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A COnnENTARY 
 
 ON THE 
 
 Prophecy of Habakkuk 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. JAHES F. KENNEDY, D. D. 
 
 CHAMBERSBURG, PA. 
 
 CHAMBERSBURQ, PA.: 
 
 FRANKLIN REPOSITORY PRESS: 
 
 1896. 
 
Copyrighted, 1895, 
 By James F. Kennedy. 
 
THE PREFACE. 
 
 Nearly fifty years ago, when the bright light of heaven 
 shone around my path-way, I commenced the study of the 
 prophecy of Habakkuk, being convinced that among the 
 Minor Prophets he ranks as one of the most interesting and 
 important. Soon, in the mysterious Providence of God, 
 darkness settled down on me; crippled by this experience, all 
 special study was laid aside for several years, my time being 
 devoted to the duties then required ot me as pastor of the 
 Dickinson church in the Presbytery of Carlisle. At inter- 
 vals in after years friends kindly offered to be eyes for the 
 blind. I must mention here my wife, Louisa W. Kennedy, the 
 Rev. Cornelius R. Lane, D. D., a fellow-member of the fac- 
 ulty of Wilson Female College, the Rev. H. R. Schenck, 
 pastor, and Mr. W. G. Reed, elder, of the Falling Spring 
 Church. By their aid I now, after passing the allotted years 
 of three score and ten, am able to present this work, in the 
 hope that its readers will gain a plainer insight into the 
 glorious truths presented by this prophet of old. Much ex- 
 egetical matter has been omitted in this effort to present the 
 interpretation of the prophecy clearly and fully. Though 
 prosecuted under serious difficulties, the work has been a 
 source of great pleasure to me. If this pleasure is shared by 
 my friends, and my labor in any way redounds to the glory 
 of God, through the better understanding of His Word, I 
 will feel abundantly rewarded. 
 
 JAMES F. KENNEDY. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO HABAKKUK. 
 
 I. NAME OF THE PROPHET. 
 
 1. The proper names of the ancient Hebrews form an 
 interesting subject of study on account of their significance. 
 The newborn child was named by the parents or relations, 
 and sometimes even by its neighbors, in view of some event 
 connected with its birth or appearance, the religious senti- 
 ments of the parents, or the hopes entertained respecting its 
 future welfare. Under the superintending care of the God 
 of Israel, the names of many who hold an important place 
 in the church foreshadowed their character or their work. 
 Examples of this kind may be seen in the names of Mel- 
 chizedeck, (King of righteousness,) Solomon, (peace,) Isaiah, 
 (Jehovah is my Salvation,) Malachi, (My Messenger.) So 
 much importance indeed was attached to personal appel- 
 lations, that God Himself sometimes gave the name, as in the 
 case of His own son, or changed a name in order to express 
 some interesting truth in the history of the individual, as in 
 the case of Abraham and Israel. 
 
 2. The name of the Prophet Habakkuk is written in the 
 Septuagint, Ambakoum. There is much variety in its or- 
 thography among early Greek authors. Its usual Latin 
 form was Habacuc, but the English orthography agrees 
 more closely with the original Hebrew than either the Greek 
 or Latin form. It is derived from the verbal root Hhabhak, 
 and the reduplication of the last radical in its formation in- 
 dicates the intensity of the action expressed by the verb. 
 Abarbanel and Jerome interpret the verb to mean "wrestle" 
 or "struggle" and the noun "a wrestler" or "struggler" 
 "luctator fortis ac rigidus". This designates him as one who 
 
6 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 strove earnestly with God in behalf of His people. This 
 interpretation is fonnded upon a mistaken application to 
 this root of the sitrnification of another verb whose radicals 
 are similar. Hhabhak is correctly interpreted "to fold 
 one's hands," and in the Piel, "to embrace," hence Habakkuk 
 signifies "embracing" when applied to a person actively, 
 "one who embraces," or passively, "one wlio is 
 embraced." Luther adopts the active sense and thinks 
 that his name is intended to describe the Prophet as 
 one who embraces his people in his loving heart, seeks to 
 comfort them as a parent embraces his sick child, and en- 
 deavors to soothe his pain by assuring him he will be well 
 soon. The passive sense of the noun is preferable; it sug- 
 gests the idea that the prophet was so called because he was 
 much embraced by his parents, his friends, his people, or 
 his God, in token of their deep and abiding regard. An 
 old rabbinical tradition asserts that the prophet was the son 
 of the Shunamite woman by whom the prophet Elisha was 
 so hospitably entertained, that he was called Habakkuk 
 by his mother, in memory of the promise made to her by 
 the prophet, "about this season, according to the time of life, 
 thou shalt embrace a son." H Kings 4:16. It also explains 
 the reduplication of the last radical as a memento of the 
 two embraces given to the newborn child, one by his 
 mother, another by the prophet. This story is witliout founda- 
 tion, but it shows that the passive signification of the name 
 has the authority of rabbinical scholarship. It the name 
 describes him as embraced by his people, then it expresses 
 prophetically their future appreciation of his labor in re- 
 proving their sin and in interceding with God for them. If it 
 refers to God, then it corresponds with the Greek word, 
 Theophilos and Theophiles, which signify one beloved of 
 God, his child, his mouth-piece, his faithful messenger, a 
 type of the coming Messiah. No interpretation of tlie name, 
 however, can be relied on which is not sustained by the 
 authority of divine inspiration. 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 7 
 
 II. THE LIFE OF HABAKKUK. 
 
 The materials for a biographical sketch of Habakkuk are 
 extremely meagre. 
 
 I. Tlie iniormation furnished by uninspired writers is more 
 abundant than that derived from inspired sources, but 
 is not reliable. Abarbanel in his Commentary refers to the 
 rabbinical tradition that Habakkuk was the son of the 
 Shunamite woman restored to life by Elisha. Another tra- 
 dition represents him as the sentinel set by Isaiah to watch 
 for the destruction of Babylon. Compare Is. 21:8; Hab. 2: 
 I. The superscription of Bel and the Dragon in the Sep- 
 tuagint, which is preserved from the "Codex Chisianus," is 
 as follows : "From the prophecy of Habakkuk, the son of 
 Jesus, (or Joshua,) of the tribe of Levi." Dorotheus and 
 Pseudo-Epiphanius state that he belonged to the tribe of 
 Simeon, and was born at Beth-zohar, and that when Nebu- 
 chadnezzar advanced against Jerusalem, he fled to Ostrakim, 
 a place whose position is identified by the name Rastraki, 
 which is still borne by a mountain ridge near i\rabia Petraea. 
 Two years before thejews returned from the Babylonish cap- 
 tivity he came back to his former homiC in Palestine, where 
 he died and was buried. Eusebius and others state that he 
 was buried at Keilah, and rabbinical writers mention other 
 cities as the place of his burial. The lollowing story is 
 taken from an apocryphal addition to the Book of Daniel, 
 called "Bel and the Dragon :" "Now there was in Jewry a 
 prophet called Habakkuk who had made pottage, and had 
 broken bread in a bowl, and was going into the field for to 
 bring it to the reapers. But the angel of the Lord said imto 
 Habakkuk, Go, carry the dinner that thou hast, into Baby- 
 lon, unto Daniel, who is in the lion's den. And he said, 
 Lord, I never saw Babylon, neither do I know where the 
 den is. Then the angel of the Lord took him by the crown, 
 and bare him by the hair of his head, and through the ve- 
 hemence of His spirit set him in Babylon over the den, and 
 
8 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 Habakkuk cried, saying, Oh, Daniel, take the dinner God has 
 sent thee. And Daniel said, thou hast remembered me, oh 
 God, neither hast thou forsaken them that seek and love 
 Thee. So Daniel arose and did eat, and the angel of the 
 Lord set Habakkuk in his own place immediately." From 
 this account it would appear that he was the possessor of a 
 portion of land, and that he remained in Palestine when the 
 Jews were carried captive to Babylon. 
 
 2. From the book itself we learn, 
 
 First, that he was an educated man and perhaps a 
 scribe. This is implied in the command of Jehovah to write 
 the vision and inscribe it on tablets, 2: 2, a command which 
 we suppose God designed the prophet to execute in person. 
 He was well acquainted with the writings of the iormer 
 prophets, and with the past history of his nation, to which 
 he makes several allusions in chapter 3. He also makes 
 several references to the geography of the surrounding na- 
 tions, and declares many of the leading doctrines of theology. 
 His whole prophecy bears testimony to his skill in composi- 
 tion. 
 
