Habakkuk 3:14

3:14 You pierce the heads of his warriors with a spear.

They storm forward to scatter us;

they shout with joy as if they were plundering the poor with no opposition.


tn Some take “warriors” with the following line, in which case one should translate, “you pierce [his] head with a spear; his warriors storm forward to scatter us” (cf. NIV). The meaning of the Hebrew term פְּרָזוֹ (pÿrazo), translated here “his warriors,” is uncertain.

tc Heb “his shafts.” Some emend to “your shafts.” The translation above assumes an emendation to מַטֶּה (matteh, “shaft, spear”), the vav-yod (ו-י) sequence being a corruption of an original he (ה).

tn Heb “me,” but the author speaks as a representative of God’s people.

tn Heb “their rejoicing is like devouring the poor in secret.”