Lexical Summary chebyon: Hiding place, secret place Original Word: חֶבְיוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hiding From chabah; a concealment -- hiding. see HEBREW chabah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chabah Definition a hiding, hiding place NASB Translation hiding (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֶבְיוֺן noun [masculine] hiding, hiding-place, or < veil, envelope, only construct עֻזּהֹ ׳וְשָׁם ח Habakkuk 3:4 (< ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Hi-St Gr וְשָׂם and he maketh, compare Psalm 18:12). Topical Lexicon Overview חֶבְיוֹן signifies a place of concealment, the hidden recess where power or treasure is kept out of ordinary sight. Its solitary appearance in Habakkuk 3:4 describes the majesty of God in theophany: “His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power was hidden”. The word therefore frames the paradox of divine glory—blazing brilliance coupled with a deliberate veiling of omnipotence. Occurrence and Context Habakkuk 3 is a liturgical psalm that re-enacts the exodus-Sinai theophany. By using חֶבְיוֹן, the prophet stresses that although God’s “rays” erupt visibly, the essence of His might remains tucked away, unapproachable to finite creatures (see Exodus 33:20). This tension between revelation and reserve undergirds the entire prayer: past deliverances assure Judah of future salvation, yet the timing and full extent of that deliverance stay hidden within God’s counsel (Habakkuk 3:16-19). Imagery of Concealment and Revelation 1. Shelter imagery: Psalm 91:1 speaks of dwelling “in the shelter of the Most High,” paralleling the thought that safety lies where God hides His people even as He hides His strength. Theology of Divine Sovereignty God’s supremacy is affirmed precisely because He can unveil only what serves His redemptive purpose (Deuteronomy 29:29). Habakkuk’s vision thus assures worshipers that apparent delays in judgment or revival do not signal weakness; might is simply in reserve until the appointed time (Habakkuk 2:3; 2 Peter 3:9). Related Biblical Motifs • Hidden manna (Revelation 2:17) illustrates nourishment secured in God’s secret storehouse. Historical Setting in Habakkuk Composed amid Babylonian threat, Habakkuk 3 answers the prophet’s earlier complaints (Habakkuk 1:2-4, 12-17) by portraying the covenant LORD marching through history. The “hiding” of power explains why the wicked seem to triumph temporarily; yet the past exodus ensures a future exodus from exile. Such a reading aligns with the unfolding of redemptive history culminating in the cross and second advent. Intertestamental and New Testament Resonances Jewish apocalyptic writings expand on the notion of reserved power, speaking of heavenly storehouses of light, hail, and winds (cf. Sirach 43:13-17). The New Testament echoes this with eschatological language: salvation “ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5), and Christ “hidden at the right hand of God” until His appearing (Colossians 3:3-4). Practical Ministry Application 1. Assurance in delay: Believers facing injustice can rest in the certainty that divine power is active though concealed. Homiletical Insights • Title: “When God Hides His Power.” a. The radiance we see (Habakkuk 3:3-4) b. The reserve we trust (Habakkuk 3:4b) c. The response we give (Habakkuk 3:17-19) Summary חֶבְיוֹן crystallizes a recurring biblical theme: God discloses enough of Himself to save and sanctify, while keeping His full power in sovereign reserve. This hiddenness is not absence but assurance, inviting faith that waits expectantly for the moment when concealed glory becomes unveiled victory. Forms and Transliterations חֶבְי֥וֹן חביון chevYon ḥeḇ·yō·wn ḥeḇyōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Habakkuk 3:4 HEB: ל֑וֹ וְשָׁ֖ם חֶבְי֥וֹן עֻזֹּֽה׃ NAS: And there is the hiding of His power. KJV: [coming] out of his hand: and there [was] the hiding of his power. INT: his hand and there is the hiding of his power 1 Occurrence |
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