Habakkuk 2

Hab 2:1-20.

THE

PROPHET,

WAITING

EARNESTLY FOR AN

ANSWER TO

HIS

COMPLAINTS

(FIRST

CHAPTER),

RECEIVES A

REVELATION,

WHICH

IS TO

BE

FULFILLED,

NOT

IMMEDIATELY,

YET IN

DUE

TIME, AND

IS

THEREFORE TO

BE

WAITED FOR IN

FAITH:

THE

CHALDEANS

SHALL

BE

PUNISHED FOR

THEIR

CRUEL

RAPACITY, NOR

CAN

THEIR

FALSE

GODS

AVERT THE

JUDGMENT OF

JEHOVAH, THE

ONLY

TRUE

GOD.

1. stand upon . . . watch--that is, watch-post. The

prophets often compare themselves, awaiting the revelations of Jehovah

with earnest patience, to watchmen on an eminence watching with intent

eye all that comes within their view

(Isa 21:8, 11;

Jer 6:17;

Eze 3:17; 33:2, 3;

compare

Ps 5:3; 85:8).

The "watch-post" is the withdrawal of the whole soul from earthly, and

fixing it on heavenly, things. The accumulation of synonyms, "stand

upon . . . watch . . . set me upon . . .

tower . . . watch to see" implies persevering fixity of

attention.

what he will say unto me--in answer to my complaints

(Hab 1:13).

Literally, "in me," God speaking, not to the prophet's outward ear, but

inwardly. When we have prayed to God, we must observe what

answers God gives by His word, His Spirit, and His providences.

what I shall answer when I am reproved--what answer I am to make

to the reproof which I anticipate from God on account of the

liberty of my expostulation with Him. MAURER

translates, "What I am to answer in respect to my complaint against

Jehovah"

(Hab 1:12-17).

2. Write the vision--which I am about to reveal to thee.

make it plain--

(De 27:8).

In large legible characters.

upon tables--boxwood tables covered with wax, on which national

affairs were engraved with an iron pen, and then hung up in public, at

the prophets' own houses, or at the temple, that those who passed might

read them. Compare

Lu 1:63,

"writing table," that is, tablet.

that he may run that readeth it--commonly explained, "so

intelligible as to be easily read by any one running past"; but then it

would be, "that he that runneth may read it." The true sense is, "so

legible that whoever readeth it, may run to tell all whom he can

the good news of the foe's coming doom, and Judah's deliverance."

Compare

Da 12:4,

"many shall run to and fro," namely, with the explanation of the

prophecy, then unsealed; also,

Re 22:17,

"let him that heareth (the good news) say (to every one within his

reach), Come." "Run" is equivalent to announce the divine

revelation

(Jer 23:21);

as everyone who becomes informed of a divine message is bound to

run, that is, use all despatch to make it known to others

[HENDERSON]. GROTIUS, LUDOVICUS DE DIEU, and MAURER interpret it: "Run"

is not literal running, but "that he who reads it may run

through it," that is, read it at once without difficulty.

3. for--assigning the cause why it ought to be

committed to writing: because its fulfilment belongs to the future.

the vision is yet for an appointed time--

(Da 10:14; 11:27, 35).

Though the time appointed by God for the fulfilment be yet future, it

should be enough for your faith that God hath spoken it

(La 3:26).

at the end it shall speak--MAURER translates, "it pants for the

end." But the antithesis between, "it shall speak," and "not be

silent," makes English Version the better rendering. So the Hebrew is translated in

Pr 12:17.

Literally, "breathe out words," "break forth as a blast."

though it tarry, wait for it--

(Ge 49:18).

