Original Word: עוּר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `uwr
Pronunciation: oor
Phonetic Spelling: (oor)
KJV: be made naked
NASB: made, milch
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to (be) bare

be made naked

A primitive root; to (be) bare -- be made naked.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be exposed or bare
NASB Translation
bare* (1), made (1), milch (1). II. [] (akin to , ; Arabic 👁 Image
= pudenda); —

Imperfect3feminine singular Habakkuk 3:9 into nakedness (i.e. utterly) is thy bow laid bare, made ready; We proposes (compare 2 Samuel 23:18, I.

), and so Now [from √ , lay bare] thou layest, etc.

Scriptural Occurrence

Habakkuk 3:9—“You brandished Your bow; You called for many arrows. Selah. You split the earth with rivers.”

Hebrew Imagery of Uncovering

The verb portrays a warrior removing the bow from its sheath or wrappings, a forceful gesture that signals immediate engagement. It evokes the moment when concealed power becomes openly active, moving from preparation to decisive action.

Context in Habakkuk’s Theophany

Habakkuk 3 is a prayer-psalm recounting the Lord’s past interventions and pleading for similar action amid Babylon’s rising menace. Within that liturgy, the uncovered bow stands at the center of a sweeping theophany (Habakkuk 3:3-15) that revisits the Exodus, Sinai, and conquest motifs. The single verb concentrates the tension: God is no passive observer; He is the divine warrior stepping forward to defend His covenant people.

Theological Significance

1. Readiness for Judgment and Deliverance

The exposed bow testifies that the Lord’s justice is never dormant. While patience marks His dealings (2 Peter 3:9), when the appointed time arrives He acts swiftly (Isaiah 42:13).
2. Revelation of Hidden Power

Scripture often speaks of God veiling His glory (Exodus 33:22). Here the veil is lifted, assuring the faithful that what seems hidden is, in truth, poised for their defense (Psalm 121:4).
3. Covenant Faithfulness

The act recalls earlier promises: “The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you” (Deuteronomy 1:30). The prophet anchors present hope in the unchanging character of God.

Historical Background

Habakkuk likely ministered shortly before Jerusalem’s fall (circa 609-597 B.C.). Judah faced internal corruption and external threat. The image of God baring His bow would resonate with a populace familiar with Assyrian and Babylonian archers; yet it reminded them that the Most High—not earthly empires—commands history’s battlefield.

Literary and Prophetic Function

• Liturgical Cue: The Selah invites the congregation to pause, envision the unveiled bow, and respond in awe.
• Intertextual Echoes: Similar warrior language appears in Deuteronomy 32:41; Psalm 7:12; Revelation 6:2, knitting Habakkuk into the wider biblical tapestry of divine combat.
• Prophetic Assurance: The verb supplies a concrete pledge of impending intervention, transforming fear into worship (Habakkuk 3:16-19).

Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Emphasize God’s active readiness; He is neither disinterested nor powerless in the face of injustice.
• Pastoral Care: Encourage believers that seasons of apparent silence do not equal abandonment; the bow may be sheathed, but it can be uncovered in an instant.
• Corporate Worship: Habakkuk 3 provides a model for prayers that recall past victories to cultivate present faith.

Christological Perspective

The warrior motif culminates in the Messiah. At Calvary the divine strategy looked concealed, yet in resurrection the “bow” was fully revealed—death defeated, salvation secured (Colossians 2:15). Revelation 19:11-16 shows the risen Christ riding forth with uncovered weaponry, completing the trajectory initiated in prophetic images like Habakkuk 3:9.

Practical Application for Believers

• Stand firm in unsettled times, trusting the God who can lay bare His power at the precise moment.
• Respond to divine readiness with personal readiness—holiness, vigilance, and courage (Ephesians 6:13-18).
• Let worship recount God’s past deeds, fostering expectation for future deliverance.

Related Biblical Themes

Divine Warrior; Judgment and Salvation; God’s Faithfulness; Prophetic Lament and Praise; Hope amid Crisis

תֵעוֹר֙ תעור ṯê‘ōwr ṯê·‘ō·wr teOrInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts

Habakkuk 3:9
HEB: עֶרְיָ֤ה תֵעוֹר֙ קַשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ שְׁבֻע֥וֹת
NAS: Your bow was made bare, The rods
KJV: was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths
INT: quite was made your bow were sworn

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5783
1 Occurrence

ṯê·‘ō·wr — 1 Occ.