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Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Contemporary English Version

Habakkuk 1:7

How fearsome and frightening. Their only laws and rules are the ones they make up.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Babylon;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Prophecy;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Babylon;   Heathen, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Chaldeans;   Habakkuk;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Nation;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Justice;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Habakkuk;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Babylon;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Captivity;   Dignities;   Habakkuk;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They are fierce and terrifying;their views of justice and sovereigntystem from themselves.
Hebrew Names Version
They are feared and dreaded. Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
King James Version (1611)
They are terrible and dreadfull: their iudgement and their dignity shal proceed of themselues.
King James Version
They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
English Standard Version
They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.
New American Standard Bible
"They are terrifying and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves.
New Century Version
They scare and frighten people. They do what they want to do and are good only to themselves.
Amplified Bible
"The Chaldeans are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves and are defined only by their decree.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They are terrible & fearefull: their iudgement & their dignitie shal proceede of theselues.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves.
Legacy Standard Bible
They are dreaded and feared;Their justice and exaltation come forth from themselves.
Berean Standard Bible
They are dreaded and feared; their justice and sovereignty proceed from themselves.
Complete Jewish Bible
Fearsome and dreadful they are; their rules and strength come from themselves.
Darby Translation
They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Babylonians will scare the other people. They will do what they want to do and go where they want to go.
George Lamsa Translation
They are mighty and dreadful; their judgment and their notable doings proceed of themselves.
Good News Translation
They spread fear and terror, and in their pride they are a law to themselves.
Lexham English Bible
They are dreadful and awesome; their justice and their dignity proceed from themselves.
Literal Translation
He is terrible and fearful; his judgment and his glory goes forth from himself.
American Standard Version
They are terrible and dreadful; their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
Bible in Basic English
They are greatly to be feared: their right comes from themselves.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
They are terrible and dreadful; their law and their majesty proceed from themselves.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They are terrible and fearfull: their iudgement and their dignitie shall procede of them selues.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
He is terrible and famous; his judgment shall proceed of himself, and his dignity shall come out of himself.
English Revised Version
They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
World English Bible
They are feared and dreaded. Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
It is orible, and dredeful; the dom and birthun therof schal go out of it silf.
Update Bible Version
They are terrible and awesome; their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
Webster's Bible Translation
They [are] terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed from themselves.
New English Translation
They are frightening and terrifying; they decide for themselves what is right.
New King James Version
They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
New Living Translation
They are notorious for their cruelty and do whatever they like.
New Life Bible
They fill others with fear. They make their own law about what is fair and honored.
New Revised Standard
Dread and fearsome are they; their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Awful and fearful, is he, - from himself, his decision and his uprising, proceed.
Douay-Rheims Bible
They are dreadful, and terrible: from themselves shall their judgment, and their burden proceed.
Revised Standard Version
Dread and terrible are they; their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.
Young's Literal Translation
Terrible and fearful it [is], From itself its judgment and its excellency go forth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A grymme & boysteous people is it, these shal syt in iudgment & punyshe.

Contextual Overview

5 Look and be amazed at what's happening among the nations! Even if you were told, you would never believe what's taking place now. 6 I am sending the Babylonians. They are fierce and cruel— marching across the land, conquering cities and towns. 7 How fearsome and frightening. Their only laws and rules are the ones they make up. 8 Their cavalry troops are faster than leopards, more ferocious than wolves hunting at sunset, and swifter than hungry eagles suddenly swooping down. 9 They are eager to destroy, and they gather captives like handfuls of sand. 10 They make fun of rulers and laugh at fortresses, while building dirt mounds so they can capture cities. 11 Then suddenly they disappear like a gust of wind— those sinful people who worship their own strength.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

their judgment: etc. or, from them shall proceed the judgment of these and the captivity of these, Jeremiah 39:5-9, Jeremiah 52:9-11, Jeremiah 52:25-27, Deuteronomy 5:19, Deuteronomy 5:27

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 28:49 - bring a nation Isaiah 29:20 - the terrible Ezekiel 32:12 - the terrible Daniel 2:31 - terrible

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
and named it "Sky." Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.
Genesis 1:9

The Third Day

God said, "I command the water under the sky to come together in one place, so there will be dry ground." And that's what happened.
Genesis 1:11
God said, "I command the earth to produce all kinds of plants, including fruit trees and grain." And that's what happened.
Genesis 1:15
I command them to shine on the earth." And that's what happened.
Genesis 1:24

The Sixth Day

God said, "I command the earth to give life to all kinds of tame animals, wild animals, and reptiles." And that's what happened.
Genesis 1:28
God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.
Genesis 1:29
I have provided all kinds of fruit and grain for you to eat.
Job 26:8
God stores water in clouds, but they don't burst,
Psalms 104:10
You provide streams of water in the hills and valleys,
Psalms 148:4
Highest heavens, and the water above the highest heavens, come and offer praise.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They [are] terrible and dreadful,.... For the fierceness of their countenances; the number and valour of their troops; the splendour of their armour; the victories they had obtained, and the cruelty they had exercised; the fame of all which spread terror wherever they came:

their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves; they will not be directed and governed by any laws of God and man, but by their own; they will do according to their will and pleasure, and none will be able to gainsay and resist them; they will hear no reason or argument; their decrees and determinations they make of themselves shall be put into execution, and there will be no opposing their tyrannical measures; they will usurp a power, and take upon them an authority over others of themselves, which all must submit unto; no mercy and pity: no goodness and humanity, are to be expected from such lawless and imperious enemies.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They are terrible - איום 'âyôm occurs here only and Song of Solomon 6:4, Song of Solomon 6:10, compared with the “bannered host,” but the root is common in אימה 'ēymâh.

And dreadful - He describes them, first in themselves, then in act. They are terrible, and strike fear through their very being, their known character, before they put it forth in act.

Their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. - Judgment had gone forth in God’s people wrested Habakkuk 1:4; now shall it go forth against them at the mere will of their master, who shall own no other rule or Lord or source of his power. His own will shall be his only law for himself and others. His elevation is too is, in his own thought, from himself. He is self-sufficing; he holds from no other, neither from God nor man. His “dignity” is self-sustained; His “judgment” is irresponsible, as if there were none Ecclesiastes 5:8 higher than he. He has, like all great world-powers, a real dignity and majesty. He infuses awe. The dignity is real but faulty, as being held independently of God. This is a character of antichrist Daniel 11:36; 2 Thessalonians 2:4, a lawless insolence, a lifting up of himself.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. Their judgment - shall proceed of themselves. — By revolting from the Assyrians, they have become a great nation. Thus, their judgment and excellence were the result of their own valour. Other meanings are given to this passage.


 
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