 Secondly. The mental characteristics of an inspired man 
 were not obliterated by the Spirit in the act ot inspiration. 
 Their writings present to us decided marks of the intellec- 
 tual peculiarities and moral qualities of authors, so that their 
 characters may be read Irom their works. Judging Habakkuk 
 by this standard we may describe him as the possessor of a 
 logical mind. This is apparent in the gradual and progres- 
 sive development of the prcphecy from the beginning of the 
 book to the close of the second chapter, and again in the 
 third chapter, where he describes in logical order the tokens 
 of the approach of Deity, — His external appearance and 
 conduct, and the results of His actions. It is seen also in the 
 prophet's argument in tavor of the interference of Deity for 
 his people, chapter i: 1-4, and against their total destruction 
 by the Chaldeans, and in the logical symmetry of the song 
 of the nations, where he describes in each strophe a special 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 9 
 
 sin of the Chaldeans, and its punishment, and concludes 
 with the reason why they must be so treated. 
 
 Thirdly. He was also a man of lively imagination. This 
 trait characterizes the book throughout, in the frequent use 
 of figures, among which we may only mention the compari- 
 son of the Chaldeans to a fisherman, in the close of the first 
 chapter, the poetical conception of putting the judgment 
 pronounced upon the Chaldeans in the mouth of the captive 
 nations, and the vivid descriptions of the theophany in chapter 
 third. The song of the nations in chapter second abounds 
 in illustrations of this peculiarity. In it he compares the 
 Chaldeans to a usurer, who is laden with the pledges 
 taken from the poor, to a tempter who puts a bottle to his 
 neighbor's lips, and to a bird of prey that has set his nest 
 on high. He describes the stone and the beam crying out 
 against the rapacity of the Chaldeans, and the future exten- 
 sion of the knovv^ledge of the glory of God is illustrated by 
 the waters covering the sea. 
 
 Fourthly. The book also represents the author as a man 
 of ardent piety. He manifests a spirit of prayer. His soul is filled 
 with loathing of the general corruption of the people, with 
 earnest love for the church, and lively interest in its wel- 
 fare. Like many of God's suffering children, he at first 
 complains of Jehovah's indifference to the sins and sorrows 
 of Israel, learns to wait patiently and watch the develop- 
 ments of Providence, and then closes the record of his ex- 
 perience with a joyful acknowledgment of the sovereignty 
 of God, a believing confidence in His love and care, and a 
 touching expression of his entire resignation to Jehovah's 
 will. 
 
 Fifthly. Habakkuk also possessed the poetic gift in large 
 measure. The utterances ot the prophets are usually cast 
 in the metrical mould, each verse being divided into clauses 
 and each word accented for the purpose of cantillation. 
 This is true also of the Song of the nations in chapter 2, and the 
 Psalm for the temple service in chapter 3, without recog- 
 
lO A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 nizing the difference in the character of the composition, 
 between them and the other parts of the book. These pass- 
 ages are poetry, the rest of the book is comparatively prose. 
 
 Sixthly. — His relation to his country and to the church. 
 Possessing these personal characteristics, Habakkuk came in 
 contact with his nation, possibly as a Levite and certainly 
 as an author and a prophet. His connection with the tribe 
 of Levi is very uncertain, and rests principally upon the evi- 
 dence of tradition. Many commentators, however, think 
 that a very clear intimation ol this fact is furnished by the 
 musical direction at the close of the book, "To the chief 
 singer, on Shigionothai." Delitzsch infers from this pass- 
 age that Habakkuk was a Levite, and probably a priest, 
 since he would hardly have used this language unless him- 
 self engaged in the temple service. In confirmation of this 
 opinion Delitzsch appeals to the style of the prophecy, 
 which so closely resembles that of the Psalms of David and 
 Asaph as to indicate the author's familiar acquaintance with 
 them, and this we should naturally expect in a Levite who 
 sang them. In further confirmation of this opinion, Del- 
 itzsch refers to the superscription of "Bel and the Dragon" 
 in the Septuagint, which is preserved from the Codex 
 Chisianus already quoted, section i. His arguments, 
 though ingenious, are inconclusive. The word used by 
 Habakkuk, and translated "my stringed instruments," is 
 susceptible of a different interpretation, which may be found 
 in our commentary on chapter 3:1. It is used by Hezekiah, 
 who certainly did not belong to the tribe of Levi. Famil- 
 iarity with the Psalms might influence the style of any Jew 
 ot whatever tribe, and the inscription in the Codex Chisi- 
 anus, as Delitzsch himself acknowledged, is in itself of no 
 critical importance. 
 
 Seventhly. As an author, Habakkuk may have uttered 
 much to his nation under the influence of the Holy Ghost, 
 but this one little book contains all that he was directed to 
 record for the edification of the church. His style is marked 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. II 
 
 bv originality, and in this respect differs greatly from his 
 contemporaries Zephaniah and Jeremiah. Many modern 
 critics divide the prophets into two schools, one of which 
 bears the name of Isaiah, and the other that of Jeremiah. 
 One of the most prominent traits of the former is origi- 
 nality, while the latter is characterized by frequent quota- 
 tions from older writers. Habakkuk is classed with Isaiah 
 rather than with Jeremiah. Perspicuity is also a marked 
 feature of his composition. There is one passage, however, 
 in chapter 3:9, vv^hich is regarded by many as one of the 
 most obscure in the Bible. It has received more than one 
 hundred different interpretations. He uses several words 
 which are found nowhere else in the Hebrew Scriptures. 
 These are m'gammah (1:9,) abh'tit, (2:6,) kikalon, (2:16.) 
 They were probably in common use in his day, and may 
 have had a place in the language at a much earlier date. 
 His diction is concise and forcible. His parallelisms are reg- 
 ular. His book is a unit. Its thought makes constant 
 progress from bt ginning to end, and each part is essential 
 to the completeness of the whole. The book is replete 
 with beautiful imagery, and the description of the theo- 
 phany in chapter 3 is one of the most sublime passages in 
 the Word of God. 
 
 Eighthly. Habakkuk was a prophet. The Hebrew word 
 for prophet, nabhi, is derived from the verbal root nabha, 
 which is never found in the Hebrew Scripture, except in its 
 passive and reflexive forms. It was, however, in common 
 use in all the other languages belonging to the Semitic 
 family. The meaning most generally assigned to it is "to 
 pour forth, to utter." Ewald gives it the specific sense "to 
 speak for another." Gesenius thinks it always involves the 
 idea of speaking under some controlling influence, and this 
 view is generally adopted by British scholars. Redslob as- 
 cribes to it the specific signification "to baptize with, or im- 
 merse in a spirit." In accordance with these interpretations 
 of the root nabha, the noun nabhi is said by some to have 
 
13 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 the active sense of "one who speaks", or, as Ewald thinks, 
 "one who speaks for another," and by others, to have the 
 passive or objective force of " one who receives a communi- 
 cation or who acts under some spiritual influence with 
 which he is baptized." The passive signification is the 
 more common in nouns of the class to which nabhi belongs, 
 but an appeal to the usage of the word in the Scriptures, 
 proves conclusively that the active is its true sense. The 
 most important passage of Scripture on this point is con- 
 tained in Ex. 7: I, 2. "The Lord said unto Moses, see, I 
 have made thee a god unto Pharaoh, and Aaron 
 thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all 
 that I command thee, and Aaron thy brother shalt speak 
 unto Pharaoh, that he shall send the children of Israel out 
 of his land." Here the word has the precise sense of spokes- 
 man. Aaron was Moses' prophet, because he was the organ 
 of communication between him and the Egyptians. 
 This signification suits the word wherever it occurs in 
 the Scriptures. When the word is used to designate a 
 prophet of Jehovah, we must understand by it "a spokes- 
 man," one who is an organ of communication be- 
 tween Jehovah and man. The term prophet is not 
 applied in the Scriptures to all who were inspired men. It 
 is not used to describe those whose inspiration was merely 
 occasional, such as Eldad, Medad and Balaam, but desig- 
 nates the person to whom the title is given, one who holds 
 the office of prophet and also possesses the gift of inspiration. 
 Others also, like David and Daniel, whose inspiration was 
 but temporary, do not receive the title, and this is accounted 
 for by supposing that such were regarded as more honorable. 
 From these considerations, we infer that Habakkuk possessed 
 both the office and gift of prophecy, and that he held no 
 higher position in the Jewish commonwealth. 
 
 Habakkuk did not take this office upon himself, but was 
 called of God. No one, indeed, might assume or decline it 
 at pleasure. It was the gift of Jehovah, and in the exer- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. I 3 
 
 cise oi His sovereignty. He bestowed it on whomsoever 
 He pleased. Several of the patriarchs are known to have 
 possessed it, and it is possible that each successive head of 
 the family which was chosen by God to be the recipient of 
 His grace, held the official position of a prophet of God. 
 Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are instances of 
 
 • 
 
 the kind, and it is not likely that God, from whom all truth 
 must come, would leave Himself without a spokesman in 
 any of those early generations when there could be no writ- 
 ten revelation. In John 11:51 we read "And this spake he 
 not of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophe- 
 sied that Jesus died for that nation." This passage renders 
 it possible that the high priests also were prophets ex-officio. 
 It is certain that Jehovah selected certain individuals in 
 various ages of the world to be his spokesmen, and, that in 
 His selection. He was governed by no human considerations. 
 The gift of prophecy was bestowed on both the old and 
 young, male and female, high and low, educated men and 
 untaught husbandmen, the righteous and the wicked, Israel- 
 ites and foreigners. The one thing essential to the pro- 
 phetic office was the appointment of God. 
 
 In order to qualify him for the office to which he had been 
 called, Habakkuk received the gift of inspiration. This was 
 an influence of the Holy Ghost upon the minds of certain 
 select men, which made them the organs ot God for the in- 
 fallible communications of His mind and will. We cannot 
 enter the mind of the Holy Spirit and describe the mode in 
 which He affects the mind of man in inspiration. It is plain, 
 however, that it differs from the mode in which He creates, 
 illuminates, regenerates, sanctifies, or raises from the dead. 
 The Scriptures furnish us with such descriptions of the in- 
 fluence by the Holy Ghost as the following : "Thus saith 
 the Lord," "The word of the Lord came to the prophet," 
 "The Spirit came upon him," "The power, or hand, of God 
 was upon him," "Thev spake as they were moved by the 
 Holy Spirit," i. e., so that, just as a ship is borne along by 
 
14 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 the wind, so are the prophets moved by the Spirit. Inspi- 
 ration, then, was a peculiar, mighty and sovereign influence 
 of the Spirit. 
 
 In order that a prophet might communicate God's will to 
 others, necessity required that it first be revealed to himself. 
 This was done occasionally by an audible voice, sometimes 
 by a dream or vision, or by the suggestion of the truth to 
 the prophet's mind. The mental condition of the prophets 
 while receiving a revelation corresponds to the character of 
 the influence exerted by the Holy Ghost, their inspiration 
 being but merely that of superior knowledge, genius or 
 piety. It was neither morbid nor unnatural, but healthy 
 and preternatural. All the powers of mind whose exercise 
 was needed were in full activity, though swayed by the 
 Spirit, according to His will. The prophets retained their 
 own consciousness and sell-possession. Their spirits were 
 subject to them, while they willingly yielded themselves to 
 the moving of the Holy Ghost. They were sometimes un- 
 aware of the fact that they were inspired, and often did not 
 comprehend the full meaning of what they uttered. The 
 union between the two elements of our personality is so 
 close, that the body always sympathizes with the mind, or 
 obeys its dictates. Hence, during inspiration, the body 
 sometimes lies entirely passive, as in sleep, and at other 
 times executes the interests of the mind by looking, hearing, 
 speaking, writing, moving, and rarely by such excitement 
 of the muscular system as indicates intense mental emotion. 
 Among the heathen the last was regarded as the special and 
 characteristic effect of inspiration, and this may account for 
 the fact that one of the oldest Greek names for a prophet, 
 mantis, is derived from the verb maneo, to rave, to be mad. 
 The Holy Ghost not only revealed God's will to men, but so 
 superintended the prophets in the act of dictating it to others, 
 that they were the immediate organs of communication be- 
 tween God and man. Much that was uttered by the prophets 
 was left unrecorded, but other portions, like the book of Ha- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. I 5 
 
 bakkuk, were written down under the superintendence of 
 the Holy Ghost. These books constitute the inspired 
 Word of God. What the Spirit revealed to the prophets, 
 they dictated to others. God spake in them, so that what they 
 said God said. Their messages came to men with all the 
 authority of Jehovah Himself They were free from all pos- 
 sible error, and contained just the truths which were appro- 
 priate in the judgment of infinite wisdom to the time, place, 
 and circumstances in which they were delivered. These at- 
 tributes of authority and infallibility belonged to all their 
 utterances in the name of the Lord, whether historical, doc- 
 trinal, practical, or prophetic. So Habakkuk spake as the 
 prophet of God, and all that he uttered in God's name is the 
 Word of God, whether he complains of the sinfulness of the 
 people, predicts the punishment of Judah and of Babylon, 
 declares the great principles of God's Kingdom, utters his 
 amazement at God's dealings with His people, or asserts his 
 own confident trust in the covenant God of Israel. The 
 prophets sustained a close relation to each other as members 
 of the same order and heralds of the one Word of God. In- 
 finite wisdom gave to each one his place among his breth- 
 ren, and his special work, and it his communication w^as 
 written down for the benefit of the church, assigned to it its 
 proper place in the canon of Scripture. In order to com- 
 prehend the relations which Habakkuk sustained we must 
 first determine the date of his prophecy. 
 
 III. DATE OF THE PROPHECY. 
 
 I. The period embraced by the various hypotheses res- 
 pecting the date of this prophecy extends from the begin- 
 ning of the reign of Mauasseh to the close of the Babylonish 
 captivity. The history of the kingdom of Judah during 
 this time is of great importance in the discussion of this 
 question. 
 
 To the east of Judah lay Assyria and Chaldea; to the 
 southwest, Egypt. Assyria had long been the ruling 
 power in Central Asia. Chaldea or Babylonia was a con- 
 
1 6 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 stituent part of the Assyrian empire, though it had its own 
 king. Egypt was the ruling power in North Africa. Judah 
 lay between the two, and would in all probability become 
 tributary- to either power as circumstances might determine, 
 because it was too teeble to resist successfully an attack 
 from either. During the reign of Manasseh, Assyria 
 had obtained so much control over Tudah that Manasseh 
 himself was carried away to Babylon, where he was held for 
 a time in captivity and finally restored to his throne. He 
 reigned 55 years in Jerusalem, B. C. 699 to 644. "He did 
 that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and he made 
 Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err and do worse 
 than the heathen whom the Lord destroyed before the chil- 
 dren of Israel," 2 Chron. 33:1 1 etc. "Therefore the Lord com- 
 manded that Judah should be cast out of His sight for the 
 sins of Manasseh," 2 Kings 24:3. The Lord consequently 
 gave him into the hands of the Assyrians, by whom he was 
 led into captivity at Babylon, where the Assyrian King was 
 probably holding his court at the time. Here Manasseh 
 repented and humbled himself before the Lord, who restored 
 him to his kingdom. On his return he purified the temple 
 and the city of Jerusalem, removed the strange gods and the 
 altars devoted to their service, and commanded Judah to 
 serve the Lord. King Amon succeeded him, and reigned 
 two years. It is possible that these were but parts of years 
 reckoned as whole years, according to Hebrew custom, so 
 that they may add but one full year to the chronology of the 
 period. Amon was a wicked King, and under him Judah 
 again relapsed into idolatry. Josiah began to reign B. C. 
 642, when but eight years old. During the early part of 
 his reign the most abominable idolatry was practised in 
 Judah and Jerusalem, 2 Kings 22:17; 2 Chron. 33:11; Jer. 16. 
 Violence and crime pervaded society. The worshippers of 
 Jehovah were few in number, and their influence for good 
 was almost entirely lost in the midst of abounding sin. Josiah, 
 in the eighth year of his reign, began to seek the favor of 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 1 7 
 
 the Lord. In the twelfth year, B. C. 630, a partial reforma- 
 tion was effected by him. He purified the temple in Jerusalem, 
 and destroyed the altars, images and groves connected with 
 idol worship throughout the land of Israel. A second and 
 more thorough reformation occurred in the eighteenth year 
 of Josiah's reign, B. C. 624, in which he endeavored to re- 
 move from the land all traces of idolatry, and established in 
 its stead the worship of Jehovah. No intimation of the in- 
 terference of iVssyria in the affairs of Judali occurs in the 
 historical books of the Old Testament, during the days of 
 Anion or Josiah, and this is due probably to the fact that 
 Assyria was waning in power and rapidly approaching dis- 
 solution. Babylon and Media, on the other hand, were grow- 
 ing in strength and influence, and in the year B. C. 625 
 united their forces, threw off the Assyrian yoke, and des- 
 troyed Nineveh. The Assyrian territory was then divided 
 between Cyaxares, king of INfedia, and Nabopolasar, who 
 became king of Babylon. The seat of the southern empire 
 was Babylon, and that city became the mistress of Central 
 Asia. The causes of enmity between Egypt and Chaldea 
 led to the invasion ot the latter by Psammetichus, king of 
 Egypt. In order to accomplish his purpose, he engaged in 
 a war with the Philistines, through whose territory he must 
 pass in order to reach Chaldea. While he was engaged in 
 the siege and capture ol the Philistine Ashdod, the Scyths 
 also invaded Palestine, and were marching through Philistia 
 towards Egypt. These Scyths had invaded Media w^hile 
 Cyaxares, the Median king, was leading an expedition 
 against Assyria B. C. 632. (Rawlinson's Ancient Mon- 
 archies Vol II, pp. 226-227.) They plundered Media and As- 
 syria, captured cities, burnt the towns, and spread into Syria 
 and Palestine. The king of Egypt was then besieging 
 Ashdod, and sent ambassadors to Ascalon to meet the Scyths. 
 The result of the negotiation was that the Scyths were in- 
 duced to abandon their enterprise, and Psammetichus was 
 left at liberty to pursue his expedition to Assyria. The 
 
