INTRODUCTION TO HABAKKUK 3 The title of this chapter is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, composed after the manner of a psalm of David, and directed to the chief singer, Habakkuk 3:1. The occasion of it is expressed, Habakkuk 3:2 in which the prophet declares his concern for the work of the Lord,... [ Continue Reading ]
A PRAYER OF HABAKKUK THE PROPHET UPON SHIGIONOTH. Of the name, character, and office of the prophet, Habakkuk 1:1. This chapter is entitled a "prayer" of his, a supplicatory one, put up in an humble and earnest manner, and in the exercise of faith, and under the influence of a spirit of prophecy. He... [ Continue Reading ]
O LORD, I HAVE HEARD THY SPEECH, [AND] WAS AFRAID,.... Or, "thy hearing" p; which the Lord had caused to be heard from and of himself; the report that had been made to him, and other prophets before him, particularly Isaiah, who says, "who hath believed our report?" Isaiah 53:1 where the same phrase... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD CAME FROM TEMAN,.... Or, "may God come from Teman" t; since it is part of the prayer of Habakkuk: or, as "from Teman" u; as he of old came from thence, a city in the land of Edom, Jeremiah 49:7 it was five miles from Petra, in Idumea, where was Mount Seir, from whence the Lord arose, and shone f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND [HIS] BRIGHTNESS WAS AS THE LIGHT,.... Of fire, of devouring fire on the top of the mount, to which the sight of his glory was like, Exodus 24:16 to which Kimchi refers it. Aben Ezra thinks the pillar of fire is intended, in which the Lord went before his people in the wilderness, Exodus 13:21 o... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE HIM WENT THE PESTILENCE,.... Either in the land of Egypt, when he marched through that, and slew all their firstborn, Psalms 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... [ Continue Reading ]
HE STOOD AND MEASURED THE EARTH,.... This alludes to the ark of the Lord, the symbol of his presence, standing and abiding at Gilgal for the space of fourteen years, while the land of Canaan was subdued by Joshua; and then measured out by him, and divided by lot, as an inheritance to the children of... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAW THE TENTS OF CUSHAN IN AFFLICTION,.... The same with Cush or Ethiopia; hence the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it, "the tents of the Ethiopians"; and these are the same with "the curtains of Midian" in the next clause, tents being made of curtains, and the Ethiopians and Midiani... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS THE LORD DISPLEASED AGAINST THE RIVERS? [WAS] THINE ANGER AGAINST THE RIVERS?.... Referring, as is commonly thought, either to the rivers in Egypt turned into blood, which was one of the plagues of that land, Exodus 7:20 when the resentment of the Lord was not so much against them as against the... [ Continue Reading ]
THY BOW WAS MADE QUITE NAKED,.... It was took out of its case, and arrows out of their quiver, and these made use of against the enemies of his people: this is put for all weapons of war; the sword was unsheathed, and all military weapons employed, and the power of the Lord was exerted; or, as the T... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOUNTAINS SAW THEE, [AND] THEY TREMBLED,.... At the power and presence of God, as Sinai of old; Habakkuk 3:6 by which are signified mighty people and nations, kings and great men, struck with terror at the amazing providence of God in the world, on the behalf of his own people, and against their... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SUN [AND] MOON STOOD STILL IN THEIR HABITATION,.... This is generally thought to refer to the miracle in the times of Joshua, Joshua 10:12 but a different word is there used, especially of the standing still of the sun; nor are the sun and moon said there to stand in their habitation; nor will t... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU DIDST MARCH THROUGH THE LAND WITH INDIGNATION,.... Not the land of Canaan, fighting against the inhabitants of it, dispossessing them to make room for the Israelites, whatever allusion may be to it; but the antichristian land, the whole Romish jurisdiction, and all the states of it, through whi... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU WENTEST FORTH FOR THE SALVATION OF THAT PEOPLE, [EVEN] FOR SALVATION WITH THINE ANOINTED,.... Or, "thy Messiah"; which Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret of Messiah the son of David; and read and give the sense of the words thus, "as thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, by bringing... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU DIDST STRIKE THROUGH WITH HIS STAVES THE HEAD OF HIS VILLAGES,.... Of his warriors, mighty men, princes; so the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions; or of his armies, as Jarchi and Kimchi; which some interpret of Pharaoh and his host, who were destroyed by the steps and metho... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU DIDST WALK THROUGH THE SEA WITH THINE HORSES,.... And as thou didst of old, so do again; as Jehovah walked through the Red sea in a pillar of cloud and fire, which were his horses and chariots, and destroyed the Egyptians; so may he walk through another sea by his instruments, and destroy the e... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I HEARD, MY BELLY TREMBLED,.... His bowels, his heart within him, at the report made of what would come to pass in future time; and not so much at hearing of the judgments of God that should come upon the enemies of his Church, antichrist and his followers; though even these are awful and treme... [ Continue Reading ]
ALTHOUGH THE FIG TREE SHALL NOT BLOSSOM,.... Or rather, as the Septuagint version, "shall not bring forth fruit"; since the fig tree does not bear blossoms and flowers, but puts forth green figs at once. This was a tree common in the land of Canaan, and its fruit much in use, and for food; hence we... [ Continue Reading ]
YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD,.... In the Word of the Lord, as the Targum; the essential Word of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ; in his person, the greatness and glory of it; in his offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King, the only Mediator and Saviour; in his relations, as head and husband, father,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD GOD [IS] MY STRENGTH,.... The author and giver of natural and spiritual strength, as he is to all his people; he is the strength of their hearts when ready to faint and sink, and of their graces, faith, hope, love, patience, c. and continues and increases them, and draws them forth into liv... [ Continue Reading ]