Here at last is the answer to the questions of verse 8. For a discussion of various ways to help the reader understand that this is indeed the answer, see comments on verse 8.
The first part of the verse says the same thing twice in different words. The first line, Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, is clear enough. The Hebrew word here translated salvation is a form of the same root as that translated “victory” in verse 8. Good News Translation expresses the meaning in modern English as “You went out to save your people.”
The second line is not quite so clear. Revised Standard Version translates literally for the salvation of thy anointed. Anointing someone was a sign that the person was specially chosen by God. Thus Good News Translation often translates as “chosen.” The question is, to whom does thy anointed refer? It is a term often used of the king, either the particular individual, or the kings in general as the descendants of David (as in Psa 89.38, 51). Good News Translation accepts this interpretation and translates as “to save your chosen king” (compare Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). However, in this context, where thy anointed is parallel with thy people, it seems more likely that it refers to the nation of Israel as a whole. If this interpretation is accepted, a translation base can be “to save your chosen nation,” or even “to save your chosen nation Israel.” This interpretation has some support from the Septuagint, which understood anointed collectively and translated as a plural. Compare the usage in Psalm 28.8, where the words “his people” and “his anointed” are again parallel with each other. In languages which do not use the passive, one may say “You went out to save the nation which you have chosen.” Salvation (“save”) in some languages will need to be rendered as a phrase; for example, “help … to escape from their enemies.”
The rest of the verse gives more detail about the way God saves his people, namely, by destroying their enemies. It contains problems both in the text itself and in its interpretation. Either it speaks directly about a person who is leader of the forces opposed to God, or else it speaks of this person through the figure of a building. The ultimate reference is the same either way, but the translator must make two decisions:
(1) Is the Hebrew using figurative language?
(2) If so, is it better to keep it or to drop it in translation?
A literal translation is found in Revised Version: “Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, laying bare the foundation even unto the neck.” As in 2.9, the basic question is whether the word “house” stands for a building or a family. The presence of the word “foundation” in the last line suggests that “house” is intended as a building; compare Moffatt, Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible. (Bible de Jérusalem and Jerusalem Bible drop the word for “head,” though this is hardly necessary.) To wound the head of a house must then be a figurative way to describe damaging or removing the roof (compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “You tear off the roof of your enemy’s palace”). The last line then goes on to describe the complete destruction of the house. The idea of laying bare the foundations as a sign of complete destruction occurs also in Micah 1.6. If this is the correct interpretation, the main problem lies in the words “even unto the neck” (Revised Version). One would expect some term that refers to the other end from the head, such as foot. Some scholars have suggested dropping one letter from the Hebrew word for neck. This gives a word meaning “rock.” To speak of “laying bare the foundations even unto the rock” would make good sense in itself and would also fit the context very well. The change of “neck” to “rock” is accepted by Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, and New English Bible.
Revised Standard Version laying him bare from thigh to neck has taken a different interpretation, and has understood the passage to speak directly of the enemy leader as a person. This view has led Revised Standard Version to drop the word “house” altogether (compare New American Bible) and apparently to change the word for “foundation” to another word meaning thigh. This necessitates changing three letters out of four in the Hebrew word for “foundation” and cannot be judged very convincing.
Good News Translation has adopted the first interpretation discussed above, including the change from “neck” to “rock,” but has dropped the figurative language. Good News Translation has made it explicit that the building is a symbol for a group of people, the roof standing for the leader and the rest of the building for the followers. Thus Good News Translation translates “You struck down the leader of the wicked and completely destroyed his followers” (compare Bible en français courant). In the context of Habakkuk, this is best taken to refer to the Babylonians.
To sum up, we recommend that translators (1) interpret the passage as speaking of a building which is a symbol for people, and (2) accept the change from “neck” to “rock.” In most cases, it will also be helpful to follow the example of Good News Translation, that is, to drop the symbolism and to state clearly that the passage refers to wicked people. But if translators prefer to keep the figurative language, an alternative translation model is the following: “You removed the roof of the house of the wicked, exposing the foundation right down to the rock.”
The verse ends with Selah; see comments on verse 3.
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 .