What Does Habakkuk 1:13 Mean?

“Thou art of purer”

pure (in a physical, chemical, ceremonial or moral sense)

“eyes”

an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

“than to behold”

to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

“evil”

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

“not look”

to scan, i.e., look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care

near, with or among; often in general, to

“on iniquity”

toil, i.e., wearing effort; hence, worry, whether of body or mind

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

“and canst”

to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)

properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and

“not look”

to scan, i.e., look intently at; by implication, to regard with pleasure, favor or care

“thou upon them that deal treacherously”

to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by implication, to pillage

“and holdest thy tongue”

to scratch, i.e., (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad

“devoureth”

to make away with (specifically by swallowing); generally, to destroy

“when the wicked”

morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person

“the man that is more righteous”

just

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses