The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

❧The booke of the prophete Habacuc.

The first Chapter.

1 A complaynt against the wicked that persecute the iust. 6 He sheweth that the Chaldeans are raysed vp of the Lorde for the chastisement of the Iewes, and describeth their armie. 12 He comforteth the faythfull, declaring that God will also destroy the Baby∣lonians, because they shall abuse their victorie and become proude and insolent, attribu∣ting the prayse therof to their idoles.

[unspec A] 1 THe (a) 1.1 burdē which Habacuc the pro∣phete dyd see.

2 O Lorde, howe long shall I crye, and thou wilt not heare? [euen] crye out vnto thee for violence, and thou wilt not helpe?

3 Why doest thou shew me iniquitie, and cause me to beholde sorowe? for spoyling and violence are before me, & there are that rayse vp stryfe and contention.

4 Therfore the law is “ 1.2 dissolued, & iudge∣ment doth neuer go foorth: for the wic∣ked doth compasse about the righteous, therfore wrong iudgement proceedeth.

5 * 1.3Behold among the heathen, and re∣garde, and wonder, and marueyll: for I will worke a worke in your dayes, ye will not beleue it though it be tolde you.

6 For lo, I rayse vp the Chaldeans, that bitter and furious nation, whiche shall “ 1.4 go vpon the breadth of the land, to pos∣sesse the dwelling places that are not theirs.

[illustration]

[unspec B] 7 They are terrible and fearfull: (b) 1.5their iudgement and their dignitie shall pro∣cede of them selues.

8 Their horses also are swifter then the leopardes, and are more fierce then the wolues in the * 1.6 euening, and their horse∣men shall come from farre: they shall flee as the Egle hasting to meate.

9 They come all to spoyle: before their faces shalbe an (c) 1.7 eastwinde, and they shall gather the captiuitie as the sande.

10 And they shall mocke the kinges, and the princes shalbe a scorne vnto them: they shall deride euery strong hold, for they shall gather (d) 1.8 dust, and take it.

11 Then shall they “ 1.9 take a courage, and transgresse, and do wickedly, [imputing] this their power vnto their god.

12 Art not thou of olde, O Lord my God, my holy one? we shall not dye, O Lord thou hast ordeined them for iudgement, and O God thou hast established them for correction.

13 Thou art of pure eyes, and canst not see euyl, thou canst not behold wickednesse: * 1.10wherfore [then] doest thou loke vpō the transgressours, and holdest thy tongue, when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then he?

14 And makest men as the (e) 1.11 fishe of the sea, and as the creeping thinges that haue no ruler ouer them.

15 They take vp all with the angle, they catche it in their net, and gather it in their yarne: wherof they reioyce and are glad.

16 Therfore they sacrifice vnto their (f) 1.12 net, and burne incense vnto their yarne: be∣cause by them their portion is fat, and their meate “ 1.13 plenteous.

17 Shall they therfore “ 1.14 stretche out their net, and not spare continually to slay the (g) 1.15 nations?

The .ii. Chapter.

A vision against pryde, couetousnesse, drunkennesse, and idolatrie.

[unspec A] 1 I Will stande vpon my * 1.16 watche, and set me vpon the towre, & will loke, and see what he will say vnto me, and what I shall aun∣swere to * 1.17 him that re∣buketh me.

2 And the Lord aunswered me, and said: write the vision, and make it plaine vpon tables, that he may run that (a) 1.18 rea∣deth it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appoynted time, but at the last it shall speake, and not lye: though it tary, wayte: for it shall surely come, and shall not stay.

4 Behold, (b) 1.19 he that * 1.20 lifteth vp him selfe, his minde is not vpright in him: but the iust shall liue by his fayth.

5 Yea in deede * 1.21 the proude man [is as] he that transgresseth by wine, therfore shall he not endure, because he hath enlar∣ged his desire as the hell, & is as death, and can not be satisfied, but gathereth vnto him all nations, and heapeth vnto him all people.

6 Shall not all these take vp a parable a∣gainst him?“ 1.22 and a “ 1.23 taunting prouerbe a∣gainst him, and say: Wo he that increa∣seth that which is not his? (d) 1.24how long? and he that ladeth him selfe with thicke clay?

7 Shall (e) 1.25 they not rise vp sodenly that shall byte thee? and awake that shall stirre thee, & thou shalt be “ 1.26 their pray?

8 Because thou hast spoyled many na∣tions, all the remnaunt of the people shall spoyle thee, because of mens blood, and for the wrong [done] in the lande, in the citie, and vnto all that dwell therin.

9 “ 1.27Wo he that coueteth an euyll co∣uetousnesse to his house, that he may set his nest on hie, to escape from the power of “ 1.28 euyll.

10 Thou hast “ 1.29 consulted shame to thyne owne house, by destroying many people, & hast sinned against thyne owne soule.

11 For the stone shall crye out of the wal, and the beame out of the timber shall aunswere it.

12 (f) 1.30Wo vnto him that buyldeth a towne with blood, and “ 1.31 erecteth a citie by ini∣quitie.

