Special Issue IOSOT 2013 - Books and Journals

114 D. T. Tsumura / Vetus Testamentum IOSOT (2013) 113-116
Beside the textual and linguistic problems, there have been several opposing
views with regard to the literary imagery behind the text. While Roberts
sees in this verse storm god imagery and interprets the term qarnayim as representing
“two prongs” like the ones extending from the hand of a storm god of
Syria-Palestine,5 N. Shupak reaffirms the solar connection and interprets qarnayim
as referring to the “rays” of God. He even argues that our text is “a literal
description” of the symbol of the Egyptian sun god from the Amarna period.6
The issue hinges on the meaning of the term qarnayim and its position in the
poetic structure of v. 4.
Let us first consider several recent translations:
His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden. (NIV)
It is a brilliant light
Which gives off rays on every side—
And therein His glory is enveloped. (JPS)
The brightness was like the sun;
rays came forth from his hand,
where his power lay hidden. (NRSV)
His brightness is like the dawn,
rays of light flash from his hand,
and thereby his might is veiled. (REB)
The term qarnayim has been translated as “rays” in recent major English translations.
But the term literally means “horns” (so KJV) and is often used as the
symbol of power, for horns are commonly associated with gods and kings in
art and literature.7 This meaning of the term in the second line certainly fits in
contextually with the parallel term ʿzh “his power” in the third line. In fact, qrn
“horn” and ʿz “power” appear as a word pair also in 1 Sam. ii 10 and Ps. lxxxix 18.
As R. D. Haak notes, the Ugaritic phrase qrn . dbatk “the horns of thy strength”8
5) Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, p. 153.
6) N. Shupak, “The God from Teman and the Egyptian Sun God: A Reconsideration of Habakkuk
3:3-7”, JANES 28 (2001), pp. 97-116.
7) See R. D. Haak, Habakkuk (VTSup 44; Leiden, 1992), p. 86, n. 370.
8) C.H. Gordon, “Poetic Legends and Myths from Ugarit”, Berytus 25 (1977), p. 120.