Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, October 31st, 2024
the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Habakkuk 1:14

Are we only fish to be caught and killed? Are we only sea creatures that have no leader?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Wicked (People);   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fishes;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Habakkuk;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Net;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Creeping Things;   Dragnet;   Fish, Fishing;   Habakkuk;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Fish;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Habakkuk;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
You made people like fish in the sea. They are like little sea animals without a leader.
New American Standard Bible
Why have You made people like the fish of the sea, Like crawling things that have no ruler over them?
New Century Version
You treat people like fish in the sea, like sea animals without a leader.
Update Bible Version
and make man as the fish of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
Webster's Bible Translation
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping animals [that have] no ruler over them?
Amplified Bible
Why do You make men like the fish of the sea, Like reptiles and creeping things that have no ruler [and are helpless against their enemies]?
English Standard Version
You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.
World English Bible
and make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thou schalt make men as fischis of the see, and as a crepynge thing not hauynge prince.
English Revised Version
and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
Berean Standard Bible
You have made men like the fish of the sea, like sea creatures with no ruler.
Contemporary English Version
The people you put on this earth are like fish or reptiles without a leader.
American Standard Version
and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
Bible in Basic English
He has made men like the fishes of the sea, like the worms which have no ruler over them.
Complete Jewish Bible
You make people like fish in the sea, like reptiles that have no ruler.
Darby Translation
And thou makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
King James Version (1611)
And makest men as the fishes of the Sea, as the creeping things, that haue no ruler ouer them.
New Life Bible
Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, like things which move along the ground that have no ruler?
New Revised Standard
You have made people like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things, that haue no ruler ouer them.
George Lamsa Translation
And thou didst make men as the fish of the sea, as the creeping things that have no ruler over them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So wouldst thou have made Men, like the fishes of the sea, - like the creeping thing that hath no ruler over it:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou wilt make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things that have no ruler.
Revised Standard Version
For thou makest men like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And makest men as the fishe of the sea, and as the creeping thinges that haue no ruler ouer them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And wilt thou make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the reptiles which have no guide?
Good News Translation
How can you treat people like fish or like a swarm of insects that have no ruler to direct them?
Christian Standard Bible®
You have made mankindlike the fish of the sea,like marine creatures that have no ruler.
Hebrew Names Version
and make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
King James Version
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
Lexham English Bible
You make humankind like fish of the sea, like crawling creatures that have no ruler among them.
Literal Translation
For You make man like the fish of the sea, like creeping things with no ruler over him.
Young's Literal Translation
And Thou makest man as fishes of the sea, As a creeping thing -- none ruling over him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou makest men as the fish in the see, and like as the crepinge beestes, that haue no gyde.
THE MESSAGE
You're treating men and women as so many fish in the ocean, Swimming without direction, swimming but not getting anywhere. Then this evil Babylonian arrives and goes fishing. He pulls in a good catch. He catches his limit and fills his creel— a good day of fishing! He's happy! He praises his rod and reel, piles his fishing gear on an altar and worships it! It's made his day, and he's going to eat well tonight!
New English Translation
You made people like fish in the sea, like animals in the sea that have no ruler.
New King James Version
Why do You make men like fish of the sea, Like creeping things that have no ruler over them?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, Like creeping things without a ruler over them?
Legacy Standard Bible
And You have made men like the fish of the sea,Like creeping things without a ruler over them.

Contextual Overview

12 O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal— surely you do not plan to wipe us out? O Lord , our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us, to punish us for our many sins. 13 But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they? 14 Are we only fish to be caught and killed? Are we only sea creatures that have no leader? 15 Must we be strung up on their hooks and caught in their nets while they rejoice and celebrate? 16 Then they will worship their nets and burn incense in front of them. "These nets are the gods who have made us rich!" they will claim. 17 Will you let them get away with this forever? Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

creeping: or, moving

no: Proverbs 6:7

Reciprocal: Job 9:24 - earth Ecclesiastes 9:12 - as the fishes Isaiah 59:15 - he that Jeremiah 5:26 - lay wait Jeremiah 16:16 - I will send Ezekiel 29:4 - the fish Ezekiel 32:3 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
Genesis 1:3
Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:6
Then God said, "Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth."
Genesis 1:7
And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens.
Genesis 1:8
God called the space "sky." And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.
Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear." And that is what happened.
Genesis 1:12
The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:14
Then God said, "Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And makest men as the fishes of the sea,.... That is, sufferest them to be used as the fishes of the sea, which are easily taken in the net, and are common to everyone; whosoever will may take them up, and kill them, and use them for their food; and which also among themselves are often hardly used, the lesser being devoured by the greater; and in like manner the prophet suggests, that the people of the Jews, who were men made after the image of God, and made for society and usefulness, and moreover were God's covenant people; and it might have been expected, that a more special providence would have attended them, more than other men, and especially than what attended the fishes of the sea; yet it looked as if there were no more care taken of them than of these:

as the creeping things [that have] no ruler over them; not the creeping things of the earth, but of the water, the lesser sort of fishes that move in the water; or those that more properly creep, as crabs, prawns, and shrimps; see Psalms 104:25 who have none to protect and defend them, and restrain others from taking and hurting them: this may seem contrary to what Aristotle d and Pliny e say of some fishes, that they go in company, and have a leader or governor; but, as Bochart f observes, it is one thing to be a leader of the way, a guide and director, which way to steer their course in swimming; and another thing to be as the general of an army, to protect and defend, or under whose directions they might defend themselves; such an one the prophet denies they had: and so, the prophet complains, this was the case of the Jews; they were exposed to the cruelty of their enemies, as if there was no God that governed in the world, and no providence to direct and order things for the preservation of men, and to keep good men from being hurt by evil men; or those that were weak and feeble from being oppressed by the powerful and mighty; this he reasons with the Lord about, and was desirous of an answer to it.

d Hist. Animal. l. 8. c. 13. e Nat. Hist. l. 9. c. 15. f Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 1. c. 6. col. 39.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And makest men as the fishes of the sea - mute, helpless, in a stormy, restless element, no cry heard, but themselves swept away in shoals, with no power to resist.

As the creeping things - whether of the land (as it is mostly used), or the sea Psalms 104:25. Either way, it is a contemptuous name for the lowest of either.

That have no ruler over them - none to guide, order, protect them, and so a picture of man deprived of the care and providence of God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Habakkuk 1:14. Makest men as the fishes of the sea — Easily are we taken and destroyed. We have no leader to guide us, and no power to defend ourselves. Nebuchadnezzar is here represented as a fisherman, who is constantly casting his nets into the sea, and enclosing multitudes of fishes; and, being always successful, he sacrifices to his own net-attributes all his conquests to his own power and prudence; not considering that he is only like a net that after having been used for a while, shall at last be thrown by as useless, or burnt in the fire.


 
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