v/ 
 
 l8 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 Scyths were soon expelled from Central iVsia, and driven be- 
 yond the Caucasus. The whole period of their southern 
 progress is limited by Herodotus to twenty-eight years. The 
 invasion of Chaldea was prosecuted by Pharaoh Necho. His 
 passage through Palestine was resisted by Josiah, who was 
 slain in battle at Megiddo, B. C. 6ii. Jehoahaz succeeded 
 Josiah, having been made king by the people of the land, 
 and reigned three months. He was then deposed by the king 
 of Egypt, who placed Jehoiakim upon the throne, and im- 
 posed a heavy tribute on the kingdom of Judah. The 
 Egyptians pressed forward and took Carchemish on the 
 Euphrates, B. C. 6ii. Carchemish was the capital of the 
 king of Asshur, H Kings 23: 29, and was probably the 
 stronghold occupied by the remnant of the Assyrian Empire 
 which had been dissolved when Ninevah was utterly de- 
 stroyed. The Egyptians retained the place, however, but a 
 short time. The Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar took 
 the city, B. C. 608 or 607 and pursued the Egyptians west- 
 ward with a design of invading Egypt in turn. They cap- 
 tured Jerusalem B. C. 608 or 607. Jehoiakim reigned un- 
 der the authority of the Chaldeans eight years longer, and 
 was succeeded by his son Jehoiachin, who reigned 3 months 
 and 10 days, when he was deposed by Nebuchadnezzar, and 
 taken to Babylon. Zedekiah was then placed on the throne. 
 His rebellion against the Chaldeans occasioned the third in- 
 vasion of the land by the King of Babylon, who again cap- 
 tured Jerusalem, B. C. 588, and carried away a large portion 
 of the people into captivity. The captivity of Judah con- 
 tinued 70 years, according to II Chron. 36: 24. The Jews 
 returned from Babylon in the first year of Cyrus, B. C. 538. 
 The first year of the captivity therefore corresponds with the 
 date given above to the invasion of the Chaldeans under 
 Nebuchadnezzar, 608 B. C. The prophecy announcing the 
 captivity of Judah was therefore fulfilled in the period em- 
 braced between B. C. 608 and 588. In this period there were 
 three deportations, B. C. 608, B. C. 599, B. C. 588. 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 1 9 
 
 2. The prophecy is said to have been uttered during the 
 reign of Manasseh, by the following authors : Kimchi and 
 Abarbanel among the Rabbins, Witsius, Kalinski, Corne- 
 lius a I^apide, Wahl, Ko, Jahn, Haevernich, and Keil. Syn- 
 cellus makes him contemporary with Ezekiel and extends 
 his prophecy probably from the time of Manasseh to that 
 of Daniel and Joshua the son of Josedech. Chronicon Alex- 
 andrinum or Paschale, 7th century, represents him as co- 
 temporary with Zephaniah in the beginning of the reign of 
 Josiah, with Daniel and Ezekiel in Persia, with Haggai and 
 Zecbariah in Judea, and with Baruch in Egypt Lowth, 
 Davidson, and Delitzsch place him in the early part of the 
 reign of Josiah. Calmet, Jaeger, Ewald, D^ Wette, New- 
 come, 606-598 B. C. Green thinks the prophecy was not 
 uttered in the days of Josiah. Eichhorn, Home, Winer, 
 Theiner & Black place the date of the prophecy during the 
 first invasion of Chaldea in the reign of Jehoiakim. Rosen - 
 mueller places chapter i under Jehoiakim, chapter 2 under 
 Jehoiachin, and chapter 3 under Zedekiah. Knobel and 
 Maurer date the first chapter 605 B. C, the second and' third 
 in .the beginning of the following year. Hitzig and Schafi*, 
 604 B. C. Usher, Henderson, Meyer, Cowles, Phillipson, 
 Sawyer, Schegg, 609-606 B. C. Fausset, 610 B. C. All 
 these agree in fixing the reign of Jehoiakim as the period 
 of the prophecy. Umbreit, Knobel, and Meyer, after the 
 battle of Carchemish, B. C. 606. Hesselberg about 600 B. C. 
 The following commentators fixed the date of the prophecy 
 during the Babylonish captivity, and after the destruction 
 of Jerusalem: Jerome, Remigius, Albertus, Hugo, Lyrantius 
 as stated by Cornelius a Eapide, I. 507. 
 
 3. The conclusion which a critic reaches respecting the 
 date of this book will depend very much on his views of in- 
 spiration. If the prophetic office and gift of Habakkuk be 
 denied, the one or other of the following theories must be 
 adopted respecting the date of the prophecy. Either the 
 hooli is a. z^altcmzum post ez>eniumy i. e., a prophecy really 
 
 / 
 
V-'' 
 
 20 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 written after the event which it pretends to foretell; or 
 it was uttered prior to the event indeed, but only so long 
 ^ before it, that it might be foreseen by ordinary human sa- 
 gacity. Both these theories have had their adherents, as 
 may be seen by the list given above, but both must be dis- 
 carded by a believer in the inspiration of the prophets. No true 
 prophet would represent himself as living at any other time 
 than that in which he really acted. The book of Habakkuk 
 has always had a place in the canon of Scripture and has ap- 
 peared in the translations of the Hebrew Scriptures into 
 other languages. The Septuagint version, which was made 
 in Egypt during the third century, B. C, contains, in addi- 
 tion to it, some apochryphal stories which did not belong to 
 it in the Hebrew language. We do not know certainly 
 when the canon of the Old Testament was formed. Jewish 
 tradition, which is an important witness in all matters of 
 fact, ascribes it to Ezra, Nehemiah, or the men ot the Great 
 Synagogue. It is, however, a question of comparatively 
 slight importance whether this statement be true or not, 
 since we know that this work was actually done as early as 
 131 B. C. We find the Son of Sirach in his prologue to the 
 book of Ecclesiasticus speaking of the three-lold division of 
 the Hebrew Scriptures into the Law, the Prophets, and the 
 Other Scriptures. The canonical books were so carefully 
 guarded that it would have been impossible either to add 
 to, or subtract from their number. This complete Old Tes- 
 tament was in the hands of Christ, was quoted in His ad- 
 dresses, and publicly read by Him in all the synagogues. 
 He even recognizes the same general division of the books 
 as had been previously mentioned by the Son of Sirach, 
 L/uke 24: 44. The Apostles recognized the same canon, and 
 two of them quote and comment upon a passage from the book 
 of Habakkuk. This entire collection of sacred books was recog- 
 nized by Christ and His apostles as the inspired Word of God, 
 and we need nothing more to prove them so, for Christ was 
 the Son of God, and the Apostles were taught by the Holy 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 21 
 
 Spirit. The sonship and consequently the divinity of 
 Christ may be proved from the declarations of God the 
 Father at His baptism and on the mount of Transfiguration. 
 The truth He taught was such as became the Son of God, 
 and its effects prove its divine origin. He uttered prophe- 
 cies which have come to pass, and wrought great miracles, 
 among which His own resurrection holds a prominent place 
 as the special evidence of His sonship. He finally ascended 
 to heaven after having promised the Holy Ghost to His 
 disciples. The Apostles were inspired men, and proved 
 their possession of the Holy Spirit by the nature and effects 
 of their doctrines, by their miracles and their prophecies. 
 Since Christ and His Apostles declared the Old Testament 
 to be the Word ot God, we have no right to deal with it in 
 any other way than as an inspired book. Habakkuk must 
 therefore be acknowledged as a true prophet of God. Those 
 theories which represent him as composing the book during 
 the Babylonish captivity, and yet representing himself as 
 writing before the Chaldean invasion, or describe him as writ- 
 ing at a time when the invasion would be foreseen by mere 
 human sagacity, are entirely inconsistent with the nature of 
 inspiration and the office of a spokesman of God. This 
 theory is also inconsistent with itself. The prophecy of 
 Habakkuk predicts two remarkable facts, the Chaldean in- 
 vasion, and the fall of Babylon. Rationalistic interpreters, 
 while they admit of no other inspiration than that of human 
 sagacity, assign to Habakkuk a date prior to the Chaldean 
 invasion, and thus ignore the fact that he uttered a clear 
 and distinct announcement ot the destruction of Babylon, \ 
 which occurred B. C. 538. No human sagacity could have 
 foreseen this event as early as B. C . 608. The Chaldeans 
 had then overthrown Nineveh, and had conquered Egypt, 
 their competitor for universal empire. All the signs of the 
 times indicated the establishment of an empire that should 
 last, like the Assyrian, for hundreds of years. Mere con- 
 sistency with their own theory of inspiration should lead 
 
22 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 these critics to place Habakkuk just before the fall of Baby- 
 lon. Delitzsch suggests that the most appropriate point for 
 them to settle upon would be the day when Cyrus was about 
 to divert the waters of the river Gyndes into the canals 
 which he had prepared for this purpose, and thus open the 
 way for his troops along the dry bed of the river into the 
 city of Babylon. A mode of interpretation which is not self- 
 consistent cannot be correct. We turn then to the book it- 
 self and attempt to gather from its language the indications 
 of its date. 
 
