His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.
Parallel translations
- WEB His splendor is like the sunrise. Rays shine from his hand, where his power is hidden.
- KJV And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
- NKJV His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, And there His power was hidden.
- NASB His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, And the hiding of His might is there.
- NLT His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden.
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's appearance is radiant like the sunrise, with rays from His hand veiling His hidden power. It conveys the dazzling glory and concealed might of God.
Overview
The imagery of brilliant light streaming from God's hand depicts His overwhelming splendor and strength. That His power is 'hidden' suggests even this glorious display only hints at the fullness of His might. Such theophany language magnifies God's transcendence, reminding us that the God who comes in saving power is greater than all we can see, fully revealed at last in the face of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 17:2There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
- Isa 60:19–20No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.
- Rev 22:5There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
- Exod 14:20so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other.
- Job 26:14Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?”
- 1 Tim 6:16He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
- Ps 104:2He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,
- Exod 13:21And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.
- Neh 9:12You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.
- Rev 21:23And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.
- Prov 18:10The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
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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 3:4 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.