The Meaning of Habakkuk 1:14 Explained

Habakkuk 1:14

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

YLT: And Thou makest man as fishes of the sea, As a creeping thing -- none ruling over him.

Darby: And thou makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them.

ASV: and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Habakkuk 1:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Habakkuk asked the Lord why He had made people like fish and other sea creatures that apparently have no ruler over them.
"This statement probably represents the prophet"s most pointed accusation against the Almighty. In recognizing the sovereignty of God among the nations, he must conclude that God himself is ultimately behind this massive maltreatment of humanity." [1]
Big fish eat little fish, and bigger fish eat the big fish. The same thing was happening in Habakkuk"s world. Babylon was gobbling up the smaller nations, and Yahweh was not intervening to establish justice.

Context Summary

Habakkuk 1:1-17 - The Apparent Prosperity Of The Wicked
Habakkuk probably lived toward the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, when the Chaldeans were preparing to invade the land. Jerusalem was filled with wickedness. Crimes of violence and lawlessness had become so numerous that the prophet was appalled at the sight. He could only point to the fate of other nations, which must also befall Judah unless the people repented. Paul quotes Habakkuk 1:5 in Acts 13:41. The Chaldeans are compared to the leopard, the evening wolf, and the east wind. The prophet turns to Jehovah in an agony of expostulation and entreaty. Was He not from everlasting? Was He not Israel's Rock? The prophet's solace is the reflection, "We shall not die." An ancient reading is, "Thou canst not die." We are reminded of Revelation 1:18. O thou undying, unchanging, life-giving Savior, we cling to thee amid the storms that sweep the world, as limpets to the rock. [source]

Chapter Summary: Habakkuk 1

1  Unto Habakkuk, complaining of the iniquity of the land,
5  is shown the fearful vengeance by the Chaldeans
12  He complains that vengeance should be executed by them who are far worse

What do the individual words in Habakkuk 1:14 mean?

And [Why] do You make men like fish of the sea Like creeping things [that have] no ruler over them
וַתַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֖ם כִּדְגֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם כְּרֶ֖מֶשׂ לֹא־ מֹשֵׁ֥ל בּֽוֹ

וַתַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה  And  [Why]  do  You  make 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אָדָ֖ם  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
כִּדְגֵ֣י  like  fish 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּאג 
Sense: fish.
הַיָּ֑ם  of  the  sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
כְּרֶ֖מֶשׂ  Like  creeping  things 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶמֶשׂ  
Sense: creeping things, moving things, creeping organism.
לֹא־  [that  have]  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מֹשֵׁ֥ל  ruler 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מָשַׁל  
Sense: to rule, have dominion, reign.
בּֽוֹ  over  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular

What are the major concepts related to Habakkuk 1:14?

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