CHAPTER II _The prophet, waiting for a return to his expostulation, is_ _answered by God that the time for the destruction of the Jewish_ _polity by the Chaldeans is not only fixed in the Divine_ _counsel, but is awfully near; and he is therefore commanded to_ _write down the vision relative to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:2. _WRITE THE VISION_] Carefully take down all that I shall say. _MAKE_ IT _PLAIN UPON TABLES_] Write it in a full plain, legible hand. _THAT HE MAY RUN THAT READETH IT._] That he who attentively peruses it may speed to save his life from the irruption of the Chaldeans, by which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:3. _THE VISION_ IS _YET FOR AN APPOINTED TIME_] The Chaldeans, who are to ruin Judea, shall _afterwards_ be ruined themselves: but they must do this work _before_ they receive their wages; therefore the vision is for an _appointed time_. _But at the end it shall_ _speak_. When his w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 4. _BEHOLD, HIS SOUL_ WHICH _IS LIFTED UP_] Hee that presumes on his safety without any special warrant from God, is a _proud_ _man_; and whatever he may profess, or think of himself, his _mind_ _is not upright in him_. But he that is _just by faith shall live_ - he that _believes_ what God h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 5. _BECAUSE HE TRANSGRESSETH BY WINE_] From the present translation, it is not easy to see either reason or meaning in the first clause of this verse. _Newcome_ translates, "Moreover, as a mighty man transgresseth through wine, he is proud, and remaineth not at rest." _Houbigant_ thus: "For he... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 6. _SHALL NOT ALL THESE TAKE UP A PARABLE AGAINST HIM_] His ambition, derangement, and the final destruction of his mighty empire by the Persians, shall form the foundation of many _sententious sayings_ among the people. "He who towered so high, behold how _low_ he is fallen!" "He made himself... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 7. _SHALL THEY NOT RISE UP SUDDENLY_] Does not this refer to the _sudden_ and _unexpected taking of Babylon by Cyrus_, whose troops entered into the city through the bed of the Euphrates, whose waters they had diverted by another channel; so that the Babylonians _knew nothing of the matter_ ti... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 8. FOR _THE VIOLENCE OF THE LAND_] Or, _for the violence_ done _to the land_ of Judea, _and to the city_ of Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 9. _AN EVIL COVETOUSNESS TO HIS HOUSE_] Nebuchadnezzar wished to aggrandize his _family_, and make his _empire_ permanent: but both _family_ and _empire_ were soon cut off by the death of his son Belshazzar, and the consequent destruction of the Chaldean empire.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:10. _HAST SINNED_ AGAINST _THY SOUL._] Thy _life_ is forfeited by thy crimes.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:11. _THE STONE SHALL CRY OUT OF THE WALL, AND THE BEAM OUT_ _OF THE TIMBER SHALL ANSWER IT__._] This appears to refer to the ancient mode of building walls; _two_ or _three courses_ of _stone_, and then _one course_ of _timber_. See 1 Kings 6:36: thus was the palace of Solomon built... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:12. _WO TO HIM THAT BUILDETH A TOWN WITH BLOOD_] At the expense of much slaughter. This is the answer of the _beam_ to the _stone_. And these things will refer to the vast fortunes gained, and the buildings erected, by means of the _slave-trade_; where, to a considerate and humane m... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:13. _THE PEOPLE SHALL LABOUR IN THE VERY FIRE_] All these superb buildings shall be burnt down. See the parallel passage, Jeremiah 51:58, and the note there. _SHALL WEARY THEMSELVES FOR VERY VANITY?_] For the gratification of the wishes of ambition, and in buildings which shall be... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:14. _FOR THE EARTH SHALL BE FILLED_] This is a singular and important verse. It may be _first_ applied to _Babylon_. God's power and providence shall be widely displayed in the destruction of this city and empire, in the humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 4:37, and in the captivi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:15. _WO UNTO HIM THAT GIVETH HIS NEIGHBOUR DRINK_] This has been considered as applying to _Pharaoh-hophra_, king of Egypt, who enticed his neighbours Jehoiachin and Zedekiah to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar, whereby the nakedness and imbecility of the poor Jews was soon discovered;... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:16. _THE CUP OF THE LORD'S RIGHT HAND_] Among the ancients, all drank out of the same cup; was passed from hand to hand, and each drank as much as he chose. The Chaldeans gave to the neighbouring nations _the cup of idolatry_ and of _deceitful_ _alliance_: and in return they receive... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:17. _FOR THE VIOLENCE OF LEBANON_] Or, the violence done to _Lebanon_; to _men_, to _cattle_, to _Judea_, and to _Jerusalem_. See the note on the parallel place, Habakkuk 2:8. This may be a threatening against _Egypt_, as the former was against _Chaldea_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:18. _WHAT PROFITETH THE GRAVEN IMAGE_] This is against idolatry in general, and every species of it, as well as against those princes, priests, and people who practice it, and encourage others to do the same. See on the parallel passages in the margin. (Isaiah 44:9; Isaiah 46:2) _D... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:19. _WO UNTO HIM_] How foolish and contemptible to worship a thing _formed by the hand of man_ out of _wood, stone, gold_, or _silver_! The meanest _brute_ is superior to them all; it _breathes_ and _lives_, but they have _no breath_ in them. However, they are said above to be _teac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Habakkuk 2:20. _THE LORD_ IS _IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE_] Jehovah has his _temple_, the _place_ where he is to be _worshipped_; but _there_ there is no _image_. _Oracles_, however, are given forth; and every word of them is _truth_, and is fulfilled in its season. And this temple and its worship are... [ Continue Reading ]