Habakkuk 1

Hab 1:1-17.

HABAKKUK'S

EXPOSTULATION WITH

JEHOVAH ON

ACCOUNT OF THE

PREVALENCE OF

INJUSTICE:

JEHOVAH

SUMMONS

ATTENTION TO

HIS

PURPOSE OF

SENDING THE

CHALDEANS AS THE

AVENGERS.

THE

PROPHET

COMPLAINS, THAT

THESE

ARE

WORSE THAN

THOSE ON

WHOM

VENGEANCE

WAS TO

BE

TAKEN.

1. burden--the prophetic sentence.

2, 3. violence . . . Why dost thou show me iniquity?--Similar language

is used of the Chaldeans

(Hab 1:9, 13),

as here is used of the Jews: implying, that as the Jews sinned by

violence and injustice, so they should be punished by

violence and injustice

(Pr 1:31).

Jehoiakim's reign was marked by injustice, treachery, and bloodshed

(Jer 22:3, 13-17).

Therefore the Chaldeans should be sent to deal with him and his nobles

according to their dealings with others

(Hab 1:6, 10, 11, 17).

Compare Jeremiah's expostulation with Jehovah,

Jer 12:1; 20:8;

and Job 19:7, 8.

3. cause me to behold grievance--MAURER

denies that the Hebrew verb is ever active; he translates, "(Wherefore) dost Thou behold

(without doing aught to check) grievance?" The context favors

English Version.

there are that raise up strife and contention--so

CALVIN. But

MAURER,

not so well, translates, "There is strife, and contention raises

itself."

4. Therefore--because Thou dost suffer such crimes to go unpunished.

law is slacked--is chilled. It has no authority and secures no respect.

judgment--justice.

wrong judgment proceedeth--Decisions are given contrary to right.

5. Behold . . . marvellously . . . a work--(Compare

Isa 29:14).

Quoted by Paul

(Ac 13:41).

among the heathen--In

Ac 13:41,

"ye despisers," from the Septuagint. So the Syriac and

Arabic versions; perhaps from a different Hebrew reading.

In the English Version reading of Habakkuk, God, in reply to the

prophet's expostulation, addresses the Jews as about to be punished,

"Behold ye among the heathen (with whom ye deserve to be

classed, and by whom ye shall be punished, as despisers; the sense

implied, which Paul expresses): learn from them what ye

refused to learn from Me!" For "wonder marvellously," Paul, in

Ac 13:41,

has, "wonder and perish," which gives the sense, not the

literal wording, of the Hebrew, "Wonder, wonder," that is, be

overwhelmed in wonder. The despisers are to be given up to their own

stupefaction, and so perish. The Israelite unbelievers would not credit

the prophecy as to the fearfulness of the destruction to be wrought by

the Chaldeans, nor afterwards the deliverance promised from that

nation. So analogously, in Paul's day, the Jews would not credit the

judgment coming on them by the Romans, nor the salvation proclaimed

through Jesus. Thus the same Scripture applied to both.

ye will not believe, though it be told you--that is, ye will not

believe now that I foretell it.

6. I raise up--not referring to God's having brought the

Chaldeans from their original seats to Babylonia (see on

Isa 23:13),

for they had already been upwards of twenty years (since Nabopolassar's

era) in political power there; but to His being about now to raise them

up as the instruments of God's "work" of judgment on the Jews

(2Ch 36:6).

The Hebrew is future, "I will raise up."

bitter--that is, cruel

(Jer 50:42;

compare

Jud 18:25,

Margin;

2Sa 17:8).

hasty--not passionate, but "impetuous."

7. their judgment and . . . dignity . . .

proceed of themselves--that is, they recognize no judge save

themselves, and they get for themselves and keep their own "dignity"

without needing others' help. It will be vain for the Jews to complain

of their tyrannical judgments; for whatever the Chaldeans decree

they will do according to their own will, they will not brook anyone

attempting to interfere.

8. swifter than the leopards--OPPIAN

[Cynegeticks, 3.76], says of

the leopard, "It runs most swiftly straight on: you would fancy it was

flying through the air."

more fierce--rather, "more keen"; literally, "sharp."

evening wolves--wolves famished with fasting all day and so most keen

in attacking the fold under covert of the approaching night

(Jer 5:6;

Zep 3:3;

compare

Ge 49:27).

Hence "twilight" is termed in Arabic and Persian "the

wolf's tail"; and in French, entre chien et loup.

spread themselves--proudly; as in

Jer 50:11,

and Mal 4:2,

it implies strength and vigor. So also the Arabic cognate

word [MAURER].

their horsemen . . . come from far--and yet are not wearied by the

long journey.

9. all for violence--The sole object of all is not to establish just

rights, but to get all they can by violence.

their faces shall sup up as the east wind--that is, they shall, as it

were, swallow up all before them; so the horse in

Job 39:24

is said to "swallow the ground with fierceness and rage." MAURER takes it from an Arabic root, "the

desire of their faces," that is, the eager desire expressed by

their faces. HENDERSON, with SYMMACHUS and Syriac, translates, "the aspect."

as the east wind--the simoon, which spreads devastation wherever it

passes

(Isa 27:8).

