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Read the Bible

King James Version

Habakkuk 3:1

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Habakkuk;   Music;   Shiggaion;   Scofield Reference Index - Bible Prayers;   Prayer;   Summary;   Thompson Chain Reference - Habakkuk;   Prayer;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Shiggaion;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Psalms;   Shiggaion;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ethics;   Habakkuk;   Selah;   Shiggaion;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Prayer;   Psalms;   Selah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Hymn;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Shiggaion, Shigionoth;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Shiggaion;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Shiggaion;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Poetry;   Punctuation;   Shiggayon;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. According to Shigionoth.
Hebrew Names Version
A prayer of Havakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music.
King James Version (1611)
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet vpon Sigionoth.
English Standard Version
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
New American Standard Bible
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
New Century Version
This is the prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on shigionoth.
Amplified Bible
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set to wild and enthusiastic music.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet for the ignorances.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
Legacy Standard Bible
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
Berean Standard Bible
This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth:
Contemporary English Version
This is my prayer:
Complete Jewish Bible
This is a prayer of Havakuk the prophet about mistakes:
Darby Translation
A Prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
Easy-to-Read Version
The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet.
George Lamsa Translation
A PRAYER of Habakkuk the prophet:
Good News Translation
This is a prayer of the prophet Habakkuk:
Lexham English Bible
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
Literal Translation
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet concerning erring ones:
American Standard Version
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set to Shigionoth.
Bible in Basic English
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, put to Shigionoth.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. Upon Shigionoth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A prayer of Habacuc the prophete for the ignoraunces.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A PRAYER OF THE PROPHET AMBACUM, WITH A SONG.
English Revised Version
A PRAYER of Habakkuk the prophet, set to Shigionoth.
World English Bible
A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet, set to victorious music.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The preier of Abacuk, the profete, for vnkunnynge men. Lord, Y herde thin heryng, and Y dredde;
Update Bible Version
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set to Shigionoth.
Webster's Bible Translation
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
New English Translation
This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet:
New King James Version
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth. [fn]
New Living Translation
This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk:
New Life Bible
Shigionoth tells of this prayer of Habakkuk, the man of God.
New Revised Standard
A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk according to Shigionoth.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A prayer by Habakkuk the prophet, - in the manner of an Ode.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A PRAYER OF HABACUC THE PROPHET FOR IGNORANCES.
Revised Standard Version
A prayer of Habak'kuk the prophet, according to Shigion'oth.
Young's Literal Translation
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet concerning erring ones:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A prayer of the prophet Abacuc for the ignoraunt.
THE MESSAGE
A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk, with orchestra: God , I've heard what our ancestors say about you, and I'm stopped in my tracks, down on my knees. Do among us what you did among them. Work among us as you worked among them. And as you bring judgment, as you surely must, remember mercy.

Contextual Overview

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. 2 O Lord , I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord , revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

prayer: Psalms 86:1-17,*title Psalms 90:1-17, *title

upon Shigionoth: or, according to variable songs, or tunes, called in Hebrew, Shigionoth. Psalms 7:1-17, *title

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 2:1 - prayed Isaiah 64:1 - that thou wouldest come

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Ecclesiastes 4:10
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Isaiah 27:1
In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.
Matthew 4:3
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Matthew 4:6
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Matthew 4:9
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Matthew 10:16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
2 Corinthians 11:14
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
1 Peter 3:7
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. Of the name, character, and office of the prophet, :-. This chapter is entitled a "prayer" of his, a supplicatory one, put up in an humble and earnest manner, and in the exercise of faith, and under the influence of a spirit of prophecy. He before had a vision of the coming of Christ, and of what enemies would rise up, and obstruct his kingdom and interest in the world; and here lie prays that these obstructions might be removed, and that the kingdom of Christ, in its full extent and glory, might take place in the world; and is a prayer of faith, as he prayed it might be, he believed it would be; and left this prayer behind him, for the use and instruction of the church in all ages, until the whole should be accomplished. It seems to be composed after the manner of the psalms of David, to make it the more pleasant and agreeable; and that it might be the more regarded, and be more fitted for the public use and service of the sanctuary: this appears from the style of it, which is poetical, lofty, and sublime; from the frequent use of the word "Selah", peculiar to the psalms of David, Habakkuk 3:3 and from the direction of it to the chief singer on the stringed instruments, Habakkuk 3:19 and from the phrase "upon", or "according to Shigionoth" here, which the Septuagint version renders "with a song"; and so the Arabic version, "after [the manner] of a song"; for this word seems to be the plural of Shiggaion, the title of the seventh psalm Psalms 7:1; which was either the name, title, or first word of some song or songs, according to which this was to be sung; or the name of the tune with which it was to be sung; or of the instrument on which was to be sung: it very probably designs, and may called, an "erratic" or "wandering" song, because of the variableness of its metre, and of its tune. The Vulgate Latin version wrongly interprets it, "for ignorances"; as if this was a prayer of the prophet's for the pardon sins of error and ignorance committed by himself, or by others, or both; which sense is favoured by the Targum,

