Habakkuk 3 · Verse 4

Habakkuk 3:4

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

Habakkuk 3:4, King James Version

Habakkuk 3:4 in other translations

BSB	His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.
WEB	His splendor is like the sunrise. Rays shine from his hand, where his power is hidden.
ASV	And his brightness was as the light; He had rays coming forth from his hand; And there was the hiding of his power.
YLT	And the brightness is as the light, He hath rays out of His hand, And there--the hiding of His strength.
DARBY	And his brightness was as the light; Rays came forth from his hand; And there was the hiding of his power.
BBE	He was shining like the light; he had rays coming out from his hand: there his power was kept secret.
Webster	And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand; and there was the hiding of his power.

What does Habakkuk 3:4 mean?

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," Psa 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 (Psa 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 (Psa 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 (Psa 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 (Psa 18:11; compare Is 45:15, 17).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 4 He had horns coming out of his hand - קרנים karnayim, rays. His hand - his power - was manifested in a particular place, by the sudden issuing out of pencils of rays, which diverged in coruscations of light, so as to illuminate the whole hemisphere. Yet "there was the hiding of his power." His Majesty could not be seen, nor any kind of image, because of the insufferable splendor. This may either refer to the lightnings on Mount Sinai or to the brightness which occasionally proceeded from the shechinah or glory of God between the cherubim, over the mercy-seat. See Capellus and Newcome. If lightnings are intended, the dense cloud from which they proceeded may be meant by the "hiding of his power;" for when the lightnings burst forth, his power and energy became manifest. Probably from this the Jupiter Keraunos or Jupiter Brontes of the heathens was borrowed; who is always represented with forked or zigzag lightnings in his hand.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Habakkuk 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…

Read the full comment on Habakkuk 3:3-15 →

Habakkuk 3:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְנֹ֙גַהּ֙ve.No.gahand brightnessH5051

כָּא֣וֹרka.'orlike the lightH216

תִּֽהְיֶ֔הtih.Yehit isH1961

קַרְנַ֥יִםkar.Na.yimtwo hornsH7161

מִיָּד֖וֹmi.ya.Dofrom hand hisH3027

ל֑וֹlo[belong] to him

וְשָׁ֖םve.Shamand [is] thereH8033

חֶבְי֥וֹןchev.Yon[the] hiding place ofH2253

עֻזּֽוֹ\׃'u.Zostrength hisH5797

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Habakkuk 3:4

Matthew 17:2
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Isaiah 60:19-20
The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
Revelation 22:5
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Exodus 14:20
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Job 26:14
Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?
Psalms 104:2
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
1 Timothy 6:16
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Exodus 13:21
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Nehemiah 9:12
Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
Revelation 21:23
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Proverbs 18:10
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

brightness.
Ex 13:21; 14:20; Ne 9:12; Ps 104:2; Isa 60:19,20; Mt 17:2; 1Ti 6:16
Re 21:23; 22:5
horns coming out of his hand. or, bright beams out of hisside. the hiding.
Job 26:14; Pr 18:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Habakkuk 3:3
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
Habakkuk 3:4
And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
Habakkuk 3:5
Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.

Read all of Habakkuk 3

Habakkuk 3:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y el resplandor fué como la luz; rayos brillantes salían de su mano; y allí estaba escondida su fortaleza.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et sa splendeur était comme la lumière: des rayons lui jaillissaient de la main; et là se cachait sa force.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und es entsteht ein Glanz wie das Sonnenlicht; Strahlen sind zu seinen Seiten, und daselbst ist die Hülle seiner Macht.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Splendor ejus ut lux erit, cornua in manibus ejus: ibi abscondita est fortitudo ejus.