Habakkuk

Habakkuk 1 ©

1 Unto Habakkuk, complaining of the iniquity of the land, 5 is showed the fearful vengeance by the Chaldeans: 12 he complaineth that vengeance should be executed by them who are far worse.

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THE aburden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

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O LORD, bhow long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of cviolence, and thou wilt not save!

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dWhy dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

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Therefore ethe law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth *compass about the righteous; therefore 1wrong judgment proceedeth.

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fBehold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for gI will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

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For, lo, hI raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the 2breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

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They are terrible and dreadful: 3their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

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iTheir horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more 4fierce than the jevening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly kas the eagle that hasteth to eat.

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They shall come all lfor violence: 5their faces shall sup up as mthe east wind, and they shall ngather the captivity as the sand.

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oAnd they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall pderide every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

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Then qshall his mind change, and he shall rpass over, and offend, simputing this his power unto his god.

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Art thou not tfrom everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? uwe shall not die. O LORD, thou hast vordained them for judgment; and, O 6mighty God, thou hast 7established them for correction.

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wThou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on 8iniquity: xwherefore lookest thou upon them ythat deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

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And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the 9creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

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zThey take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their 10drag: atherefore they rejoice and are glad.

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Therefore bthey sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their *meat 11plenteous.

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Shall they therefore 12empty their net, cand not spare continually to slay the nations?