Habakkuk 1:5
New International Version
“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

New Living Translation
The LORD replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.

English Standard Version
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.

Berean Standard Bible
“Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.

King James Bible
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

New King James Version
“Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.

New American Standard Bible
“Look among the nations! Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless! For I am accomplishing a work in your days— You would not believe it even if you were told!

NASB 1995
“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told.

NASB 1977
“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told.

Legacy Standard Bible
“See among the nations! And look! Be also astonished! Be astounded! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if it was recounted to you.

Amplified Bible
[The LORD replied,] “Look among the nations! See! Be astonished! Wonder! For I am doing something in your days— You would not believe it if you were told.

Christian Standard Bible
Look at the nations and observe — be utterly astounded! For I am doing something in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded! For something is taking place in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it.

American Standard Version
Behold ye among the nations, and look, and wonder marvellously; for I am working a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
See, insolent one, and gaze and be astonished and marvel, because I do work in your days and you will not believe if a man will tell you

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Behold, ye despisers, and look, and wonder marvelously, and vanish: for I work a work in your days, which ye will in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you.

Contemporary English Version
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold ye among the nations, and see: wonder, and be astonished: for a work is done in your days, which no man will believe when it shall be told.

English Revised Version
Behold ye among the nations, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I work a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Look among the nations and watch. Be amazed and astonished. I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if it were reported to you.

Good News Translation
Then the LORD said to his people, "Keep watching the nations around you, and you will be astonished at what you see. I am going to do something that you will not believe when you hear about it.

International Standard Version
"Look out at the nations and pay attention! Be astounded! Be really astounded! Because something is happening in your lifetime that you won't believe, even if it were described down to the smallest detail.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Look ye among the nations, and behold, And wonder marvellously; For, behold, a work shall be wrought in your days, Which ye will not believe though it be told you.

Literal Standard Version
“Look on nations, and behold and marvel greatly. For a work He is working in your days, | You do not believe though it is declared.

Majority Standard Bible
“Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.

New American Bible
Look over the nations and see! Be utterly amazed! For a work is being done in your days that you would not believe, were it told.

NET Bible
"Look at the nations and pay attention! You will be shocked and amazed! For I will do something in your lifetime that you will not believe even though you are forewarned.

New Revised Standard Version
Look at the nations, and see! Be astonished! Be astounded! For a work is being done in your days that you would not believe if you were told.

New Heart English Bible
"Look, you scoffers, and watch, and be utterly amazed, and perish; for I am working a work in your days which you will not believe, though it is told you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe though it be told you.

World English Bible
“Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days which you will not believe though it is told you.

Young's Literal Translation
Look ye on nations, and behold and marvel greatly. For a work He is working in your days, Ye do not believe though it is declared.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD's Answer
5“Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you. 6For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.…

Cross References
Acts 13:41
Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'"

Isaiah 29:9
Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink.

Isaiah 29:14
Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden."

Ezekiel 12:22
"Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: 'The days go by, and every vision fails'?

Ezekiel 12:25
because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass, declares the Lord GOD.'"

Habakkuk 3:2
O LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds. Revive them in these years; make them known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy!


Treasury of Scripture

Behold you among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which you will not believe, though it be told you.

ye among.

Deuteronomy 4:27
And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.

Jeremiah 9:25,26
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; …

Jeremiah 25:14-29
For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands…

and regard.

Isaiah 29:14
Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Lamentations 4:12
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.

Daniel 9:12
And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.

for.

Isaiah 28:21,22
For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act…

Jeremiah 5:12,13
They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: …

Jeremiah 18:18
Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

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Habakkuk 1
1. Unto Habakkuk, complaining of the iniquity of the land,
5. is shown the fearful vengeance by the Chaldeans.
12. He complains that vengeance should be executed by them who are far worse.














(5-11) Jehovah's answer to Habakkuk's complaint. These disorders are to be punished by an invasion of Chaldaeaus. The appearance, character, and operations of these invaders are described.

(5) Among the heathen.--These words are emphatic. They imply--Jehovah will no longer manifest Himself among His chosen people, but among the Gentiles. Let them look abroad, and they shall see Him using the Chaldaeans as His instrument for their own chastisement. They are to "wonder," not at God's choice of an agent, but at the consequences of the visitation, which resulted in the sack of the Temple, and the deportation of 10,000 captives; a work which the Jews might well not have credited, though it were told them. The words "among the heathen" (bag-goyim) were, probably, misread by the LXX. translators bog'dim. Hence the translation, ????????????, "ye despisers." In Acts 13:41 St. Paul is represented as citing the verse in its LXX. form, as a warning to his Jewish hearers at Antioch. This citation, of course, gives no authority whatever to the variant. Nor is it certain that St. Paul did not actually quote the Hebrew form of the verse, which would seem more appropriate to the circumstances than the other. (Comp. Acts 13:42; Acts 13:46 seq.). That St. Luke should substitute the Greek variant is intelligible enough.

Verses 5-11. - § 3. To this appeal answers that he will send the Chaldeans to punish the evil doers with a terrible vengeance; but rinse, his instruments, shall themselves offend by pride and impiety. Verse 5. - Behold ye among the heathen; the nations. God, in answer, bids the prophet and his people look among the nations for those who shall punish the iniquities of which he complains. I will use a heathen nation, he says, as my instrument to chastise the sinners in Judaea; and you shall see that I have not disregarded the evil that is rife among you. Some commentators suppose that the impious are addressed; but Habakkuk spoke in the name and person of the righteous, and to them the answer must be directed. The LXX, gives, Ιδετε, οἱ καταφρονηταί, "Behold, ye despisers," which is justifiable. St. Paul quotes the Greek Version, Acts 13:41, in his sermon at Antioch in the Jewish synagogue, warning those who despised the gospel This was sufficiently close to the Hebrew for his purpose. And regard, and wonder marvellously. They are to wonder because the work is as terrible as it is unexpected. The LXX. (quoted by St. Paul, loc. cit.) adds, καὶ ἀφανίσθητε, "and perish," or rather, "be stupefied by astonishment," die of amazement. I will work; I work. The pronoun is not expressed, but must be supplied from ver. 6. It is God who sends the avengers. In your days. The prophet had asked (ver. 2), "How long?" The answer is that those now living should see the chastisement (see Introduction, § III.). Which ye will not believe. If ye heard of it as happening elsewhere, ye would not give credit to it; the punishment itself and its executors are both unexpected (comp. Lamentations 4:12).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Look
רְא֤וּ (rə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

at the nations
בַגּוֹיִם֙ (ḇag·gō·w·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

and observe—
וְֽהַבִּ֔יטוּ (wə·hab·bî·ṭū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5027: To scan, look intently at, to regard

be utterly astounded!
וְהִֽתַּמְּה֖וּ (wə·hit·tam·mə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8539: To be astounded or dumbfounded

For
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

[I am] doing
פֹּעֵ֣ל (pō·‘êl)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6466: To do, make, to practise

a work
פֹ֙עַל֙ (p̄ō·‘al)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6467: Doing, deed, work

in your days
בִּֽימֵיכֶ֔ם (bî·mê·ḵem)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

that you would never
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

believe
תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ (ṯa·’ă·mî·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 539: To confirm, support

even if
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you were told.
יְסֻפָּֽר׃ (yə·sup·pār)
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5608: To count, recount, relate


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OT Prophets: Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations watch and wonder (Hab Hb)
Habakkuk 1:4
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