4. his soul which is lifted up--the Chaldean's

[MAURER]. The

unbelieving Jew's [HENDERSON].

is not upright in him--that is, is not accounted upright in God's

sight; in antithesis to "shall live." So

Heb 10:38,

which with inspired authority applies the general sense to the

particular case which Paul had in view, "If any man draw back

(one result of being 'lifted up' with overweening arrogancy), my

soul shall have no pleasure in him."

the just shall live by his faith--the Jewish nation, as opposed

to the unbelieving Chaldean (compare

Hab 2:5,

&c.; Hab 1:6,

&c.; Hab 1:13)

[MAURER]. HENDERSON'S view

is that the believing Jew is meant, as opposed to the

unbelieving Jew (compare

Ro 1:17;

Ga 3:11).

The believing Jew, though God's promise tarry, will wait for it; the

unbelieving "draws back," as

Heb 10:38

expresses it. The sense, in MAURER'S view, which

accords better with the context

(Hab 2:5,

&c.). is: the Chaldean, though for a time seeming to prosper, yet

being lifted up with haughty unbelief

(Hab 1:11, 16),

is not upright; that is, has no right stability of soul resting

on God, to ensure permanence of prosperity; hence, though for a time

executing God's judgments, he at last becomes "lifted up" so as to

attribute to his own power what is the work of God, and in this sense

"draws back"

(Heb 10:38),

becoming thereby a type of all backsliders who thereby incur God's

displeasure; as the believing Jew is of all who wait for God's

promises with patient faith, and so "live" (stand accepted)

before God. The Hebrew accents induce BENGEL to translate, "he who is just by his faith shall

live." Other manuscripts read the accents as English Version,

which agrees better with Hebrew syntax.

5. Yea also, because--additional reason why the Jews may look for God

punishing their Chaldean foe, namely, because . . . he is

a proud man--rather, this clause continues the reason for the Jews

expecting the punishment of the Chaldeans, "because he transgresseth by

wine (a besetting sin of Babylon, compare

Da 5:1-31,

and CURTIUS [5.1]), being a proud man."

Love of wine often begets a proud contempt of divine things, as

in Belshazzar's case, which was the immediate cause of the fall of

Babylon

(Da 5:2-4, 30;

compare

Pr 20:1; 30:9; 31:5).

enlargeth his desire as hell--the grave, or the unseen world, which

is "never full"

(Pr 27:20; 30:16;

Isa 5:14).

The Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar were filled with an insatiable

desire of conquest. Another reason for their punishment.

6. Shall not all these--the "nations" and "peoples"

(Hab 2:5)

"heaped unto him" by the Chaldean.

take up a parable--a derisive song. Habakkuk follows Isaiah

(Isa 14:4)

and Micah

(Mic 2:4)

in the phraseology.

against him--when dislodged from his former eminence.

Woe--The "derisive song" here begins, and continues to the end of the

chapter. It is a symmetrical whole, and consists of five stanzas, the

first three consisting of three verses each, the fourth of four verses,

and the last of two. Each stanza has its own subject, and all except the

last begin with "Woe"; and all have a closing verse introduced with

"for," "because," or "but."

how long?--how long destined to retain his ill-gotten gains? But

for a short time, as his fall now proves

[MAURER]. "Covetousness is the

greatest bane to men. For they who invade others' goods, often lose even

their own" [MENANDER].

CALVIN makes "how long?" to be the cry of those

groaning under the Chaldean oppression while it still lasted: How long

shall such oppression be permitted to continue? But it is plainly part

of the derisive song, after the Chaldean tyranny had passed away.

ladeth himself with thick clay--namely, gold and silver dug out of the

"clay," of which they are a part. The covetous man in heaping them

together is only lading himself with a clay burden, as he dares not

enjoy them, and is always anxious about them.

LEE and

FULLER translate

the Hebrew as a reduplicated single noun, and not two words, "an

accumulation of pledges"

(De 24:10-13).

The Chaldean is compared to a harsh usurer, and his ill-gotten

treasures to heaps of pledges in the hands of a usurer.

7. suddenly--the answer to the question, "How long?"

(Hab 2:6).

bite--often used of usury; so favoring

LEE'S rendering

(Hab 2:6).