13 Behold, is it not of the Lord of hoastes that the people shall labour * 1.32 in the ve∣ry * 1.33 fire? the people shall euen weery them selues for very vanitie.

14 For the earth shalbe * 1.34 filled with the knowledge of the glorie of the Lorde, as the waters couer the sea.

15 Wo vnto him that geueth his neygh∣bour drinke, thou ioynest thy * 1.35 heate, and makest [him] drunken also, that thou mayest see their priuities.

16 Thou art filled with shame for glorie, drinke thou also “ 1.36 and be made naked: the cup of the Lordes right hand shalbe turned vnto thee, and shamefull spuyng shalbe for thy glorie.

17 For the crueltie of (i) 1.37 Libanus shall co∣uer thee: so shal the spoyle of the beastes “ 1.38 which he made afrayde, because of mens blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the citie, and vnto all that dwell therin.

18 What profiteth the image? for the ma∣ker therof hath made it an image and a teacher of lyes, though he that made it trust therin when he maketh dumbe idoles.

19 Wo vnto hym that sayth to the wood, Awake: and to the dumbe stone, Rise vp, “ 1.39 it shall teache [thee:] beholde it is layde ouer with gold and siluer, & there is no breath in it.

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth kepe scilence before hym.

The .iij. Chapter.

A prayer for the faythfull.

[unspec A] 1 A Prayer of Habacuc the prophete for (a) 1.40 the ig∣noraunces.

2 O lord I haue heard thy voyce, and was afrayde: O Lorde re∣uiue thy (b) 1.41 worke in the middes of the yeres, in the middes of the yeres make it knowen, in wrath re∣member mercie.

3 God commeth from (c) 1.42 Theman, and the holy one from mount Paran, Se∣lah. his glorie couereth the heauens, and the earth is full of his prayse.

4 And [his] brightnesse was as the light: (d) 1.43he had hornes [comming] out of his handes, and there was the hyding of his power.

5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coales went foorth before his feete.

6 He stoode, and measured the earth, he behelde, and dissolued the nations, and the euerlasting mountaynes were bro∣ken, and the auncient hilles did bowe, his wayes are euerlasting.

7 For iniquitie I saw the tentes of Chu∣san, [unspec B] [and] the (e) 1.44 curtaynes of the lande of Madian dyd tremble.

8 Was the Lorde angry against the * 1.45 ri∣uers? or was thyne anger against the ••oodes? or was thy wrath against the sea, that thou diddest ryde g 1.46 vpon thy horses? thy charets [brought] saluation.

9 Thy h 1.47 bow was manyfestly reuealed, and the(i) 1.48 othes of the tribes [were] a sure word. Selah. thou diddest cleaue the earth with riuers.

10 The mountaynes sawe thee and they trembled, the streame of the water(k) 1.49 passed by, the deepe made a noyse, and lift vp his handes on hye.

11 The sonne [and] moone stoode still in [their] habitation, (l) 1.50 at the light of thyne arrowes they went, [and] at the bright shining of thy speares.

12 Thou “ 1.51 trodest downe the land in an∣ger: [and] dyddest threshe the heathen in displeasure.

13 Thou wentest foorth for the saluation of thy people, [euen] for saluation with thyne (m) 1.52 annoynted: thou hast wounded the head of the house of the wicked, and discoueredst the foundations vnto the (n) 1.53necke. Selah.

14 Thou diddest o 1.54 strike thorow with his owne staues the heades of his villages, they came out as a whirlewinde to scat∣ter me: their reioycyng was as to de∣uour the poore secretly.

15 Thou diddest walke in the sea with thyne horses, vpon the heape of great waters.

16 When I (p) 1.55 hearde, my belly trembled, my lippes shoke at the voice, rottennesse entred into my bones, & I trembled in my selfe, that I might rest in (q) 1.56 the day of trouble: for when (r) 1.57 he commeth vp vnto the people, he shall destroy them.

17 For the figgetree shall not floorish, nei∣ther shall fruite be in the vines: the la∣bour of the oliue shall fayle, & the fieldes shall yelde no meate: the sheepe shalbe cut of from the folde, and there shalbe no bullocke in the stalles.

18 But I will reioyce in the Lord, I will ioy (s) 1.58 in the God of my saluation.

19 The Lord God is my strength, he wil make my feete like hindes [feete] & he wil make me to walke vpon my hye places, (t) 1.59 To the chiefe singer on Neginothai, [or vpon the instrumentes of musicke.]

