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Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
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Read the Bible

King James Version

Habakkuk 3:9

Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bow;   Geology;   Readings, Select;   Scofield Reference Index - Bible Prayers;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Habakkuk;   Selah;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Self-Seeking;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Battle-Bow;   Selah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Habakkuk;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Psalms;   Rainbow;   Selah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Hymn;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Selah;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Name;   Word of od;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cleave;   Habakkuk;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bow;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Poetry;   Root;   Selah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
You took the sheath from your bow;the arrows are ready to be used with an oath.SelahYou split the earth with rivers.
Hebrew Names Version
You uncovered your bow. You called for your sworn arrows. Selah. You split the eretz with rivers.
King James Version (1611)
Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oathes of the tribes, euen thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleaue the earth with riuers.
English Standard Version
You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers.
New American Standard Bible
You removed Your bow from its holder, The arrows of Your word were sworn. Selah You divided the earth with rivers.
New Century Version
You uncovered your bow and commanded many arrows to be brought to you. Selah You split the earth with rivers.
Amplified Bible
Your bow was made bare; The rods of chastisement were sworn. Selah (pause, calmly think of that). You split the earth with rivers [bringing waters to dry places].
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thy bowe was manifestly reueiled, and the othes of the tribes were a sure worde, Selah. thou diddest cleaue the earth with riuers.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Your bow was made bare, The rods of chastisement were sworn. Selah. You cleaved the earth with rivers.
Legacy Standard Bible
Your bow was made bare;Rods were sworn unto battle by word. Selah.You split the earth with rivers.
Berean Standard Bible
You brandished Your bow; You called for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers.
Contemporary English Version
Your arrows were ready and obeyed your commands. You split the earth apart with rivers and streams;
Complete Jewish Bible
You brandish your naked bow and order it filled with arrows. (Selah) You split the earth with rivers.
Darby Translation
Thy bow was made naked, The rods [of discipline] sworn according to [thy] word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
Easy-to-Read Version
Even then you showed your rainbow. It was proof of your agreement with the families of the earth. Selah And the dry land split the rivers.
George Lamsa Translation
Thy bow was made ready, the arrows were abundant at the command of thy glorious word. Thou didst furrow the earth with rivers.
Good News Translation
You got ready to use your bow, ready to shoot your arrows. Your lightning split open the earth.
Lexham English Bible
You laid bare the nakedness of your bow, swearing oaths with the arrows of your word. You split the earth with rivers.
Literal Translation
You bare Your bow, naked according to the oaths of the tribes of Your Word. Selah. You have cut through the earth with rivers.
American Standard Version
Thy bow was made quite bare; The oaths to the tribes were a sure word. Selah Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
Bible in Basic English
Your bow was quite uncovered. Selah. By you the earth was cut through with rivers.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thy bow is made quite bare; sworn are the rods of the word. Selah Thou dost cleave the earth with rivers.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thy bow was manyfestly reuealed, and the othes of the tribes [were] a sure word. Selah. thou diddest cleaue the earth with riuers.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Surely thou didst bend they bow at scepters, saith the Lord. Pause. The land of rivers shall be torn asunder.
English Revised Version
Thy bow was made quite bare; the oaths to the tribes were a sure word. Selah Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
World English Bible
You uncovered your bow. You called for your sworn arrows. Selah. You split the earth with rivers.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thou reisynge schalt reise thi bouwe, othis to lynagis whiche thou hast spoke; thou schalt departe the floodis of erthe.
Update Bible Version
Your bow was bared naked; by means of a word the arrows are assigned by oath. Selah. You split the earth with rivers.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
New English Translation
Your bow is ready for action; you commission your arrows. Selah. You cause flash floods on the earth's surface.
New King James Version
Your bow was made quite ready;Oaths were sworn over Your arrows. Habakkuk 3:14) ">[fn] SelahYou divided the earth with rivers.
New Living Translation
You brandished your bow and your quiver of arrows. You split open the earth with flowing rivers.
New Life Bible
You took the covering off Your bow and put the arrows to the string. You divided the earth with rivers.
New Revised Standard
You brandished your naked bow, sated were the arrows at your command. Selah You split the earth with rivers.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
To nakedness, is bared thy bow, oaths of chastisement - song! Selah. With rivers, thou dost cleave open the land.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou wilt surely take up thy bow: according to the oaths which thou hast spoken to the tribes. Thou wilt divide the rivers of the earth.
Revised Standard Version
Thou didst strip the sheath from thy bow, and put the arrows to the string. Selah Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
Young's Literal Translation
Utterly naked Thou dost make Thy bow, Sworn are the tribes -- saying, `Pause!' [With] rivers Thou dost cleave the earth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou shewdest thy bowe opely, like as thou haddest promised with an ooth vnto the trybes. Sela. Thou didest deuyde the waters of the earth.