 4. The first of these is that furnished by the reterences 
 made to the temple, "The Lord is in His holy temple," and 
 to the temple services in the musical directions at the bo 
 ginning and end of the psalm in chapter 3, "a prayer of 
 Habakkuk the prophet upon shigionoth," and "to the chief 
 musician upon my stringed instruments." These passages 
 show that the temple was still standing and that the service 
 of song was performed in its courts, under the direction of 
 the chief musician. The temple was destroyed by order of 
 Nebuchadnezzar, and all its liturgical worship suspended B. 
 C. 588. Hence the book must have been written before 
 that date. 
 
 5. Another indication of the date ot the prophecy is con- 
 tained in chapter i: 5-6, in which the prophet foretells the 
 raising up of the Chaldeans, who should invade the land of 
 Judah. The prophecy must consequently have preceded the 
 execution of this work by Jehovah. Two opinions have 
 prevailed in regard to the exact nature of this work, each 
 based upon the interpretation of the words in chapter i : 6. 
 One class of critics translate the clause "Behold me, rais- 
 ing the Chaldeans, exciting them, stirring them up to in- 
 vade Judah." Thus understood the prophecy refers to the 
 events which immediately led to the invasion of Judah, such 
 as the elevation of Jehoiakim by the king of Egypt to the 
 throne of Judah, and the capture of Carchemish. If this 
 view be correct, then the words of the prophet show, that 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK, 23 
 
 he must have spoken before the invasiou, B. C. 608, though 
 it mav have been but a little while before. Another class 
 of critics give to this phrase, the* sense of raising up, i. e., 
 ot preparing the Chaldeans to be the instruments of Jeho- 
 vah for the chastisement of Judah. This would include 
 suefTevents in the history of the neighboring nations as the 
 rise of the Chaldeans to a prominent position in the Assy- 
 rian empire, 2 Chron. 'i^y, it, the consolidation of Media, 
 which had been previously conquered by Assyria and was 
 therefore inimical to it, (Rawlinson II. 384,) the invasion of 
 Assyria by Cyaxares the Mede, the expedition of Nabopo- 
 lasar against Babylon, his union with Cyaxares against As- 
 syria, the fall ot Nineveh, the overthrow of Assyria, the el- 
 evation of the Chaldeans to supreme power, the invasion of 
 the territory by the Egyptians, and the reduction of Judah 
 into a fief of Egypt By this series of events the Chaldeans, 
 who had been under the sway ot the Assyrians, became the 
 ruling power in Central Asia, and were led to assume an at- 
 titude of hostility to the kingdom of Judah. They were 
 thus "raised up" to execute the will of God in reference to 
 the punishment of His sinful people. From this view of 
 the passage, it follows that Habakkuk must have spoken 
 some years before the fall of Nineveh and the rise of the 
 Chaldean empire, B. C. 625, and most probably during the 
 latter part.jDt Manasseh's reign. 
 
 6. The incredulity of the Jews was a marked feature of 
 the tim'e when Habakkuk prophesied "Ye will not believe, 
 though a man declare it unto you" (i: 5.) This disposition 
 characterized the minds of men during the latter part of 
 Manasseh's reign more decidedly than at any other period 
 in the life of that generation to which Jehovah refers. Ma- 
 nasseh had been a captive in Babylon, where the Assyrian 
 king probably held his court occasionally, and perhaps dur- 
 ing part of each year. After Manasseh's conversion, he was 
 restored to his kingdom, while he acknowledged the 
 supremacy of the great king of Assyria. An announcement 
 
24 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 of the invasion of his kingdom by the Chaldeans, who also 
 recognized the supremacy of Assyria, would have been ut- 
 terly incredible. The short reign of Amon did not differ 
 from that of his father, so far as his relation to Assyria was 
 concerned. The reign of Josiah was divided into two nearly 
 equal portions by the fall of Nineveh, B. C. 625. During 
 the first halt, a Chaldean invasion was less incredible than in 
 the days of Manasseh and Amon, because Assyria was 
 decreasing in strength, while Babylon was increasing in 
 power. This period is marked by the war between Cyax- 
 ares and Assyria, and by the invasion of the Scyths, both of 
 which contributed to weaken Assyria. As long, however, 
 as Assyria remained supreme, a Chaldean invasion would be 
 impracticable. Alter the fall of Nineveh and the transfer 
 of the supremacy to the Chaldeans, an invasion of Judah by 
 them was far more probable, for it might be expected that 
 the Chaldeans would endeavor to maintain the unity of the 
 empire, and retain under their sway all who had previously 
 acknowledged Assyrian rule. The expedition of Josiah 
 against Pharaoh Necho, which led to the defeat and death 
 of the former at Megiddo, seems to have been prompted by 
 the desire to prevent a collision between Egypt and Chaldea, 
 in which Judah must fall a prey to the victor. The fall of 
 Assyria had freed Josiah from any further allegiance to it, 
 if any had been demanded. The Chaldeans as yet had no 
 claim on him or on his kingdom, and hence we cannot sup- 
 pose Josiah's expedition against Pharaoh Necho to have been 
 dictated by fealty to them. The language of Necho (2 Chron. 
 35: 21) shows that he did not consider Josiah as confederate 
 with the house of Chaldea, with whom Egypt was at war. 
 Josiah was rather moved by a dread of the Chaldean inva- 
 sion, which would be the sure consequence of Necho's ad- 
 vance to Carchemish. He did not fear Egypt, but wished 
 to protect his land from a power greater than Assyria, and 
 which would be provoked to march through Palestine upon 
 Egypt. After the defeat of Josiah, Judah became tributary 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 25 
 
 to Egypt, and Jehoiakim was placed upon the throne by 
 Necho. From that time onward the invasion of Palestine 
 was almost a certainty. Judah could not be permitted to 
 remain a fief ot Egypt, because the possession of Judah 
 would make it an easy matter at any time for Egypt to in- 
 vade Chaldean territory. The incredulity ot the people dur- 
 ing the latter part of Manasseh's reign would certainly be 
 most pronounced, and better correspond wdth the descrip- 
 tion of i: 5, than any time between his reign and the fall of 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 7. Another important indication of the date of the 
 prophecy is contained in the expression "in your days" (1-5,) 
 in w^hich Jehovah defines the period within which He will 
 perform His divine work of "raising up" the Chaldeans and 
 punishing the Jews. This phrase may designate any period 
 within the life of a generation. In Ezekiel 12: 25, this in- 
 cludes six years, and in Jer. 16: 9, tw^enty years. The gen- 
 eration which Moses brought out of Egypt perished in the 
 wilderness during the next 40 years. In Mark 13: 30, the 
 expression "this generation shall not pass away," is used to 
 designate a period of about forty years, which elapsed be- 
 tween the utterance of the prophecy and the destruction of 
 Jerusalem. ]\Iany of those who returned with Ezra trom 
 Babylon to Jerusalem had seen the first temple, which had 
 been destroyed 52 years before, Ezra 3:12, If Habakkuk 
 spoke to men of twenty years old and upward, many of 
 whom might live to be 90 years old, then his prophecy 
 might be dated 50 years before the Chaldean invasion or 
 B. C. 658. If there were among'his hearers, boys of twelve 
 years of age, the time at which, according to Jewish ideas 
 they become personally responsible for their deeds, we might 
 suppose it very possible for them to live to see the invasion. 
 Consequently the date of the prophecy might be B. C. 658. 
 This is the farthest limit which should be assigned to the 
 expression "in your days," and its exact force must be de- 
 termined by comparing this expression with the others 
 
26 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 previously considered. We infer from the testimony of the 
 book itself that its author prophesied between B. C. 608 
 and 648, and probably in the days of Manasseh. 
 
 8. Another indication of the date of the prophecy is 
 furnished by the description of the moral condition of the 
 people in 1:2-4. Iniquity prevailed and consequently trouble 
 abounded. Power was exerted injustly and oppressively. 
 Strife and contention were prominent characteristics of 
 society. The law had lost its influence both upon the lives 
 of men and the administration of justice. The wicked 
 outnumbered the righteous and nullified their influence. 
 Therefore wrong judgment proceeded. This description 
 is remarkable for one striking omission. It makes no 
 special mention of idolatry as one ot the crying sins of the 
 people. This suggests the inference that Habakkuk proph- 
 esied at a time when the worship of idols was abolished, or 
 at least Jehovah was publicly recognized as the God of 
 Judah. This occurred twice in the history of the genera- 
 tion to whom Habakkuk refers, first in the reformation 
 after the return of Manasseh to Judah, and secondly, in the 
 reformation which began in the eighth year of Josiah and was 
 resumed in his twelfth year. Delitzsch adopts the beginning 
 of Josiah's reformation as the date of the prophecy, but the 
 considerations we have already presented point rather to the 
 reformation of Manasseh as the true date. 
 
