Messianic Prophecy in Habakkuk

Before I continue my exegesis of Habakkuk 2:4, I want to share an interesting find a little further on in this extraordinary book.

Habakkuk 3:13 is perhaps the most explicit case of what Christians would interpret to be Messianic prophecy in Habakkuk, prompting even the Orthodox canon of Paschal matins to include a reference to Habakkuk's vision of the Messiah. Most interesting in this verse is the ambiguity that exists in the Hebrew text which is translated differently by the various versions (LXX, Targum, Vulgate, etc.)

The Hebrew text reads as follows:
יצאת לישע עמך לישע את-משיחך
yaṣā'ṯā lyēša' 'āmmekā lyēša' 'et-mšīḥekā
"You went out to save your people, to save (with) your Anointed."

The issue revolves around the particle את, which, depending upon context, may signify two different particles which have fallen together in Hebrew orthography and pronunciation. The first is the common definite direct object marker. When a direct object is definite, i.e. possesses a definite article, a possessive pronoun, or is a proper noun, it may take this particle to signify it as the direct object. The first verse of the Bible says that God created את-the heavens and את-the earth. The second particle is the (somewhat rare) preposition meaning "with." Both are written and pronounced exactly the same when written without pronominal suffixes. So, which one is it?

The LXX opted for the former by simply giving the accusative of χριστος. However, strangely enough, it gives the plural τους χριστους instead of the singular as we might expect. The translation of the LXX would read "to save (his) anointed ones." (note: this reading is supported by a few Hebrew mss. as well as codes Vaticanus and Siniaticus of the LXX. Because I do not have a full LXX critical apparatus with me at the moment, I cannot give a more complete analysis of the extant sources. Perhaps my good friend Gabriel can supply me with the official Orthodox LXX reading.)

The Aramaic Targum agrees with the LXX by giving the equivalent of את, which, in Aramaic is the rare particle ית, a derivative of the same proto-Semitic particle.

The Latin Vulgate, reads the particle to be the preposition, giving "cum christo tuo."

( I would also give the Syriac text, though I do not currently have it with me, though I will supply it when I get it.)

The Hebrew text itself is ambiguous. The translations, on the other hand, offer (roughly) three different interpretations:

• The LXX (B,S) appears to generalize the statement and place it in closer parallelism with "to save your people." As "people" is a collective reference to a plurality of individuals, the translator of the LXX thought it appropriate to supply a plural term in the second parallel colon.
• The Aramaic Targum states that the Lord will "save his anointed." From a Christian perspective, this is entirely congruent with other Messianic prophecies where the resurrection is pictured as the Lord's salvation of the Messiah from corruption, death, etc.
• The Vulgate gives the most explicit Messianic interpretation that the Lord will "save with his Anointed."

Which one is correct? Perhaps there is room for all three to be correct and offer different perspectives on the salvific work of the Messiah and the subsequent "anointing" of all who follow him in faith and obedience.