Habakkuk 1:17 (ASV)

Passage

Shall he therefore empty his net, and spare not to slay the nations continually?

Nearby Context

Habakkuk 1:15 He taketh up all of them with the angle, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them in his drag: therefore he rejoiceth and is glad.

Habakkuk 1:16 Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because by them his portion is fat, and his food plenteous.

Habakkuk 1:17 Shall he therefore empty his net, and spare not to slay the nations continually?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shall", "therefore", "empty", "spare", "slay", "nations", and "continually". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shall" and "therefore", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net and...", giving immediate footing for "shall" and "therefore". In Habakkuk context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "shall" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.