Habakkuk 1:9

All of them intend ¹  to do violence; every face is determined. ²  They take prisoners as easily as one scoops up sand. ³ 

they all come bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand.

"All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward. They collect captives like sand.

"On they come, all of them bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a wind from the desert, sweeping captives ahead of them like sand.

They're out to kill. Death is on their minds. They collect victims like squirrels gathering nuts.

They are coming all of them with force; the direction of their faces is forward, the number of their prisoners is like the sands of the sea.

They all come for violence, with faces pressing forward; they gather captives like sand.

"They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. They gather captives like sand.

All of them intend ¹  to do violence; every face is determined. ²  They take prisoners as easily as one scoops up sand. ³ 

¹ tn Heb “come.”

² tn Heb “The totality of their faces is to the east” (or “is forward”). The precise meaning of the Hebrew term מְגַמַּת (megammat) is unclear. For a discussion of options see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 93. NEB has “a sea of faces rolls on”; NIV “their hordes advance like a desert wind”; NRSV “with faces pressing forward.”

³ tn Heb “and he gathers like sand, prisoners.”