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  That is, the great calamitie which he prophecied to come on Iu∣da, as a most greeuous burdē, whiche they were not able to beare.
• “ 1.2

  Or, ••ke∣ned.
• * 1.3

  Act. x••i ••.
• “ 1.4

  Or 〈…〉〈…〉
• (b) 1.5

  That is, they them selues shalbe your iudges in this cause, and none shall haue auctori∣tie ouer them to controlle them.
• * 1.6

  Zoph iii. a.
• (c) 1.7

  For the Iewes most ••eared this winde, because it destroyed their fruites.
• (d) 1.8

  They shall cast vp moun∣tes against it.
• “ 1.9

  Chaunge their spirite.
• * 1.10

  Ier. xii. a. Iob. xxi. a.
• (e) 1.11

  That is, the great de∣uour the smal.
• (f) 1.12

  Meanig that the ene∣mies flatter them selfes, and glorie in their owne force, power, wit, and prac∣ties.
• “ 1.13

  Or, deyntie
• “ 1.14

  Or, empty.
• (g) 1.15

  Meaning that they shoulde not.
• * 1.16

  E••a xxi. b.
• * 1.17

  Or, concer∣ning my re∣buke or check▪ meaning such rebuke as the wicked obi••c¦ted vnto him.
• (a) 1.18

  Write it in great let∣ters, that he that runneth may reade it.
• (b) 1.19

  To trust in him selfe, or in any world∣ly thing, is neuer to be quiet: for the only rest is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stay vpon god by fayth. Ro. 1 b. Gal. 3. ••. Heb. 10. c.
• * 1.20

  Or, fortifi∣eth hym selfe, as in a strong holde.
• * 1.21

  He compa¦reth the proud and couetous man to a drunkard that is without reason & sense, whom God will punishe and make him a laughing stocke to all the worlde.
• “ 1.22

  Or, prime taunt.
• “ 1.23

  Or, haue no rest.
• (d) 1.24

  Signifi∣ing that al the world shall wi••he the de∣struction of tirauntes, and that by their oppression and couetousnesse, they heape but vpon thē selues more heauy burdēs: for the more they gette, the more are they troubled.
• (e) 1.25

  That is, the Medes and Persians that shoulde destroy the Babylonians.
• “ 1.26

  Or, troden vnder their feete.
• “ 1.27

  Or, wo vn∣to him that coueteth euyll gayne.
• “ 1.28

  Or, misfor∣tune.
• “ 1.29

  Or, taken coun••ell to the shame of thyne house.
• (f) 1.30

  He shew∣eth what the ••one shal crie, and what the wood shall aunswere.
• “ 1.31

  Or, stabli∣sheth.
• * 1.32

  Or for the f••re.
• * 1.33

  That is, God wil de∣stro••th their laboures ••s though they were co••umed with fire.
• * 1.34

  In the destruction of the Bab••lo∣nians his glo∣rie shal ap∣peare through all the worlde
• * 1.35

  Or, thy b••ttle.
• “ 1.36

  Or, til thou slumber with∣all.
• (i) 1.37

  By Liba∣nus and the beastes therof he meaneth the land and people of Iu∣rie.
• “ 1.38

  Or, whiche he destroyed.
• “ 1.39

  Or, shall it teache thee?
• (a) 1.40

  That is, of the people of Israel.
• (b) 1.41

  That is, the state of thy church, whiche is now redy to perishe before it come to halfe a perfite age, whiche should be vn∣der Christe.
• (c) 1.42

  Theman and Paran were neare Sinai where the law was geuen: wherby is signified that his deli∣ueraunce was a•• ••esent nowe, as it was then.
• (d) 1.43

  Wherby is ment a power that was ioyned with his bright∣nesse, which was hyd to the rest of the worlde, but was reuealed in mount Si∣nai to his peo∣ple.
• (e) 1.44

  That is, the tentes.
• * 1.45

  〈…〉〈…〉
• g 1.46

  And so d••ddest vse all the ••lementes 〈…〉〈…〉 de¦struction of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enemies
• h 1.47

  Th••t is, 〈…〉〈…〉.
• (i) 1.48

  For he had not only made 〈…〉〈…〉 wi••h Abraham, b••t renued it with his po∣steritie.
• (k) 1.49

  He allu∣d••th to the red sea & Iordane, which gaue passage to gods people, and shewed s••gnes of their obedience, as it were by lif∣ting vp of their handes
• (l) 1.50

  According to gods com∣maundement the ••nne was ••ed by the weapons of gods peo∣ple which fought in his cause, as though it durst not go forward, whose weapons are here called the arrowes and speares of God.
• “ 1.51

  Or, diddest walke vpon.
• (m) 1.52

  Signifying that there is no saluation, but by Christ.
• (n) 1.53

  From the top to the toe thou hast destroyed the enemies.
• o 1.54

  God de∣liuered his en••mi••s both great & small with their owne wea¦pōs, though they were ne¦uer so fierce against his church.
• (p) 1.55

  He retur∣neth to that which he spake in the second verse, and shewed how he was afrayd of gods iudgementes.
• (q) 1.56

  He shew∣eth that the faythfull can neuer haue true rest, ex∣cept they feele before the weyght of gods iudge∣mentes.
• (r) 1.57

  That is, the enemie: but the godly shall be quiet, knowing that all thinges shall turne to good vnto thē
• (s) 1.58

  He decla∣reth wherin standeth the comfort & ioy of the faithful, though they see neuer so great afflicti∣ons prepared.
• (t) 1.59

  The chiefe singer vpon the instru∣mentes of musicke shall haue occasion to prayse God for this great deliueraunce of his church. Neginoth is a tune or in∣strument of musicke so called.