the Book of HabakkukForward Movement Publications