As the Chaldean, like a usurer, oppressed others, so other nations

shall, like usurers, take pledges of, that is, spoil, him.

8. the remnant of the people--Those remaining of the peoples spoiled

thee.

the violence of the land . . . city--that is, on account of

thy violent oppression of the lands and cities of the earth

[GROTIUS]

(compare

Hab 2:5, 6, 12).

The same phrase occurs in

Hab 2:17,

where the "land" and "city" are Judea and Jerusalem.

9. coveteth an evil covetousness--that is, a covetousness so

surpassingly evil as to be fatal to himself.

to his house--greedily seizing enormous wealth, not merely for

himself, but for his family, to which it is destined to be fatal. The

very same "evil covetousness" that was the cause of Jehoiakim's being

given up to the Chaldean oppressor

(Jer 22:13)

shall be the cause of the Chaldean's own destruction.

set his nest on high--

(Nu 24:21;

Jer 49:16;

Ob 4).

The image is from an eagle

(Job 39:27).

The royal citadel is meant. The Chaldean built high towers, like

the Babel founders, to "be delivered from the power of evil"

(Ge 11:4).

10. Thou hast consulted shame . . . by cutting off

many--MAURER, more

literally, "Thou hast consulted shame . . . to destroy many," that is,

in consulting (determining) to cut off many, thou hast consulted shame

to thy house.

sinned against thy soul--that is, against thyself; thou art the guilty

cause of thine own ruin

(Pr 8:36; 20:2).

They who wrong their neighbors, do much greater wrong to their own

souls.

11. stone . . . cry out--personification. The very stones of thy

palace built by rapine shall testify against thee

(Lu 19:40).

the beam out of the timber--the crossbeam or main rafter connecting

the timbers in the walls.

shall answer it--namely, the stone. The stone shall begin and the

crossbeam continue the cry against thy rapine.

12. buildeth a town with blood--namely, Babylon rebuilt and enlarged

Da 4:30).

13. is it not of the Lord of hosts--JEHOVAH, who has at His command

all the hosts of heaven and earth, is the righteous author of

Babylon's destruction. "Shall not God have His turn, when cruel

rapacious men have triumphed so long, though He seem now to be still?"

[CALVIN].

people . . . labour in the . . . fire

. . . weary themselves for . . . vanity--The

Chaldeans labor at what is to be food for the fire, namely, their city

and fortresses which shall be burnt.

Jer 51:58

adopts the same phraseology to express the vanity of the Chaldean's

labor on Babylon, as doomed to the flames.

14. Adapted from

Isa 11:9.

Here the sense is, "The Jews shall be restored and the temple rebuilt,

so that God's glory in saving His people, and punishing their Chaldean

foe, shall be manifested throughout the world," of which the Babylonian

empire formed the greatest part; a type of the ultimate full

manifestation of His glory in the final salvation of Israel and His

Church, and the destruction of all their foes.

waters cover the sea--namely, the bottom of the sea; the sea-bed.

15. giveth . . . neighbour drink . . . puttest . . . bottle to him--literally, "skin," as the Easterns use "bottles" of skin for wine.

MAURER, from a different Hebrew root, translates, "that pourest in

thy wrath." English Version keeps up the metaphor better. It is not

enough for thee to be "drunken" thyself, unless thou canst lead others

into the same state. The thing meant is, that the Chaldean king, with

his insatiable desires (a kind of intoxication), allured neighboring

states into the same mad thirst for war to obtain booty, and then at

last exposed them to loss and shame (compare

Isa 51:17;

Ob 16).

An appropriate image of Babylon, which at last fell during a drunken

revel

(Da 5:1-31).

that thou mayest look on their nakedness!--with light, like Ham of

old

(Ge 9:22).

16. art filled--now that thou art fallen. "Thou art filled" indeed

(though so insatiable), but it is "with shame."

shame for glory--instead of thy former glory

(Ho 4:7).

drink thou also--The cup of sorrow is now in thy turn to pass to thee

(Jer 25:15-17;

La 4:21).

thy foreskin--expressing in Hebrew feeling the most utter contempt.

