King James Version

Habakkuk 1:8

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

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Hebrew

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וְקַלּ֨וּveqalvand make brightקָלַלconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and make bright”, a completed actionH7043to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make…מִנְּמֵרִ֜יםminmerimfrom leopardנָמֵרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “from leopard”, the ordinary formH5246a leopard (from its stripes)leopard.סוּסָ֗יוsusayvhorse . Compare H6571סוּסnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “horse . Compare H6571”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5483a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight)crane, horse (-back, -hoof). Compare H6571 (פָּרָשׁ).וְחַדּוּ֙vechadvand be fierceחָדַדconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and be fierce”, a completed actionH2300to be (causatively, make) sharp or (figuratively) severebe fierce, sharpen.מִזְּאֵ֣בֵיmizevefrom wolfזְאֵבpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “from wolf”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2061a wolfwolf.עֶ֔רֶבerevevenעֶרֶבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “even”, the ordinary formH6153dusk[phrase] day, even(-ing, tide), night.וּפָ֖שׁוּufashvand spread selvesפּוּשׁconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and spread selves”, a completed actionH6335to spread; figuratively, act proudlygrow up, be grown fat, spread selves, be scattered.פָּֽרָשָׁ֑יוparashayvhorsemanפָּרָשׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “horseman”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6571a steed (as stretched out to a vehicle, not single nor for mounting ); also (by implication) a driver (in a chariot), i.e. (collectively) cavalryhorseman.וּפָֽרָשָׁיו֙ufarashayvand horsemanפָּרָשׁconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and horseman”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6571a steed (as stretched out to a vehicle, not single nor for mounting ); also (by implication) a driver (in a chariot), i.e. (collectively) cavalryhorseman.מֵרָח֣וֹקmerachoqfrom of oldרָחוֹקpreposition, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “from of old”, the ordinary formH7350remote, literally or figuratively, of place or time; specifically, precious; often used adverbially (with preposition)(a-) far (abroad, off), long ago, of old, space, great while to come.יָבֹ֔אוּyavovto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…יָעֻ֕פוּyaufvflyעוּףverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “fly”, an unfinished actionH5774to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning)brandish, be (wax) faint, flee away, fly (away), [idiom] set, shine forth, weary.כְּנֶ֖שֶׁרkenesheras eagleנֶשֶׁרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as eagle”, the ordinary formH5404the eagle (or other large bird of prey)eagle.חָ֥שׁchashhasteחוּשׁverb, qal, participle, absolute — “haste”, a verb used as a describing wordH2363to hurry; figuratively, to be eager with excitement or enjoyment(make) haste(-n), ready.לֶאֱכֽוֹלleekholto eatאָכַלpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to eat”, the to-form of the verbH398to eat (literally or figuratively)[idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the wolves of the desert; and their horsemen spread themselves; yea, their horsemen come from far, they fly as a vulture that hasteth to devour.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves; and their horsemen press proudly on: yea, their horsemen come from far; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour.

Young’s Literal Translation

Swifter than leopards have been its horses, And sharper than evening wolves, And increased have its horsemen, Even its horsemen from afar come in, They fly as an eagle, hasting to consume.

World English Bible

Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour.

Darby Translation

And their horses are swifter than the leopards, and are more agile than the evening wolves; and their horsemen prance proudly, and their horsemen come from afar: they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour.

Douay-Rheims

Their horses are lighter than leopards, and swifter than evening wolves; and their horsemen shall be spread abroad: for their horsemen shall come from afar, they shall fly as an eagle that maketh haste to eat.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And his horses shall bound more swiftly than leopards, and they are fiercer than the wolves of Arabia: and his horsemen shall ride forth, and shall rush from far; and they shall fly as an eagle hasting to eat.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐξαλοῦνται ὑπὲρ παρδάλεις οἱ ἵπποι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὀξύτεροι ὑπὲρ τοὺς λύκους τῆς Ἀραβίας· καὶ ἐξιππάσονται οἱ ἱππεῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁρμήσουσι μακρόθεν, καὶ πετασθήσονται ὡς ἀετὸς πρόθυμος εἰς τὸ φαγεῖν.