Before him went the pestilence, And fiery bolts went forth at his feet.
This passage draws its language throughout from earlier revelations of God in Israel's history, especially Moses' song in Deuteronomy and the Psalms. Habakkuk is not merely recalling past wonders as comfort; he is predicting a future coming of the Lord to judge the nations, as the future tense at the head of the description makes clear.
AI summary
Commenting on Habakkuk 3:3-15
Before him went the pestilence,.... Either in the land of Egypt, when he marched through that, and slew all their firstborn, Psa 78:50 or rather which he sent before him, and Israel his people among the nations of the land of Canaan, with other diseases and judgments, and destroyed them to make way for his people, which may be here alluded to, Exo 23:27 and...
pestilence--to destroy His people's foes (Sa1 5:9, Sa1 5:11). As Jehovah's advent is glorious to His people, so it is terrible to His foes. burning coals-- Psa 18:8 favors English Version. But the parallelism requires, as the Margin translates, "burning disease" (compare Deu 32:24; Psa 91:6). went . . . at his feet--that is, after Him, as His attendants (Jdg 4:10).