The opening words And the LORD answered me apply to the whole of the rest of verses 2-5 (Revised Standard Version) or 2-4 (Good News Translation). However, verses 2 and 3 contain only instructions on how to handle the message. The content of the message comes only in verse 4. The first instruction is that the prophet should Write the vision; make it plain upon tablets. It is not often that the Old Testament records a direct command to a prophet to write his message (compare Isa 8.1; 30.8; Jer 30.2; Ezek 37.16).

For notes on the word translated vision, see the comments on Nahum 1.1. Good News Translation here translates as “what I reveal to you.” Another way of saying this is “the things I am about to tell you.”

The word tablets does not indicate what they were made of. Clay, wood, metal, and stone are all possible. However, the word is used chiefly of the stone tablets on which the ten commandments were written (see for instance Exo 24.12). So if translators need to make a decision as to what material was involved, they may say “stone.” The British edition of Good News Translation has “clay tablets.” Some languages have a special word for “writing” on a hard surface such as stone or clay. That word should be used here.

Good News Translation combines the two clauses of this instruction into one: “Write down clearly on tablets what I reveal to you.” Some translators may find it helpful to do the same. “What” in many languages will be rendered as “the things that.”

The last clause says literally so he may run who reads it. In English this does not make clear the relationship between the verbs run and reads. It may appear at first sight that the running is a result of the reading, a way of speedily obeying the message. This interpretation is found only in the New International Version footnote, “so that whoever reads it may run with it.” However, this seems unlikely, since the message itself does not contain any command to run. Another interpretation is that the person who reads the message reads it aloud as a professional herald, running from place to place to spread the message. This understanding is found in New English Bible, “for a herald to carry it with speed,” and in New International Version, “so that a herald may run with it.” The majority of modern translations take the meaning to be “so that a man may run while reading.” That is to say, the message is to be plain enough that one will not have to stop and peer at it, but can read it while still running. In this respect it would be like a large modern advertisement beside a main road. Good News Translation expresses this interpretation well: “so that it can be read at a glance.” Other ways of saying this are “so that it can be read easily” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “so that one can read it easily” (New American Bible). This interpretation is the one recommended to translators.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Habakkuk. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .