Habakkuk 3:9 (GNV)

Passage

Thy bowe was manifestly reueiled, and the othes of the tribes were a sure worde, Selah. thou diddest cleaue the earth with riuers.

Nearby Context

Habakkuk 3:7 For his iniquitie I sawe the tentes of Cushan, and the curtaines of the land of Midian did tremble.

Habakkuk 3:8 Was the Lord angry against the riuers? or was thine anger against the floods? or was thy wrath against the sea, that thou diddest ride vpon thine horses? thy charets brought saluation.

Habakkuk 3:9 Thy bowe was manifestly reueiled, and the othes of the tribes were a sure worde, Selah. thou diddest cleaue the earth with riuers.

Habakkuk 3:10 The mountaines sawe thee, and they trembled: the streame of the water passed by: the deepe made a noyse, and lift vp his hand on hie.

Habakkuk 3:11 The sunne and moone stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrowes they went, and at the bright shining of thy speares.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "bowe", "manifestly", "reueiled", "othes", "tribes", "sure", "worde", and "selah". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "bowe" and "manifestly", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "Was the Lord angry against the riuers..." into verse 10's "The mountaines sawe thee and they trembled...", so "bowe" and "manifestly" belong inside that flow. In Habakkuk context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

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