“Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days, which you will not believe though it is told you.
- KJV Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
- NKJV “Lookamong the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.
- NASB ¶“Look among the nations! Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless! For I am accomplishing a work in your days— You would not believe it even if you were told!
- NLT The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God answers, calling Habakkuk to look at the nations and be astonished, for He is doing a work so startling it would be unbelievable if merely reported. It assures us that God is actively at work even when His ways are surprising.
Overview
God's reply turns Habakkuk's gaze outward to the international stage, where He is already orchestrating events. The work is so unexpected that it would strain belief, namely raising up a pagan nation as His instrument. Paul cites this verse in Acts 13:41 to warn against unbelief toward the greater work of God in Christ, showing that God still acts in ways that confound human expectation and demand faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Acts 13:40–41Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:
- Isa 29:14Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden.”
- Lam 4:12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
- Jer 5:12–13They have lied about the LORD and said: “He will not do anything; harm will not come to us; we will not see sword or famine.
- Isa 29:9Stop and be astonished; blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not from strong drink.
- Jer 25:14–29For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.’”
- Jer 18:18Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”
- Jer 9:25–26“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish all who are circumcised yet uncircumcised:
- Dan 9:12You have carried out the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under all of heaven, nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.
- Ezek 12:22–28“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?
- Zeph 1:2“I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD.
- Acts 6:13–14where they presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
- Deut 4:27Then the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
- Isa 28:21–22For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim. He will rouse Himself as in the Valley of Gibeon, to do His work, His strange work, and to perform His task, His disturbing task.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
'The righteous shall live by his faith' (2:4) becomes a cornerstone of the gospel in Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews — the faith that lays hold of Christ.
How Habakkuk 1:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.