 9. Attention has been called by Delitzsch and others to 
 Habakkuk's style as a means of determining the date of the 
 prophecy. There is such a difference in this respect be- 
 tween the older and later prophets that they have been 
 divided by many critics into the school of Isaiah and that 
 of Jeremiah. The former embraces the older prophets 
 whose productions are marked by originality of express- 
 ions and purity of language, variety of quotations, and in- 
 frequency of historical narrative. To this class of writers 
 Habakkuk certainly belongs. His style resembles his 
 predecessors rather than his successors. His diction is 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 2/ 
 
 rather that of Isaiah than Jeremiah, while at the same time 
 he employs some words and phrases hitherto unrecorded. 
 He quotes but little from older writers. He introduces no 
 historical statements, but from beginning- to end pursues 
 his line of thought, until it terminates in his psalm of praise' 
 in chapter 3. If we compare the prophets Zephaniah and 
 Jeremiah with him, we shall perceive in them the existence 
 oi a more modern stvle. Their diction lacks much of the 
 antique character of Habakkuk's prophecy. They abound in 
 quotations from older workers, and Jeremiah especially 
 in historical matter. The inference from these facts is very 
 plain. Habakkuk must have lived and written before such 
 influences were exerted as those which affected the style of 
 Zephaniah and Jeremiah. Since then, Jeremiah began to 
 prophesy in the thirteenth year of Josiah, and Zephaniah in 
 the fifteenth or sixteenth year of Josiah's reign, we must as- 
 sign to Habakkuk an earlier date than to either of these 
 prophets. If then, Habakkuk prophesied between B. C. 
 625 and 662, during the prevalence of the worship of Jeho- 
 vah, and at a time when his message would be received 
 with the greatest unbelief, we may infer that his prophecy 
 was uttered in one of the later years of Manasseh's reign. 
 
 10. The internal indications of the date of the prophecy 
 are substantiated by several considerations not connected 
 with the matter or style itself The position of Habakkuk 
 in the collection of the Minor Prophets between Nahum and 
 Zephaniah, It is an old and widely received theory con- 
 cerning the arrangement of the Minor Prophets that they 
 stand in almost chronological order. Whatever may be said 
 against this theory, it is certainly true that the books of this 
 collection whose date is positively fixed do stand in the or- 
 der of time. If we look at the latter half ot the collection 
 of the Minor Prophets, we observe that without doubt five 
 oi its books are so arranged. No sufficient reason can be 
 assigned for placing the book of Habakkuk out of its proper 
 order, and the only legitimate inference is that he prophe- 
 
28 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 sied after Nahum and before Zephaniah. Zephaniah pre- 
 ceded the fall of Nineveh, which occurred B. C. 625, and 
 hence no later date than this can be assigned to hiin, while 
 he probably prophesied a year or two before that date. 
 Habakkuk must be placed beiore 625 B. C. 
 
 II. Delitzsch, in the introduction to his commentary on 
 this book, presents a very ingenious argument to prove 
 Habakkuk's priority to Zephaniah and Jeremiah, by show- 
 ing that both these prophets have quoted from him. The 
 passage in Habakkuk which is quoted by Zephaniah, is 
 found in Hab. 2: 20, "lyct all the earth keep silence before 
 Him," which reappears in Zeph. 1:7, in the clause "Hold 
 thy peace at the presence of the Lord." This expression is 
 probably borrowed b}^ one of these writers from the other, be- 
 cause no preceding writer makes any use ol it all, and in both 
 passages it is connected with a description of Jehovah. It ap- 
 pears that Zephaniah borrows from Habakkuk, because 
 first, Habakkuk is remarkably original in his language, and 
 very seldom borrows from older writers. Secondly, Zeph- 
 aniah borrows so frequently that his book is almost a mosaic 
 of quotations. Sometimes two are united in a single verse, 
 the latter part of 1:9 is taken from Joel 2, and hence the 
 first clause is most probably quoted. Thirdly, Habakkuk's 
 use of this expression seems more natural and easy, while 
 in Zephaniah the connection is more obscure, and the ex- 
 pression somewhat abbreviated, in accordance with his 
 characteristic conciseness. The very mode of using the 
 clause shows it to be the thought of another. Fourthly, 
 the passage in Habakkuk is also quoted by Zechariah, and 
 with greater accuracy than by Zephaniah. He would 
 most likely quote from the original author, and hence we 
 infer that both he and Zephaniah quote from Habakkuk. 
 We reach in this way the same conclusion as in the pre- 
 ceding paragraph, that Habakkuk must have prophesied be- 
 fore B. C. 625. Delitzsch also argues that Jeremiah quoted 
 from Habakkuk, and compares Hab. 2:12, with Jer. 22:13, 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 29 
 
 and Hab. 2:13, with Jer. 51:58, and Hab. 1:8 withjer. 4:13; 
 5: 6. ]\Iany other passages of Jeremiah have been collected 
 by Delitzsch, which resemble closely the language of 
 Habakkuk. Haevrnich compares the following passages of 
 Habakkuk and Jeremiah to sustain the same conclusion: Jer. 
 4: 13 with Hab. i: 8; Jer. 5: 6-15 with Hab. 1:8; i: 6; Jer. 
 6: 23 with Hab. 1:7; Hab. 2:13 with Jer. i: 37. Jeremiah 
 commenced to prophecy in the thirteenth year ol Josiah and the 
 prophecy of Habakkuk must have been uttered prior to B. 
 C 628. 
 
 12. Another reason for supposing that Habakkuk proph- 
 esied in the reign of jNIanasseh, is derived from the name 
 of Josiah's elder son Eliakim, which signifies "God shall 
 raise up." This name was afterwards changed by the king 
 of Hgy'pt to Jehoiakim, which signifies "Jehovah (i. e., the 
 covenant God of Israel,) shall raise up." Among the Israe- 
 lites, names given to children were usuallv suggested by 
 some circumstances connected with the birth, or with the 
 feelings of those who were present and in any way inter- 
 ested in it. Compound names like Eliakim gen- 
 erally had a spiritual bearing, and embodied some great 
 religious truth, or a reference to some act of Jehovah, past, 
 present or future. The names Eliakim and Jehoiakim are 
 pertinent examples of the latter class. They express the belief 
 of the giver, that God would "raise up" some one, and im- 
 ply also the existence of a previous prophecy relating to this 
 subject. The name Eliakim expresses the principal thought 
 of the prophecy of Habakkuk, which is contained in i : 6, 
 "Behold me, raising up the Chaldeans." Josiah was early 
 converted to God, and nothing would be more natural than 
 that such threatenings announced by Habakkuk should 
 make a powerful impression upon his mind and lead him to call 
 his son Eliakim. This son was born B. C. 636. When 
 Eliakim was eleven years old, God "raised up" the Chaldeans 
 to supreme power. When twenty five years old, he was placed 
 on the throne of Judah, which was then tributary to Egypt, 
 
30 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 and in the third year of his reign, his land was invaded by 
 Nebuchadnezzar, by whom he was taken captive. His ex- 
 perience agrees most accurately with his name, and both 
 suggest at once the prophecy of Habakkuk as the source 
 of his name. A similar remark may be made respecting 
 the name of his successor Zedekiah, in whose reign the 
 captivity was completed "and the temple destroyed, and 
 whose name signifies "the justice ot Jehovah." The 
 providence of God seems so to have interfered in the case 
 of both these kings, that their very names were prophetic 
 of His dealings with them and their nation. 
 
