Habakkuk 3 · Verse 7

Habakkuk 3:7

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
Habakkuk 3:7, King James Version

Habakkuk 3:7 in other translations

BSBI saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling.
WEBI saw the tents of Cushan in affliction. The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled.
ASVI saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
YLTUnder sorrow I have seen tents of Cushan, Tremble do curtains of the land of Midian.
DARBYI saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
BBEThe curtains of Cushan were troubled, and the tents of Midian were shaking.
WebsterI saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian trembled.

What does Habakkuk 3:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. the tents--that is, the dwellers. Cushan--the same as Cush; made "Cush-an" to harmonize with "Midi-an" in the parallel clause. So Lotan is found in the Hebrew of Genesis for Lot. Bochart therefore considers it equivalent to Midian, or a part of Arabia. So in Nu 12:1, Moses' Midianite wife is called an Ethiopian (Hebrew, Cushite). Maurer thinks the dwellers on both sides of the Arabian Gulf, or Red Sea, are meant; for in Ha 3:6 God's everlasting or ancient ways of delivering His people are mentioned; and in Ha 3:8, the dividing of the Red Sea for them. Compare Miriam's song as to the fear of Israel's foes far and near caused thereby (Ex 15:14-16). Hebrew expositors refer it to Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, or Syria, the first oppressor of Israel (Jud 3:8, 10), from whom Othniel delivered them. Thus the second hemistich of the verse will refer to the deliverance of Israel from Midian by Gideon (Jud 6:1-7:25) to which Ha 3:11 plainly refers. Whichever of these views be correct, the general reference is to God's interpositions against Israel's foes of old. in affliction--rather, "under affliction" (regarded) as a heavy burden. Literally, "vanity" or "iniquity," hence the punishment of it (compare Nu 25:17, 18). curtains--the coverings of their tents; the shifting habitations of the nomad tribes, which resembled the modern Bedouins. tremble--namely, at Jehovah's terrible interposition for Israel against them.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction - Cush is Arabia. The Arabians dwelt in tents, hence they were called Scenitae. When the Lord appeared on Mount Sinai, the Arabs of the Red Sea abandoned their tents, being terror-struck; and the Midianites also were seized with fear. See the desolation wrought among this people by Phinehas, Num 31:1, etc., on account of their having enticed the Israelites to idolatry, Num 25:1, etc. Either Cush and Midian lay contiguous to each other; or, these names are poetically used to express the same place.

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 3:7 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.

תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunderH8478
אָ֔וֶן'A.ventroubleH205
רָאִ֖יתִיra.'I.tiI have seenH7200
אָהֳלֵ֣י'o.ho.Lei[the] tents ofH168
כוּשָׁ֑ןkhu.ShanCushanH3572
יִרְגְּז֕וּןyir.ge.Zunthey tremble !H7264
יְרִיע֖וֹתye.ri.'ot[the] tent curtains ofH3407
אֶ֥רֶץ'E.retz[the] land ofH776
מִדְיָֽן\׃\ \סmid.YanMidianH4080

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

Cross references for Habakkuk 3:7

  • Exodus 15:14-16

    The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.

  • Genesis 25:1-4

    Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

  • Numbers 22:3-4

    And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

  • Psalms 83:5-10

    For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. …

  • Genesis 10:6-7

    And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

  • Joshua 2:10

    For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

  • Numbers 31:2-12

    Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. …

  • Joshua 9:24

    And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

  • Judges 7:24-25

    And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth–barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth–barah and Jordan. And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
saw the.
Ex 15:14-16; Nu 22:3,4; Jos 2:10; 9:24
Cushan. or, Ethiopia.
Ge 10:6,7
in affliction. or, under affliction, or vanity. Midian.
Ge 25:1-4; Nu 31:2-12; Ps 83:5-10

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

Context

  • Habakkuk 3:6

    He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.

  • Habakkuk 3:7

    I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

  • Habakkuk 3:8

    Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?

Read all of Habakkuk 3

Habakkuk 3:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		He visto las tiendas de Cushán en aflicción; las tiendas de la tierra de Madián temblaron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je vis les tentes de Cushan dans l’affliction; les tentures du pays de Madian tremblèrent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Unter Trübsal sah ich die Zelte Kuschans es zitterten die Zeltbehänge des Landes Midian.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Pro iniquitate vidi tentoria Æthiopiæ; turbabuntur pelles terræ Madian.