Contextual Overview

3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power. 5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. 6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 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? 9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. 10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear. 12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

bow: Deuteronomy 32:23, Psalms 7:12, Psalms 7:13, Psalms 35:1-3, Isaiah 51:9, Isaiah 51:10, Isaiah 52:10, Lamentations 2:4

according: Genesis 15:18-21, Genesis 17:7, Genesis 17:8, Genesis 22:16-18, Genesis 26:3, Genesis 26:4, Genesis 28:13, Genesis 28:14, Psalms 105:8-11, Luke 1:72-75, Hebrews 6:13-18

Selah: Habakkuk 3:9, Psalms 143:6

Thou: Exodus 17:6, Numbers 20:11, Psalms 78:15, Psalms 78:16, Psalms 105:41, 1 Corinthians 10:4

the earth with rivers: or, the rivers of the earth

Reciprocal: Job 28:10 - every precious thing Psalms 3:2 - Selah Psalms 74:15 - flood Psalms 114:3 - Jordan

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
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 3:17
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Genesis 3:20
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
Genesis 3:21
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
Genesis 4:9
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
Genesis 11:5
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
Genesis 16:8
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thy bow was made quite naked,.... It was took out of its case, and arrows out of their quiver, and these made use of against the enemies of his people: this is put for all weapons of war; the sword was unsheathed, and all military weapons employed, and the power of the Lord was exerted; or, as the Targum,

"the Lord was revealed in his power;''

fighting the battles of his people, as in the times of Joshua:

[according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. That is, to fulfil his word of promise, to which he had annexed his oaths, he at several times swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to the fathers of the Israelites, that he would put them in possession of the land of Canaan; and which being worthy of notice, and to be remarked, the word "Selah" is added. So the Targum,

"in revealing thou art revealed in thy power, because of thy covenant which thy word made with the tribes for ever.''

The "bow" here is an emblem of the Gospel, with which Christ the Captain of our salvation, the antitype of Joshua, went forth, more especially in the first ages of Christianity, conquering and to conquer, Revelation 6:2. The arrows of this bow are the doctrines of the Gospel, which are sharp in the heart of Christ's enemies, his elect; who are so in a state of nature, whereby they are brought into subjection to him, Psalms 45:5 and hereby the promises of God confirmed by his oaths are accomplished, that the spiritual seed of Christ shall endure for ever; or he shall never want a seed to serve him, Psalms 89:35:

Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers; which is generally supposed to allude to the smiting of the rock, from whence waters gushed out, and ran in dry places like a river; for which channels or canals were made in the earth, in which they flowed and followed the Israelites wherever they went, and supplied man and beast with water. So the Targum,

"for thou didst break strong rocks, rivers came forth overflowing the earth;''

see Psalms 105:41 but this seems to be going back in the history; rather therefore this refers to the rivers formed in the land of Canaan, whereby it became fertile; hence it is called a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, that spring out of valleys and hills, Deuteronomy 8:7. This may respect, in futurity, either the provisions of grace, and the large abundance of the blessings of it, made for the supply and satisfaction of the children of God in times of distress and difficulty, Isaiah 41:17 or that help and assistance against, protection and deliverance from, the flood of persecution, cast out after the church by Satan, in order to overwhelm her, by the earth opening its mouth, and swallowing up the flood, Revelation 12:15.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thy bow was made quite naked - The word is repeated for emphasis. Literally, (In) “nakedness, it was laid naked;” the sheath being laid aside and cast away, as Isaiah says, Isaiah 22:6. “Kir laid bare the shield.” Gregory, Mor. xix. 9. n. 54, Compare Augustine in Psalms 59:0, n. 6.: The bow represents the threat of the vengeance of Almighty God, from which it is at length discharged, if not turned aside; the longer the string is drawn, the sharper issueth the arrow. So then the more the coming of the day of judgment is delayed, the stricter is the severity of the judgment then issuing. So long as judgment is delayed, the bow seems laid up in its sheath. God’s judgments mostly strike suddenly. Psalms 64:7, “as with a swift arrow,” because men regard them not, coming from a bow at a distance which they see not. His more signal judgments He makes bare in sight of all.

According to the oath of (to) the tribes - “the oath which He swore unto our father Abraham,” which oath He often renewed to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and again to David This oath, the word and promise of God, was the pledge of the deliverance of His people, that they “should be saved from their enemies, and from the hand of all that hate them.” It lay, as it were, covered and hid, so long as God completed it not. Selah. A pause followeth, wherein to meditate on all which is contained in the word or promise of God, which is all time and eternity.

Thou didst cleave the earth with (into) rivers - Sea and river had become dry land for the passing through of God’s people; again, the rock, struck by Moses’ rod, was split, so that “rivers ran in the dry places.” Until that Rock, which was Christ, was stricken, and “out of His side came blood and water” John 19:24, the whole world was desert and barren; then it was turned into streams of water, and “now not four but twelve streams went forth from the Paradise of Scriptures” (Jerome) For from the One Fountain which is Christ, there issue many streams, even as many as convey the waters of His teaching, to water the earth.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. Thy bow was made quite naked — That is, it was drawn out of its case; as the arrows had their quiver, so the bows had their cases. A fine oriental bow and bow-case, with quiver and arrows, are now before me; they show with what propriety Jehovah is represented as taking his bow out of its case, in order to set his arrow upon the cord, to shoot at his enemies. It is not the drawing out, or making bare the arrow, that is mentioned here; but the taking the bow out of its case to prepare to shoot.

This verse appears to be an answer to the questions in the preceding: "Was the Lord displeased," c. The answer is, All this was done "according to the oaths of the tribes" the covenant of God, frequently repeated and renewed, which he made with the tribes, to give them the land of the Canaanites for their inheritance.

Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. — Or, "Thou didst cleave the streams of the land." Or, "Thou cleavedst the dry land into rivers." This may be a reference to the passage of Jordan, and transactions at Arnon and the brook Jabbok. See Numbers 21:13-15.

In this verse we have Selah again, which, as before, may signify a pause, or some alteration in the music.


 
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