Habakkuk 3:4 His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden.

◄ Habakkuk 3:4 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden.

English Standard Version
His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power.

New American Standard Bible
His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, And there is the hiding of His power.

King James Bible
And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
His brilliance is like light; rays are flashing from His hand. This is where His power is hidden.

International Standard Version
His radiance is like sunlight; beams of light shine from his hand, where his strength lays hidden.

American Standard Version
And his brightness was as the light; He had rays coming forth from his hand; And there was the hiding of his power.

Douay-Rheims Bible
His brightness shall be as the light; horns are in his hands: There is his strength hid:

Darby Bible Translation
And his brightness was as the light; Rays came forth from his hand; And there was the hiding of his power.

Young's Literal Translation
And the brightness is as the light, He hath rays out of His hand, And there -- the hiding of His strength.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

3:3-15 God's people, when in distress, and ready to despair, seek help by considering the days of old, and the years of ancient times, and by pleading them with God in prayer. The resemblance between the Babylonish and Egyptian captivities, naturally presents itself to the mind, as well as the possibility of a like deliverance through the power of Jehovah. God appeared in his glory. All the powers of nature are shaken, and the course of nature changed, but all is for the salvation of God's own people. Even what seems least likely, shall be made to work for their salvation. Hereby is given a type and figure of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ. It is for salvation with thine anointed. Joshua who led the armies of Israel, was a figure of Him whose name he bare, even Jesus, our Joshua. In all the salvations wrought for them, God looked upon Christ the Anointed, and brought deliverances to pass by him. All the wonders done for Israel of old, were nothing to that which was done when the Son of God suffered on the cross for the sins of his people. How glorious his resurrection and ascension! And how much more glorious will be his second coming, to put an end to all that opposes him, and all that causes suffering to his people!

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. as the light—namely, of the sun (Job 37:21; Pr 4:18).

horns—the emblem of power wielded by "His hand" [Ludovicus De Dieu]. "Rays" emanating from "His hand," compared by the Arabs to the horns of the gazelle (compare "hind of the morning," Ps 22:1, title, Margin). The Hebrew verb for to "emit rays," is from the root meaning "horns" (Ex 34:29, 30, 35) [Grotius]. The rays are His lightnings (Ps 18:8), [Maurer].

there—in that "brightness." In it, notwithstanding its brilliancy, there was but the veil "(the hiding) of His power." Even "light," God's "garment," covers, instead of revealing fully, His surpassing glory (Ps 104:2) [Henderson]. Or, on Mount Sinai [Drusius]. (Compare Ex 24:17). The Septuagint and Syriac versions read for "there," He made a hiding, &c.; He hid Himself with clouds. English Version is better, which Calvin explains, there is said to be "a hiding of God's power," because God did not reveal it indiscriminately to all, but specially to His people (Ps 31:20). The contrast seems to me to be between the "horns" or emanations out of His power ("hand"), and that "power" itself. The latter was hidden, whereas the "horns" or emanations alone were manifested. If the mere scintillations were so awfully overwhelming, how much more so the hidden power itself! This was especially true of His manifestation at Sinai (Ps 18:11; compare Isa 45:15, 17).