Habakkuk 3:2
1 This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet: 2 Lord, I have heard the report of what you did; I am awed, Lord, by what you accomplished. In our time repeat those deeds; in our time reveal them again. But when you cause turmoil, remember to show us mercy! 3 God comes from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor has covered the skies, the earth is full of his glory. 4 His brightness will be as lightning; a two-pronged lightning bolt flashing from his hand. This is the outward display of his power.
LXX Habakkuk 3:2
1 A prayer of the prophet Habbakoum with a song. 2 O Lord, I have heard thy report, and was afraid: I considered thy works, and was amazed: thou shalt be known between the two living creatures, thou shalt be acknowledged when the years draw nigh; thou shalt be manifested when the time is come; when my soul is troubled, thou wilt in wrath remember mercy. 3 God shall come from Thæman, and the Holy One from the dark shady mount Pharan. Pause. 4 His excellence covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness shall be as light; there were horns in his hands, and he caused a mighty love of his strength.
Notes and References
"... In this connection we cannot avoid the discussion of the early Christian interpretation of Habakkuk 3:2 because the text has played a significant role in Christological argumentations.10 The earliest Christian interpretation of Habakkuk 3:2 is presented in Irenaeus’s Adversus haereses III 16,7. He quotes the latter part of the Septuagint translation of the verse (“By this Thou shalt be known when the years have drawn nigh; Thou shalt be set forth when the time comes; because my soul is disturbed by anger, Thou shalt remember Thy mercy”) and argues that the life, passion and death of Jesus were preordained by God ... Origen connects Habakkuk 3:2 with Isaiah 6:3 and uses them both as arguments for Christology and, in fact, also for the Holy Triad. Second he is dependent on some early Jewish-Christian material which was mediated for him by his Hebrew Master and which clearly represents an orthodox variant of Christology. That Origen has transmitted an early Jewish Christian interpretation of Habakkuk 3:2 in De Principiis seems reasonable because in his Commentary on Romans (III 8,2–8) he interprets Habakkuk 3:2 otherwise by connecting the verse to Exodus 25:22 and argues – as we have done here – that the two living creatures refer to Cherubim on the Ark. Only then does he make his own Christological implications by emphasizing that at this time the mercy-seat (Romans 3:25) is Jesus and the Word and the Spirit representing Cherubim manifesting themselves in and through Jesus. That Habakkuk 3:2 has played a central role in Christian mission proclamation in the area of Jerusalem receives support from the sermons of Cyril of Jerusalem who refers to this text in his Catechetical Lectures ..."
Laato, Antti "Yahweh Manifests Himself between Two Cherubim: An Approach to the Reception History of Hab 3:2" in Rammelt, Claudia, et al. (eds.) Encounters in Past and Present: Contributions to the Conversation; A Festschrift for the 60th Birthday of Martin Tamcke (pp. 55-64) LIT, 2015