THE BURDEN - On the word “burden” see the note at Nahum 1:1. WHICH HABAKKUK THE PROPHET DID SEE - The prophet’s name signifies “strong embrace.” The word in its intensive form is used both of God’s enfolding the soul within His tender supporting love , and of man clinging and holding fast to divine... [ Continue Reading ]
O LORD, HOW LONG SHALL I CRY - Literally, “how long have I cried so intensely to Thee?” Because it is always the cry of the creature to the One who alone can hear or help - its God. Of this cry the Prophet expresses that it had already lasted long. In that long past he had cried out to God but no ch... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY DOST THOU SHEW ME INIQUITY, AND CAUSE ME TO BEHOLD - , or rather, “Why beholdest Thou grievance?” God seemed to reverse what He had said by Balaam Numbers 23:21, “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, and hath not seen grievousness in Israel”; and in the Psalms Psalms 10:14, “Thou hast seen, for... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE - i. e., Because God seemed not to awake to avenge His own cause, people promised themselves that they might sin on with impunity. Sin produces sin, and wrong produces wrong; it spreads like an infectious disease, propagating itself, and each, to whom it reaches, adds to its poison. At las... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD YE AMONG THE HEATHEN - The whole tone of the words suddenly changes. The Jews flattered themselves that, being the people of God, He would not fulfill His threats upon them. They had become like the pagan in wickedness; God bids them look out among them for the instrument of His displeasure.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR LO - So God announces a future, in which His Hand shall be greatly visible, whether more or less distant. In His sight it is present. I RAISE UP - God uses the free will and evil passions of people or devils to His own ends; and so He is said to “raise up” those whom He allows to be stirred up... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE TERRIBLE - איום _'âyôm_ occurs here only and Song of Solomon 6:4, Song of Solomon 6:10, compared with the “bannered host,” but the root is common in אימה _'ēymâh_. AND DREADFUL - He describes them, first in themselves, then in act. They are terrible, and strike fear through their very... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR HORSES ARE SWIFTER - literally, lighter, as we say “light of foot” THAN LEOPARDS - The wild beast intended is the panther, the lightest, swiftest, fiercest, most bloodthirsty of beasts of prey “It runs most swiftly and rushes brave and straight. You would say, when you saw it, that it is born... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL COME ALL FOR VIOLENCE - “Violence” had been the sin of Judah Habakkuk 1:3, and now violence shall be her punishment. It had been ever before the prophet; all were full of it. Now should violence be the very end, one by one, of all the savage horde poured out upon them; they all, each one... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY - literally, “he,” the word stands emphatically, he, alone against all the kings of the earth SHALL SCOFF AT THE KINGS - and all their might taking them away or setting them up at his pleasure and caprice, subduing them as though in sport AND PRINCES - literally, grave and majestic SHALL... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL HIS MIND CHANGE - or, better, “Then he sweeps by, חלף _châlaph_ is used of the overflowing of a river, Isaiah 8:8, of a wind chasing, Isaiah 21:1, of the invisible presence of God passing by, Job 9:11, or a spirit, Job 4:15, of the swift passing of our days, like ship or eagle, Job 10:26... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet, having summed up the deeds of the enemy of God in this his end, sets forth his questions anew. He had appealed against the evil of the wicked of his people; he had been told of the vengeance by the Chaldaeans (Heading of Habakkuk 1). But the vengeance is executed by them who are far wor... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU ART OF PURER EYES THAN TO BEHOLD EVIL - The prophet repeats his complaint (as troubling thoughts are accustomed to come back, after they have been repelled,), in order to answer it more strongly. All sin is hateful in God’s sight, and in His Holy Wisdom He cannot endure to “look toward iniquity... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MAKEST MEN AS THE FISHES OF THE SEA - mute, helpless, in a stormy, restless element, no cry heard, but themselves swept away in shoals, with no power to resist. AS THE CREEPING THINGS - whether of the land (as it is mostly used), or the sea Psalms 104:25. Either way, it is a contemptuous name f... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY TAKE UP ALL OF THEM - (literally “he taketh up all of it”) the whole race as though it were one, WITH AN ANGLE; THEY CATCH THEM - literally, he sweepeth it away IN THEIR (HIS) NET - One fisherman is singled out who partly by wiles (as by the bait of “an angle”), partly by violence (the net or... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEY SACRIFICE UNTO THEIR NET, AND BURN INCENSE UNTO THEIR DRAG - literally he sacrifices unto his, etc. Whatever a man trusts in is his god. If a man relies to compass his end by his strength, or his wisdom, or his forethought, or his wealth, his armies or navies, these his forces are his... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL THEY THEREFORE EMPTY THEIR NET, AND NOT SPARE CONTINUALLY TO SLAY THE NATIONS? - The prophet, like Isaiah Isaiah 18:4, stands at the very last point, before the fury and desire of the enemy was fulfilled. People, like fish, were gathered together for a prey; he who had taken them was rejoicing... [ Continue Reading ]