"a prayer which Habakkuk the prophet prayed, when it was revealed unto him concerning the length (of time) which (God) gave to the wicked; that, if they would return to the law with a perfect heart, they should be forgiven all the sins which they had committed before him as ignorance:''

but there does not appear throughout the whole prayer one single petition for the pardon of any sin at all.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A prayer of Habakkuk - o. The “prayer” of the prophet, in the strictest sense of the word, is contained in the words of Habakkuk 3:2. The rest is, in its form, praise and thanksgiving, chiefly for God’s past mercies in the deliverance from Egypt and the entering into the promised land. But thanksgiving is an essential part of prayer, and Hannah is said to have “prayed,” whereas the hymn which followed is throughout one thanksgiving . In that also these former deliverances were images of things to come, of every deliverance afterward, and, especially, of that complete divine deliverance which our Lord Jesus Christ performed for us from the power of Satan 1 Corinthians 10:11, the whole is one prayer: “Do, O Lord, as Thou hast done of old; forsake not Thine own works. Such were Thy deeds once; fulfill them now, all which they shadowed forth.” It is then a prayer for the manifestation of God’s power, and therewith the destruction of His enemies, thenceforth to the Day of Judgment. Cyril: “Having completed the discourse about Babylon, and having fore-announced most clearly, that those who destroyed the holy city and carried Israel captive shall be severely punished, he passes suitably to the mystery of Christ, and from the redemption which took place partially in one nation, he carries on the discourse to that universal redemption, whereby the remnant of Israel, and no less the whole world has been saved.”

Upon Shigionoth - The title, “Shiggaion,” occurs only once besides Psalms 7:0. Upon, in the titles of the Psalms, is used with the instrument , the melody , or the first words of the hymn, whose melody has been adopted The two first are mentioned by a Jewish Commentator (Tanchum) with others, “in his delight,” or “his errors,” in the sense, that God will forgive them. This, which the versions and Jewish commentators mostly adopt, would be a good sense, but is hardly consistent with the Hebrew usage. “Shiggaion of David,” as a title of a Psalm, must necessarily describe the Psalm itself, as “Mismor of David,” “Michtam of David,” “Tephillah of David,” “Maschil of David.” But “Shiggaion,” as a “great error,” is not a title: nor does it suit the character of the Psalm, which relates to calumny not to error.

It probably, then, means a psalm with music expressive of strong emotion, “erratic” or “dithyrambic.” Habakkuk’s title, on Shigionoth (plural) then would mean upon, or (as we should say,) “set to” music of psalms of this sort The number “three” remarkably predominates in this psalm (Habakkuk 3:6 has 15 words, in five combinations of three words; Habakkuk 3:3, Habakkuk 3:10 have 12 words, in four 3’s: Habakkuk 3:4, Habakkuk 3:9, Habakkuk 3:19 have 9 words in three 3’s: Habakkuk 3:5, Habakkuk 3:12, Habakkuk 3:15, Habakkuk 3:18 have 6 words in two 3’s: Habakkuk 3:17 is divided into 4-3-3-4-3-3; Habakkuk 3:8 is 3-3-3-3-2; Habakkuk 3:11 is 4-3-3; Habakkuk 3:16 is 3-3-3-2-2-2-3. This forces itself on every reader. Delitzsch quotes the Meor. Enaim, i. 60, “The prayer of Habakkuk goeth on three’s”) yet so that long measures are succeeded by very short.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER III

The prophet, being apprised of the calamities which were to be

brought on his country by the ministry of the Chaldeans, and

the punishments which awaited the Chaldeans themselves, partly

struck with terror, and partly revived with hope and confidence

in the Divine mercy, beseeches God to hasten the redemption of

his people, 1, 2.

Such a petition would naturally lead his thoughts to the

astonishing deliverance which God vouchsafed to the same people

of old; and the inference from it was obvious, that he could

with the same ease deliver their posterity now. But, hurried

on by the fire and impetuosity of his spirit, he disdains to

wait the process of connecting these ideas, and bounds at once

into the midst of his subject: "God came from Teman," c., 3.

He goes on to describe the majesty and might which God

displayed in conducting his people to the land of promise,

selecting the most remarkable circumstances, and clothing them

in the most lofty language. As he goes along, his fancy becomes

more glowing, till at length he is transported to the scene of

action, and becomes an eyewitness of the wonders he describes.

"I beheld the tents of Cushan in affliction," 4-6.

After having touched on the principal circumstances of that

deliverance which he celebrates, he returns to what passed

before them in Egypt his enthusiasm having led him to begin

in the midst of his subject, 7-15.

And at last he ends the hymn as he began it, with expressing

his awe of the Divine judgments, and his firm trust in the

mercy and goodness of God while under them; and that in terms

of such singular beauty, elegance, and sublimity, as to form a

to proper conclusion to this admirable piece of Divinely

inspired composition, 16-19.

It would seem from the title, and the note appended at the

end, that it was set to music, and sung in the service of the

temple.

NOTES ON CHAP. III

Verse Habakkuk 3:1. A prayer of Habakkuk - upon Shigionoth. — See the note on the title of Psalms 7:1, where the meaning of Shiggaion is given. The Vulgate has, pro ignorantiis, for ignorances, or sins committed in ignorance; and so it is understood by the Chaldee. The Syriac has nothing but merely, A prayer of Habakkuk. And the Septuagint, instead of Shigionoth, have μεταωδης, with a hymn, which is copied by the Arabic.

I suspect that the title here given is of a posterior date to the prophecy. It appears to interrupt the connection between this and the termination of the preceding verse. See them together: -

Habakkuk 2:20: "But the Lord is in his holy temple: Be silent before him, all the earth.

Habakkuk 3:2: O Lord, I have heard thy speech: I have feared, O Lord, thy work.

As the years approach thou hast shown; As the years approach thou makest known.

In wrath thou rememberest mercy."


The prophet may here refer to the speech which God had communicated to him, Habakkuk 1:1-11; Habakkuk 2:4-20, and the terror with which he was struck, because of the judgments denounced against Jerusalem. I have followed the version of Apb. Newcome in this first verse. The critical reader may consult his notes, and the various readings of Kennicott and De Rossi.


 
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