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1. The problem as God gave Habakkuk to see it:
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1. The burden H4853 which H834 Habakkuk H2265 the prophet H5030 did see H2372 .
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2. GOD, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen? How many times do I have to yell, "Help! Murder! Police!" before you come to the rescue?
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2. O LORD H3068 , how long H5704 H575 shall I cry H7768 , and thou wilt not H3808 hear H8085 ! even cry out H2199 unto H413 thee of violence H2555 , and thou wilt not H3808 save H3467 !
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3. Why do you force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day? Anarchy and violence break out, quarrels and fights all over the place.
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3. Why H4100 dost thou show H7200 me iniquity H205 , and cause me to behold H5027 grievance H5999 ? for spoiling H7701 and violence H2555 are before H5048 me : and there are H1961 that raise up H5375 strife H7379 and contention H4066 .
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4. Law and order fall to pieces. Justice is a joke. The wicked have the righteous hamstrung and stand justice on its head.
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4. Therefore H5921 H3651 the law H8451 is slacked H6313 , and judgment H4941 doth never H3808 H5331 go forth H3318 : for H3588 the wicked H7563 doth compass about H3803 H853 the righteous H6662 ; therefore H5921 H3651 wrong H6127 judgment H4941 proceedeth H3318 .
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5. "Look around at the godless nations. Look long and hard. Brace yourself for a shock. Something's about to take place and you're going to find it hard to believe.
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5. Behold H7200 ye among the heathen H1471 , and regard H5027 , and wonder marvelously H8539 H8539 : for H3588 I will work H6466 a work H6467 in your days H3117 , which ye will not H3808 believe H539 , though H3588 it be told H5608 you .
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6. I'm about to raise up Babylonians to punish you, Babylonians, fierce and ferocious-- World-conquering Babylon, grabbing up nations right and left,
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6. For H3588 , lo H2009 , I raise up H6965 H853 the Chaldeans H3778 , that bitter H4751 and hasty H4116 nation H1471 , which shall march H1980 through the breadth H4800 of the land H776 , to possess H3423 the dwelling places H4908 that are not H3808 theirs.
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7. A dreadful and terrible people, making up its own rules as it goes.
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7. They H1931 are terrible H366 and dreadful H3372 : their judgment H4941 and their dignity H7613 shall proceed H3318 of H4480 themselves.
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8. Their horses run like the wind, attack like bloodthirsty wolves. A stampede of galloping horses thunders out of nowhere. They descend like vultures circling in on carrion.
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8. Their horses H5483 also are swifter H7043 than the leopards H4480 H5246 , and are more fierce H2300 than the evening H6153 wolves H4480 H2061 : and their horsemen H6571 shall spread H6335 themselves , and their horsemen H6571 shall come H935 from far H4480 H7350 ; they shall fly H5774 as the eagle H5404 that hasteth H2363 to eat H398 .
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9. They're out to kill. Death is on their minds. They collect victims like squirrels gathering nuts.
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9. They shall come H935 all H3605 for violence H2555 : their faces H6440 shall sup up H4041 as the east wind H6921 , and they shall gather H622 the captivity H7628 as the sand H2344 .
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10. They mock kings, poke fun at generals, Spit on forts, and leave them in the dust.
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10. And they H1931 shall scoff H7046 at the kings H4428 , and the princes H7336 shall be a scorn H4890 unto them: they H1931 shall deride H7832 every H3605 stronghold H4013 ; for they shall heap H6651 dust H6083 , and take H3920 it.
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11. They'll all be blown away by the wind. Brazen in sin, they call strength their god."
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11. Then H227 shall his mind H7307 change H2498 , and he shall pass over H5674 , and offend H816 , imputing this H2098 his power H3581 unto his god H433 .
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12. GOD, you're from eternity, aren't you? Holy God, we aren't going to die, are we? GOD, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline?
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12. Art thou H859 not H3808 from everlasting H4480 H6924 , O LORD H3068 my God H430 , mine Holy One H6918 ? we shall not H3808 die H4191 . O LORD H3068 , thou hast ordained H7760 them for judgment H4941 ; and , O mighty God H6697 , thou hast established H3245 them for correction H3198 .
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13. But you can't be serious! You can't condone evil! So why don't you do something about this? Why are you silent now? This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous and you stand around and watch!
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13. Thou art of purer H2889 eyes H5869 than to behold H4480 H7200 evil H7451 , and canst H3201 not H3808 look H5027 on H413 iniquity H5999 : wherefore H4100 lookest H5027 thou upon them that deal treacherously H898 , and holdest thy tongue H2790 when the wicked H7563 devoureth H1104 the man that is more righteous H6662 than H4480 he?
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14. You're treating men and women as so many fish in the ocean, Swimming without direction, swimming but not getting anywhere.
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14. And makest H6213 men H120 as the fishes H1709 of the sea H3220 , as the creeping things H7431 , that have no H3808 ruler H4910 over them?
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15. 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!
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15. They take up H5927 all H3605 of them with the angle H2443 , they catch H1641 them in their net H2764 , and gather H622 them in their drag H4365 : therefore H5921 H3651 they rejoice H8055 and are glad H1523 .
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16. 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!
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16. Therefore H5921 H3651 they sacrifice H2076 unto their net H2764 , and burn incense H6999 unto their drag H4365 ; because H3588 by them H1992 their portion H2506 is fat H8082 , and their meat H3978 plenteous H1277 .
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17. Are you going to let this go on and on? Will you let this Babylonian fisherman Fish like a weekend angler, killing people as if they're nothing but fish?
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17. Shall they therefore H5921 H3651 empty H7324 their net H2764 , and not H3808 spare H2550 continually H8548 to slay H2026 the nations H1471 ?
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