So of Goliath

(1Sa 17:36).

It is not merely thy "nakedness," as in

Hab 2:15,

that shall be "uncovered," but the foreskin, the badge of thy being an

uncircumcised alien from God. The same shall be done to thee, as thou

didst to others, and worse.

cup . . . shall be turned unto thee--literally, "shall

turn itself," namely, from the nations whom thou hast made to drink it.

"Thou shalt drink it all, so that it may be turned as being

drained" [GROTIUS].

shameful spewing--that is, vomiting; namely, that of the king of

Babylon, compelled to disgorge the spoil he had swallowed. It expresses

also the ignominious state of Babylon in its calamity

(Jer 25:27).

"Be drunken, spew, and fall." Less appropriately it is explained

of the foe spewing in the face of the Babylonian king.

17. the violence of Lebanon--thy "violence" against "Lebanon," that

is, Jerusalem

(Isa 37:24;

Jer 22:23;

Eze 17:3, 12;

for Lebanon's cedars were used in building the temple and houses of

Jerusalem; and its beauty made it a fit type of the metropolis), shall

fall on thine own head.

cover--that is, completely overwhelm.

the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid--MAURER explains, "the spoiling inflicted on the

beasts of Lebanon (that is, on the people of Jerusalem, of which

city 'Lebanon' is the type), which made them afraid (shall cover

thee)." But it seems inappropriate to compare the elect people to

"beasts." I therefore prefer explaining, "the spoiling of beasts," that

is, such as is inflicted on beasts caught in a net, and "which makes

them afraid (shall cover thee)." Thus the Babylonians are compared to

wild beasts terrified at being caught suddenly in a net. In cruel

rapacity they resembled wild beasts. The ancients read, "the spoiling

of wild beasts shall make THEE

afraid." Or else explain, "the spoiling of beasts (the Medes and

Persians) which (inflicted by thee) made them afraid (shall in

turn cover thyself--revert on thyself from them)." This accords better

with the parallel clause, "the violence of Lebanon," that is, inflicted

thou be hunted thyself as a wild beast, which thou resemblest in

cruelty.

because of men's blood--shed by thee; repeated from

Hab 2:8.

But here the "land" and "city" are used of Judea and

Jerusalem: not of the earth and cities generally,

as in

Hab 2:8.

the violence of the land, &c.--that is, inflicted on the land by

thee.

18. The powerlessness of the idols to save Babylon from its doom is

a fitting introduction to the last stanza

(Hab 2:19),

which, as the former four, begins with "Woe."

teacher of lies--its priests and prophets uttering lying oracles, as

if from it.

make dumb idols--Though men can "make" idols, they cannot

make them speak.

19. Awake--Arise to my help.

it shall teach!--rather, An exclamation of the prophet,

implying an ironical question to which a negative answer must be given.

What! "It teach?" Certainly not [MAURER]. Or, "It

(the idol itself) shall (that is, ought to) teach you that it is deaf,

and therefore no God" [CALVIN]. Compare "they are

their own witnesses"

(Isa 44:9).

Behold--The Hebrew is nominative, "There it is"

[HENDERSON].

it is laid over with gold . . . no breath . . . in the midst--Outside

it has some splendor, within none.

20. But the Lord--JEHOVAH;

in striking contrast with the idols.

in his holy temple--"His place"

(Isa 26:21);

heaven

(Ps 11:4;

Jon 2:7;

Mic 1:2).

The temple at Jerusalem is a type of it, and there God is to be

worshipped. He does not lie hid under gold and silver, as the idols of

Babylon, but reigns in heaven and fills heaven, and thence succors His

people.

keep silence--in token of reverent submission and subjection to His

judgments

(Job 40:4;

Ps 76:8;

Zep 1:7;

Zec 2:13).