GESENIUS translates, "(is) forwards." The

rendering proposed, eastward, as if it referred to the

Chaldeans' return home eastward from Judea, laden with spoils,

is improbable. Their "gathering the sand" accords with the simoon being

meant, as it carries with it whirlwinds of sand collected in the

desert.

10. scoff at . . . kings--as unable to resist them.

they shall heap dust, and take it--"they shall heap" earth mounds

outside, and so "take every stronghold" (compare

2Sa 20:15;

2Ki 19:32)

[GROTIUS].

11. Then--when elated by his successes.

shall his mind change--He shall lose whatever of reason or moderation

ever was in him, with pride.

he shall pass over--all bounds and restraints: his pride preparing the

sure way for his destruction

(Pr 16:18).

The language is very similar to that describing Nebuchadnezzar's

"change" from man's heart (understanding) to that of a beast, because

of pride (see on

Da 4:16;

Da 4:30, 31;

Da 4:33, 34).

An undesigned coincidence between the two sacred books written

independently.

imputing this his power unto his god--

(Da 5:4).

Sacrilegious arrogance, in ascribing to his idol Bel the glory that

belongs to God [CALVIN]. GROTIUS explains, "(saying that) his power is his own as

one who is a god to himself" (compare

Hab 1:16,

and Da 3:1-30).

So MAURER, "He shall offend as one to whom his

power is his god"

(Job 12:6;

see on

Mic 2:1).

12. In opposition to the impious deifying of the Chaldeans power as

their god (MAURER, or, as the English Version, their attributing of

their successes to their idols), the prophet, in an impassioned address

to Jehovah, vindicates His being "from everlasting," as contrasted with

the Chaldean so-called "god."

my God, mine Holy One--Habakkuk speaks in the name of his people. God

was "the Holy One of Israel," against whom the Chaldean was setting

up himself

(Isa 37:23).

we shall not die--Thou, as being our God, wilt not permit the

Chaldeans utterly to destroy us. This reading is one of the eighteen

called by the Hebrews "the appointment of the scribes"; the Rabbis think

that Ezra and his colleagues corrected the old reading, "Thou shalt not die."

thou hast ordained them for judgment--that is, to execute Thy

judgments.

for correction--to chastise transgressors

(Isa 10:5-7).

But not that they may deify their own power

(Hab 1:11,

for their power is from Thee, and but for a time); nor that they may

destroy utterly Thy people. The Hebrew for "mighty God" is

Rock

(De 32:4).

However the world is shaken, or man's faith wavers, God remains

unshaken as the Rock of Ages

(Isa 26:4,

Margin).

13. purer . . . than to behold evil--without being displeased at it.

canst not look on iniquity--unjust injuries done to Thy people. The

prophet checks himself from being carried too far in his expostulatory

complaint, by putting before himself honorable sentiments of God.

them that deal treacherously--the Chaldeans, once allies of the Jews,

but now their violent oppressors. Compare "treacherous dealers,"

(Isa 21:2; 24:16).

Instead of speaking evil against God, he goes to God Himself for the

remedy for his perplexity

(Ps 73:11-17).

devoureth the man that is more righteous--The Chaldean oppresses the

Jew, who with all his faults, is better than his oppressor (compare

Eze 16:51, 52).

14. And--that is, And so, by suffering oppressors to go

unpunished, "Thou makest men as the fishes . . . that have no

ruler"; that is, no defender. All may fish in the sea with impunity; so

the Chaldeans with impunity afflict Thy people, as these have no longer

the God of the theocracy, their King, to defend them. Thou reducest men

to such a state of anarchy, by wrong going unpunished, as if there were

no God. He compares the world to the sea; men to fishes;

Nebuchadnezzar to a fisherman

(Hab 1:15-17).

15. they take up all of them--all kinds of fishes, that is, men, as captives, and all other prey that comes in their way.

with the angle--that is, the hook. Some they take up as with the hook,

one by one; others in shoals, as in a "net" and "drag" or enclosing net.

therefore--because of their successes.

they rejoice--They glory in their crimes because attended with success

(compare

Hab 1:11).

16. sacrifice unto their net--that is, their arms, power, and military

skill, wherewith they gained their victories; instead of to God. Compare

Hab 1:11,

MAURER'S interpretation. They idolize themselves

for their own cleverness and might

(De 8:17;

Isa 10:13; 37:24, 25).

their portion--image from a banquet: the prey which they have gotten.

17. Shall they . . . empty their net?--Shall they be allowed without

interruption to enjoy the fruits of their violence?

therefore--seeing that they attribute all their successes to

themselves, and not to Thee. The answer to the prophet's question, he by

inspiration gives himself in the second chapter.