 13. The last argument we shall present is derived from 
 the close correspondence between the contents of the proph- 
 ecy and the condition of things in the reign of Manasseh. 
 Any one who will consult the following passages, 2 Kings 
 21:9; 23: 26; 24: 3; 2 Chron. ^y. 9; and Jer. 15: 4, will find 
 that the sins of Judah had increased during the reign of 
 Manasseh to a degree which God could no longer endure 
 without inflicting punishment; that God sent His prophets 
 to declare this fact; and that the mode of punishment would 
 be to give them over to the horrors of captivity. No time 
 could be better suited for the clear, sharp, stern announce- 
 ment of the coming Chaldean invasion which Habakkuk 
 makes, than the later days of Manasseh. Since Manasseh's 
 captivity and return to his throne, and the reinstatement of 
 the worship of Jehovah, had little or no effect on the mass 
 of the people, Vv^e may with entire propriety assign to 
 Habakkuk the fifty-first year of the reign of Manasseh as the 
 date of his prophecy. If we count the duration of King 
 Amon's reign as but two years, we shall have 40 years as 
 the period between the utterance of the prophecy and its 
 fulfilment in the Chaldean invasion. This number forty is 
 of frequent occurrence in sacred history, and we desire to 
 call attention to three of these instances in the history of 
 this same people. The prophet Jeremiah began his pro- 
 phetic work, which was most intimately connected with the 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 3 I 
 
 captivity of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem in the 
 thirteenth year of Josiah, B. C. 628 or 629, exactly 40 years 
 before the destruction of the temple and city in B. C. 588. 
 So also Moses, in the earlier history of the nation, predicted 
 the destruction of the generation which came out of Egypt 
 within 40 years. Our Lord Jesus predicted the overthrow 
 of Jerusalem just about fort}^ years before it fell. The anal- 
 ogy between these three cases shows that it belonged to 
 Jehovah's plan to give the same warning each time. If 
 Christ gave Jerusalem forty years between the announce- 
 ment of her destruction and its actual occurrence, then we 
 may reasonably suppose that He did the same thing by the 
 mouth of His prophet, before the invasion of the Chaldeans. 
 We place Habakkuk then in the fifty-first year of Manasseh's 
 reign, B. C. 648, forty years before the Chaldeans invasion. 
 
 IV. THE UNITY OF THE BOOK. 
 
 The unity of the book of Habakkuk is one of its principal 
 features. It assumes the form of a dialogue, in which, in the 
 first chapter, the prophet declares the wickedness of his 
 people, God announces His chastisement in course of prep- 
 aration, and the prophet expresses his astonishment that 
 that God should thus treat the contending parties. Chapter 
 2:1, the prophet declares his intention to stand on the 
 watch and receive the communications of Jehovah. Verses 
 2-6, the prophet declares his intentions by writing a vis- 
 ion. The punishment of the proud and insatiable 
 Chaldean will surely come, and all nations are represented 
 as joining in the song of triumph. Verses 6-20, in five 
 strophes, contain the song of triumph executed by the 
 nations. Chapter 3 gives first, the title; then in the 
 second verse, the prophet in penitent faith offers his prayer 
 for the advancement of God's cause; and then in verses 3-16 
 he praises God for the exercise of His sovereignty for the 
 benefit of His people; and in verses 17-19 he expresses his 
 
32 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 submission to God and confident hope of good. This 
 unity of the book is illustrated by the tollowing translation 
 of the prophecy: 
 
 The Title i: i. The utterance which Habakkuk the 
 prophet saw. 
 
 Verses 2-4. The prophet complains to Jehovah of His 
 apparent unconcern, though crime prevails in Judah : 
 
 2. How long, Jehovah, have I cried, and thou wilt not 
 hear ! (how long) shall I cry out unto thee. Violence, and 
 thou wilt not save ? 3. Why wilt thou show me iniquity, 
 and why wilt thou behold trouble ? Oppression and vio- 
 lence are before me, and strife has existed, and contention 
 will raise itself. 4. Theretore law shall be torpid, and 
 judgment will not go forth to purity; for the wicked is en- 
 compassing the righteous, wherefore judgment shall go 
 forth perverted. 
 
 Verses 5-1 1. Jehovah describes the instrument which 
 He has prepared for the punishment of Judah: . 5. Behold 
 ye among the peoples, and regard, and be greatly astonished! 
 For a work working in your days, ye will not believe, 
 though it be told. 6. For behold me, raising up the Chal- 
 deins, the bitter and hasty nation, the one going unto the 
 breadths of the earth to possess dwelling-places (that belong) 
 not to it. 7. Terrible and dreadful (is it), from itself its 
 judgment and its dignity shall go forth. 8. And swifter 
 than leopards are its horses, Bud more fierce than the wolves 
 ol evening; and its horsemen sweep proudly on, and its horse- 
 men shall come from afar; they shall fly like an eagle has- 
 tening to eat. 9. Its all shall come for violence, the de- 
 sire of their faces is forward, and it shall gather the captivity 
 like sand. 10. And this (people) shall scoff at kings, and 
 princes shall be a derision unto it. It shall deride every 
 fortress, and it will heap up earth and take it. 11. Then 
 it has changed spirit, and transgressed, and become guilty. 
 This his power is for his god. 
 
 Verses 12-17. In this paragraph the prophet replies express- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 33 
 
 ing his assurance that God will raise up the Chaldeans for the 
 chastisement, and not for the destruction, of His people: 12. 
 Art thou not from eternity, Jehovah ? My God, my Holy 
 One, we shall not die, Jehovah ! for judgment hast thou set 
 him; and Rock ! lor chastisement hast thou ordained, him. 
 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to look upon evil, and to 
 behold trouble thou wilt not be able. Wherefore wilt thou 
 behold spoilers ? Wilt thou keep silence, while the wicked 
 swallows up him that is more righteous than he ? 14. And 
 make man as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things 
 over which there is no ruler? 15. Its all has litted up 
 with hook; it will catch him with its net, and gather him 
 with its seine; therefore will it rejoice and exult 16, Where- 
 fore it will sacrifice to its net, and burn incense to its seine, 
 for by them its portion is fat, and its food is fattened meat. 
 17. Shall it therefore empty its net, and continually spare 
 not to destroy the nations ? 
 
 Chapter 2. The author declares his purpose to place 
 himself where he can hear the voice of Jehovah and offer 
 his reply. 
 
 1. On my watch let me stand, and let me station myself 
 upon a tower, and I will look out to see what he will speak 
 in me, and what I shall return upon my complaint. 
 
 2-6. Jehovah bids the prophet prepare a public tablet 
 for his vision, which will be fulfilled in the proper time and 
 place. The Chaldean is proud and fierce. Obedience to the 
 law of the Lord will alone secure righteousnes. He is a 
 drunkard, proud and insatiable, gathering all nations to 
 himself The spoiler shall be spoiled himself; the con- 
 quered nations shall utter a song against him. 
 
 2. And Jehovah answered me and said, write a vision 
 and inscribe it upon the tablets, so that he may run (the 
 one) reading in it. 3. For the vision is yet for the appointed 
 time, and it shall pant for the end and not lie. Though it 
 delay, wait for it. For it shall certainly come and not tarr}^ 
 4. Behold ! Puffed up, not right, is his soul in him, and the 
 
34 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 righteous by his faith shall live. 5. And moreover, be- 
 cause the wine is a robber, a mighty one, is arrogant, and 
 will not dwell at home, who has widened as the grave his soul, 
 and he is as death, and will not be satiated, and he has col- 
 lected lall nations unto him, and has gathered unto him all 
 the peoples, 6. Shall not these all of them raise a song con- 
 cerning it and a taunt, sharp sayings to it, and shall say ? 
 
 6-20. The nations conquered and spoiled by the Chal- 
 deans shall at length witness the fall of their conquerors, 
 and join in a song expressive of their own feelings. It con- 
 sists of five strophes, 6-8, 9-1 1, 12-14, 15-17, 18-20. 
 
 6. Aha! The nation multiplying (that which belongs) 
 not to it; how long? and loading upon it a mass of pledges. 
 7. Shall not they that bite thee suddenly arise? and shall 
 not they that shake thee awake, and thou be for spoils to 
 them? 8. Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all 
 the remnant of peoples shall spoil thee, on account of the 
 blood-guilt of man, and the violence of land, city, and all 
 dwelling in it. 
 
 9. Aha 1 The one plundering, plunder of evil, for 
 his house, to set his nest on high, to deliver himself from 
 the hand of evil. 10. Thou hast devised shame to thy 
 house, the destroying of many nations, and those that sin 
 against thy soul. 11. For the stone from the wall shall 
 cry out; and the cross-beam from the timber shall answer it. 
 
 12. Aha ! The one building a city in blood-guilt, 
 and a town in crime. 13. Behold ! is it not from Jehovah of 
 Hosts, and nations toil just for the fire, and peoples 
 weary themselves just for vanity ? 14. For the earth shall 
 be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the 
 waters shall cover the sea. 
 
 15. Aha ! The one giving his neighbour drink, 
 pouring out thy wrath, and even to intoxicate, in order to 
 behold their nakedness. 16. Thou art satiated with shame 
 from glory. Drink also thou and show thyself uncircum- 
 cised. The cup of the right hand of Jehovah shall turn it- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 35 
 
 self unto thee, and ignominy shall be upon thy glory. 17. 
 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and spoiling 
 of beasts shall terrify them; on account of the blood-guilt of 
 man, and violence of land, city and all dwelling in it. 
 
 18. What does it profit a graven image though its 
 maker has graven it ? a molten image and teacher of false- 
 hood, though the maker ot his work trusted upon it, to 
 make dumb idols ? 19. Aha ! The one saying to the wood, 
 awake ! Arise, to the dumb stone; shall it teach ? Behold ! 
 this is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no spirit 
 at all in the midst of it. 20. And Jehovah is in the tem- 
 ple of his holiness. Be silent before him all the earth. 
 
