2.8 KiB
General Information:
Yahweh continues to answer Habakkuk and to speak of the Chaldeans as if they were one man. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
Will not all these create
The words "all these" refer to the nations and peoples from Habakkuk 2:5. This negative rhetorical question emphasizes the positive answer. It can be translated as a statement. AT: "All of these nations and peoples will certainly create" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)
Woe to the one increasing what is not his
It is implicit that he is increasing his possession of things that do not belong to him. AT: "Woe to the one who claims for himself more and more things that do not belong to him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit)
For how long will you increase the weight of the pledges you have taken?
The word "pledges" refers to objects that people give to others from whom they have borrowed money as a guarantee that they will repay their debt. As the man collects more and more pledges, the total weight of the pledges that he carries increases.
For how long will you increase the weight of the pledges you have taken?
The Chaldeans robbing the people of the nations of their wealth is spoken of as if the Chaldeans were a person who forces others to give him pledges and to pay him what they do not owe. AT: "For how long will you make yourself rich by extorting others?" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
Will the ones biting at you not rise up suddenly, and the ones terrifying you awaken?
This negative rhetorical question emphasizes the positive answer. It can be translated as a statement. AT: "The ones biting at you will certainly rise up suddenly, and the ones terrifying you will awaken." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)
the ones biting at you
The Hebrew word translated here as "the ones biting" can also mean "the ones paying interest" or "debtors." In this context, the word probably has both meanings. The phrase is a metaphor in which those whom the man has oppressed and made debtors by forcing them to give him pledges will now oppress him, which is spoken of as if they were biting him. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
the ones terrifying you
This refers to the same debtors. They will terrify the Chaldeans by attacking them in revenge for the pledges that they were forced to give.
rise up ... awaken
The people of the nations beginning to act against the Chaldeans is spoken of as if they were to "rise up" and to "awaken" from sleep. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
plunder
to rob or take things by force
you have shed human blood
The idiom "to shed blood" means "to murder." AT: "you have murdered people" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom)