Habakkuk 3:7
New International Version
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish.

New Living Translation
I see the people of Cushan in distress, and the nation of Midian trembling in terror.

English Standard Version
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

Berean Standard Bible
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling.

King James Bible
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

New King James Version
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian trembled.

New American Standard Bible
I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

NASB 1995
I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

NASB 1977
I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

Legacy Standard Bible
I saw the tents of Cushan under wickedness; The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

Amplified Bible
I [Habakkuk, in my vision] saw the tents of Cushan under distress; The tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

Christian Standard Bible
I see the tents of Cushan in distress; the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I see the tents of Cushan in distress; the tent curtains of the land of Midian tremble.

American Standard Version
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

Contemporary English Version
The tents of desert tribes in Cushan and Midian were ripped apart.

English Revised Version
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I see trouble in the tents of Cushan. I see trembling in the tents of Midian.

Good News Translation
I saw the people of Cushan afraid and the people of Midian tremble.

International Standard Version
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, and the tent curtains of the land of Midian in anguish.

Majority Standard Bible
I saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling.

NET Bible
I see the tents of Cushan overwhelmed by trouble; the tent curtains of the land of Midian are shaking.

New Heart English Bible
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction. The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled.

Webster's Bible Translation
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian trembled.

World English Bible
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction. The dwellings of the land of Midian trembled.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Under sorrow I have seen tents of Cushan, "" Curtains of the land of Midian tremble.

Young's Literal Translation
Under sorrow I have seen tents of Cushan, Tremble do curtains of the land of Midian.

Smith's Literal Translation
I saw the tents of Cushan under vanity: the curtains of the land of strife shall be moved.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I saw the tents of Ethiopia for their iniquity, the curtains of the land of Madian shall be troubled.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I saw the tents of Ethiopia for their iniquity; the tent-skins of the land of Midian will be thrown into confusion.

New American Bible
The tents of Cushan trembled, the pavilions of the land of Midian.

New Revised Standard Version
I saw the tents of Cushan under affliction; the tent-curtains of the land of Midian trembled.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; and the curtains of the tents of Midian did tremble.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I have seen the tents of Cushan under sorrow; the tents of the land of Midian will quake!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I see the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian do tremble.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Because of troubles I looked upon the tents of the Ethiopians: the tabernacles also of the land of Madiam shall be dismayed.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Habakkuk's Prayer
6He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations; the ancient mountains crumbled; the perpetual hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting. 7I saw the tents of Cushan in distress; the curtains of Midian were trembling. 8Were You angry at the rivers, O LORD? Was Your wrath against the streams? Did You rage against the sea when You rode on Your horses, on Your chariots of salvation?…

Cross References
Judges 5:4-5
O LORD, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the land of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured out rain, and the clouds poured down water. / The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.

Exodus 15:14-15
The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the dwellers of Philistia. / Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away,

Isaiah 64:1-3
If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence, / as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence! / When You did awesome works that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled at Your presence.

Psalm 77:16-19
The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and swirled; even the depths were shaken. / The clouds poured down water; the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth. / Your thunder resounded in the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. ...

Deuteronomy 33:2
He said: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon us from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones, with flaming fire at His right hand.

Psalm 68:7-8
O God, when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wasteland, Selah / the earth shook and the heavens poured down rain before God, the One on Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.

Nahum 1:3-5
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet. / He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. / The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers.

Isaiah 19:1
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.

Jeremiah 49:23-24
Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard a bad report; they are agitated like the sea; their anxiety cannot be calmed. / Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor.

Zechariah 9:14
Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south.

Matthew 24:29-30
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Revelation 6:12-14
And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, / and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind. / The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

Luke 21:25-27
There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves. / Men will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. / At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Mark 13:24-26
But in those days, after that tribulation: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; / the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Acts 2:19-20
I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. / The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.


Treasury of Scripture

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

saw the.

Exodus 15:14-16
The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina…

Numbers 22:3,4
And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel…

Joshua 2:10
For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

Cushan.

Genesis 10:6,7
And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan…

in affliction.

Genesis 25:1-4
Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah…

Numbers 31:2-12
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people…

Psalm 83:5-10
For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: …

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Affliction Anguish Curtains Cushan Distress Dwellings Midian Mid'ian Shaking Sorrow Tent Tents Tremble Trembled Trembling Troubled
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Affliction Anguish Curtains Cushan Distress Dwellings Midian Mid'ian Shaking Sorrow Tent Tents Tremble Trembled Trembling Troubled
Habakkuk 3
1. Habakkuk, in his prayer, trembles at God's majesty.
17. The confidence of his faith.














I saw
The phrase "I saw" indicates a prophetic vision or revelation given to Habakkuk. In the Hebrew text, the word used is "רָאִיתִי" (ra'iti), which implies not just physical sight but a deeper, spiritual insight. This vision is part of a larger theophany, where God reveals His power and presence. It underscores the prophet's role as a seer who perceives divine truths beyond ordinary human understanding.

the tents of Cushan
"Cushan" refers to a region or people associated with Cush, often linked to the area south of Egypt, possibly in modern-day Sudan or Ethiopia. The "tents" symbolize nomadic life, suggesting a people living in temporary dwellings. Historically, Cush was known for its powerful kingdom and military prowess. The mention of their "tents" being in distress indicates a divine intervention that disrupts even the most established and formidable nations.

in distress
The Hebrew word for "distress" is "אָוֶן" (aven), which conveys a sense of trouble, calamity, or iniquity. This distress is not merely physical but also spiritual, reflecting the consequences of opposing God's will. The imagery of distress highlights the overwhelming power of God that causes fear and turmoil among nations, emphasizing His sovereignty and justice.

the curtains of the land of Midian
"Midian" was a region and people located in the northwestern Arabian Peninsula. The "curtains" refer to the fabric walls of their tents, a common feature of nomadic dwellings. In a broader sense, curtains can symbolize protection and privacy. The mention of Midian's curtains suggests a divine shaking that penetrates even the most private and secure places, indicating that no one is beyond the reach of God's power.

were trembling
The Hebrew word "רָגַז" (ragaz) means to quake, tremble, or be agitated. This trembling is a physical manifestation of fear and awe in response to God's presence. It reflects the natural reaction of creation and nations when confronted with the divine. The trembling of Midian's curtains serves as a metaphor for the inevitable response of all creation to God's majestic and fearsome presence.

(7) "I saw."--Better, I see. Did tremble.--Better, are trembling. Probably the imagery is still borrowed from the Exodus story, the nations instanced being the borderers on the Red Sea--viz., Cushan (Cush, or Ethiopia) on the west, and Midian on the east side. A plausible theory, however, as old as the Targum, connects this verse with later episodes in Israel's history. "Cushan" is identified with that Mesopotamian oppressor, "Cushan-rishathaim," whom the judge Othniel overcame. (Judges 3:8-10). And "Midian" is interpreted by Judges 6, which records how Gideon delivered Israel from Midianite oppression. Both names thus become typical instances of tyranny subdued by Jehovah's intervention. We prefer the other interpretation, because the prophet's eye is still fixed apparently on the earlier history (see Habakkuk 3:8, et seq.), and a reference here to the time of the Judges would mar the elimactic symmetry of the composition. "Cushan," however, is never used elsewhere for "Cush," though the LXX. understood it in this meaning. "Curtains" in the second hemistich is merely a variation on "tents" in the first. (Comp. Song of Solomon 1:5.)

Verse 7. - As God moves in his majesty the various nations are struck with fear, as of old were the peoples that heard of the Exodus (see Exodus 15:14-16). I saw. In prophetic vision (1 Kings 22:17). The tents of Cushan; LXX.. σκηνώματα Αἰθίοτων "the tents of the Ethiopians;" Vulgate, tentoria AEthiopiae. "Cushan" is not Chushan-Rishathaim, the Mesopotamian king mentioned in Judges 3, but is a lengthened form of Cush (as Lotan for Lot, Genesis 36:20), the biblical name for Ethiopia. Here the African country is meant, lying along the west coast of the Red Sea. In affliction. Panic-stricken. The prophet particularizes what he had said above generally of the nations hostile to the people of God. The curtains; the tent curtains; Vulgate, pelles. Both "tents" and "curtains" are used by metonymy for their inhabitants. Midian. The country on the Gulf of Akaba, the eastern arm of the Red Sea. Ethiopia and Midian are named, as God is supposed to advance from the south.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I saw
רָאִ֖יתִי (rā·’î·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

the tents
אָהֳלֵ֣י (’ā·ho·lê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 168: A tent

of Cushan
כוּשָׁ֑ן (ḵū·šān)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3572: Cushan -- a region of Arabia

in
תַּ֣חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

distress;
אָ֔וֶן (’ā·wen)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 205: Strictly nothingness, trouble, vanity, wickedness, an idol

the curtains
יְרִיע֖וֹת (yə·rî·‘ō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 3407: A hanging

of Midian
מִדְיָֽן׃ (miḏ·yān)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4080: Midian -- a son of Abraham and Keturah, also his descendants and the region where they settled

were trembling.
יִרְגְּז֕וּן (yir·gə·zūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 7264: To be agitated, quiver, quake, be excited, perturbed


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OT Prophets: Habakkuk 3:7 I saw the tents of Cushan (Hab Hb)
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