Hab 1:15 | NETfull | STEP | The Babylonian tyrant pulls them all up with a fishhook; he hauls them in with his throw net. When he catches them in his dragnet, he is very happy.

Habakkuk 1:15

15 The Babylonian tyrant ^{▼▼ Heb “he”; the referent (the Babylonian tyrant) has been specified in the translation for clarity (cf. NASB “The Chaldeans”; NIV “The wicked foe”; NRSV “The enemy”). Babylonian imperialism is here compared to a professional fisherman who repeatedly brings in his catch and has plenty to eat.} pulls them all up with a fishhook;
he hauls them in with his throw net. ^{▼▼ Apparently two different types of fishing nets are referred to here. The חֵרֶם (kherem, “throw net”) was used by fishermen standing on the shore (see Ezek 47:10), while the מִכְמֶרֶת (mikhmeret, “dragnet”) was used by men in a boat. See R. D. Patterson, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (WEC), 165.}
When he catches ^{▼▼ Heb “and he gathers.”} them in his dragnet,
he is very happy. ^{▼▼ Heb “Therefore he is happy and rejoices.” Here two synonyms are joined for emphasis.}