Habakkuk 3:2

Hebrew Bible

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.

Jonathan Habakkuk 3:2

Targum

2 Lord I have heard of your power, I have feared the greatness of your works. You give a respite to the wicked if they convert to your Law. But if they do not convert but provoke your anger in the midst of the years you have given them to live, then it will be that you make your power known in the midst of the years when you have said that you will renew the world and will take vengeance on the wicket who have transgressed your word. But with mercy you will remember the righteous who have done your will. When God gave the Law to His people, He was revealed from the South and the Holy one from Mount Paran. The heavens were opened through eternal power at the splendor of His glory, and the earth was full of the words of His praise.

 Notes and References

"... Later transmitters of the Hebrew text apparently regarded Habakkuk 3:2 as a theologically problematic text. Because the text does not say explicitly who these two living (divine) creatures were, it was difficult to combine this with Jewish monotheism. Therefore the text was revised by associating “Jah is alive” with the verb “make it live”. This revision was then transmitted to the Masoretes who vocalized the text according to the tradition, and thereby produced the new meaning – as can be perceived in the present form of the Masoretic text. It is interesting to observe that the Targum of the Book of Habakkuk (attested before the Masoretic punctuation) already used the Masoretic-like understanding of Habakkuk 3:2 as its starting-point. The meturgeman associates the Masoretic's “your work” with what follows and interprets the beginning of the verse: “Lord, I have heard the report of your strength and I was afraid!” The Masoretic text reading “your works in the midst of the years” is interpreted as referring to exhortation to the wicked: “O Lord, your works are great, for you grant an extension of time to the wicked to see if they will return to your law; but they have not returned and they provoke before you in the midst of the years in which you have given them life.” The Masoretic expression “in the midst of the years make it alive” is interpreted as referring to the renewal of the world: “Therefore you will display your might in the midst of the years for you have promised to renew the world to take vengeance on the wicked who have disregarded your Memra.” The last phrase of the Masoretic in Habakkuk 3:2 is interpreted in the Targum as follows: “but in the midst of your anger you will remember in mercy the righteous who do your will.” ..."

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

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