Habakkuk 1:17 (YLT)

Passage

Doth he therefore empty his net, And continually to slay nations spare not?

Nearby Context

Habakkuk 1:15 Each of them with a hook he hath brought up, He doth catch it in his net, and gathereth it in his drag, Therefore he doth joy and rejoice.

Habakkuk 1:16 Therefore he doth sacrifice to his net, And doth make perfume to his drag, For by them <FI>is<Fi> his portion fertile, and his food fat.

Habakkuk 1:17 Doth he therefore empty his net, And continually to slay nations spare not?

Study Lenses

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

The prior verse says "Therefore he doth sacrifice to his net...", giving immediate footing for "doth" 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 "doth" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.