 Chapter 3. In this chapter the prophet gives us first its 
 title. In verse 2, he prays in penitent faith, and expresses 
 his desire for the advancement of God's work, and for an 
 exhibition of His mercy. In verses 3-16, he renders glory 
 to God for His wonderful and complete supremacy over all 
 creation exerted for the good of His people; and in verses 
 17-19, he announces his entire submission to Jehovah's 
 will and his confident expectation of good. 
 
 The title, verse i. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet 
 upon shiggionoth. 
 
 His prayer, verse 2. Jehovah ! I have heard the 
 communication of thee. I am afraid. Jehovah ! vivify thy 
 work in the midst of the years; thou wdlt make it known; 
 in wrath thou w^ilt remember to be merciful. 
 
 3-16. The prophet glorifies the supreme Jehovah. 3. 
 A god shall come from Teman, and a holy one from Mount 
 Paran. Selah. His splendor has covered the heavens, and the 
 earth is full of his praise. 4. And there shall be brightness as 
 the light. He has horns from his hand, and there is the 
 veiling of his strength. 5. Before him pestilence shall 
 move on, and plague shall go out at his feet. 6. He stood 
 and measured the earth; he looked and scattered nations; 
 and the old mountains broke asunder, the hills of eternity 
 sank; ways of eternity are to him. 7. I saw the tents of 
 
36 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 Cushan under iniquity; the curtains of the land of Midian 
 shall tremble. 8. Against the rivers has burned, Jehovah! 
 against the rivers thine anger, against the sea thy wrath; 
 for thou wilt ride upon thy horses, thy chariots of salvation. 
 9. In nakedness thy bow is made bare; sworn missiles is 
 the word. Selah. With rivers thou wilt cleave earth. 10. 
 The mountains saw thee, they trembled; the flood of waters 
 has passed by; the abyss uttered its voice, lifted up its hands 
 on high. II. Sun, moon, stood in their habitation; at the 
 light of thine arrows they »shall go forth, at the brightness 
 of the glittering of thy spear. 12. In indignation thou 
 shalt march through the earth; in anger thou shalt trample 
 the nations. 13. Thou hast gone out unto the salvation 
 of thy people, unto the salvation of thine anointed; thou 
 hast smitten the head from the house of the wicked, to lay 
 bare the foundation unto the neck. Selah. 14. Thou hast 
 pierced with his own missiles the head ot his leaders; they shall 
 rush on to scatter me; their rejoicing is as to devour the 
 poor in a lurking place. 15. Thou hast passed through the 
 sea with thine horses, through the boiling of many waters. 
 16. I heard and my belly trembled; at the voice my lips 
 quivered; rottenness shall come into my bones, and under 
 me I shall tremble, who shall rest unto a day of distress, to 
 the going up ot the people, he will invade him. 
 
 17-19. The prophet's submission to Jehovah's will, and 
 his expectation of good. 17. For the fig tree shall not 
 bloom, and no produce on the vines, the work ot the olive 
 has failed, and the fields not yielded food, the flock has been 
 cut off from the fold, and no herd in the stalls. 18. And 
 I will rejoice in Jehovah, and exult in the God of my salva- 
 tion. 19. Jehovah, lyord, is my strength, and he has made 
 my feet like hinds, he has caused me to walk on my 
 heights. 
 
 19, last clause, The subscription. To the chief musi- 
 cian, on my stringed instruments. 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 37 
 
 COMMENTARY ON HABAKKUK. 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 This chapter contains four paragraphs. The first (v. i,) 
 is the title of the book. The second (vs. 2-4,) contains the 
 prophet's complaint to Jehovah because of His unconcern 
 at the violence and crime prevailing in Judah. The third 
 (vs. 5-1 1,) contains Jehovah's description of the instrument 
 He has prepared for the punishment of Judah. The fourth 
 (12-17,) contains the prophet's confidence in Jehovah's 
 gracious purpose. 
 
 /. The utterance which Habakkiik the prophet sazv. This 
 is the title not of the first two chapters only, but of the 
 whole book. The fact that the third chapter has a special 
 title is not inconsistent with this statement, and the unity of 
 the book strongly confirms it. The word massa which we 
 have rendered "utterance" is regarded by some commenta- 
 tors as a mere synonym for other terms which are used to 
 describe a prophetic communication such as "vision," 
 "prophecy," (Newcomb.) All such interpretations are ob- 
 jectionable, because they pay no regard to the origin and 
 usage of the word itself. The noun here used is derived 
 trom the verb nasa^ which signifies "to lift up, to raise," 
 and consequently means "that which is lifted up," and 
 hence, "a burden." Some expositors, adopting the signi- 
 fication "burden," suppose that the term describes the fol- 
 lowing prophecy as a burdensome message given by Jeho- 
 vah to the prophet, and borne by him to the people, (Poole, 
 Gill, Cowles.) This interpretation is objectionable because 
 we never meet with the word here translated "burden" as- 
 sociated with the name of a prophet. Others explain it to 
 mean a burdensome or minatory prophecy, which announced 
 the approach of divine judgments that would bring trouble 
 and pain to its subjects, just as the burden does to the 
 bearer, (Targum of Jonathan, Aquila in Syriac version, — 
 
38 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 onus aut pondus — Jerome, Miinsterus, Vatablus, Calvin, 
 Grotius, Piscator, Cornelius a Ivapide, — Last — Luther, Pag- 
 nini, Hesselberg, Hengstenberg, vScliegg, Keil, Dutch An- 
 notations, Westminster Annotations, English version, 
 Trapp, Marburg, Henry, Scott, Benson, Sawyer, Peck, Rob- 
 inson, Wordsworth, Pusey, — book, sentence — Henderson.) 
 Commentators differ with regard to the bearer of the bur- 
 den. Many express no opinion on this point. Some rep- 
 resent God as its bearer, burdened by the sins of His people. 
 In order to illustrate this idea, Marburg refers to Amos 2: 13, 
 "Behold ! I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is 
 tull of sheaves." Compare Isa. i: 14; Mai. 3: 17. Others 
 regard the prophet as the bearer, inasmuch as he endured 
 deep anxiety and apprehension in consequence of the reve- 
 lation made to him, (Hurst, Gill, Cowles.) Others regard 
 it as resting upon the Jews, (Calvin, Marburg, Hesselburg.) 
 Others on both Jews and Gentiles, (Sawyer, Robinson.) 
 And others still on all nations, (Keil, et al.) This interpre- 
 tation is liable to the following objections: first, no version 
 of the Old Testament possesses higher critical value than the 
 Septuagint. It was made by Alexandrine Jews, whose native 
 language was Hebrew. Whenever in the opinion of the Septua- 
 gint the word massa should be translated "burden" they inter- 
 pret it by such terms as 7tomos, ajtaphora^ phortion^ et al. 
 When the Hebrew word refers to any composition or utter- 
 ance, it is translated by such words as lemma^ horasis^ hor- 
 ama^ rhema^ et al.^ not one of which expresses the idea of a 
 minatory prophecy, though all describe it as an inspired 
 communication from God to man through His prophet. 
 Secondly, several Hebrew words are used by the sacred 
 writers as titles for their utterances. Among these are vis- 
 ion or prophecy, but these words are used to describe the 
 prophecies that lollow them, either as inspired by Jehovah 
 or as uttered by the prophet as Jehovah's agent. Not one 
 of them expresses the eftect produced by the prophecy of 
 which it is the title, upon the minds of men. It is contrary 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 39 
 
 then to the analogy of Scripture to give it here the mean- 
 ing of a threatening prophecy, i. e., a burden to those against 
 whom it is directed. Thirdly, the meaning given to the 
 word should be applicable in every case where it is used to 
 describe a prophetic communication. It is, however, pre- 
 fixed to prophecies which are not wholly minatory. Such 
 is the case with this prophecy of Habakkuk. It predicts 
 both joy and sorrow to both Chaldeans and Jews, and con- 
 cludes with a theophany of Jehovah, from whose effects, the 
 prophet learns the lesson of faith in Him in the most sor- 
 rowful circumstances. The book cannot therefore be cor- 
 rectly described as a minatory prophecy. Similar in- 
 stances occur in Isa. 19: i; 23: 5, where threatenings and 
 comfort are closely mingled. It is remarkable also, that in 
 one case at least, Zech. 12: i, the prophecy which follows the 
 title contains not a single sentence of a minatory character 
 against Israel, who is the subject of the utterance, but its 
 threatenings are directed against the enemies of Israel, and 
 its whole tenor is consolatory to the chosen people of God. 
 The word occurs also as the title of Proverbs, chapters 30 
 and 31, neither of which has a threatening character, but 
 each consists of didactic statements of truth on various sub- 
 jects. Fourthly, it is admitted that this word is usually 
 followed by a threatening prophecy, but this can readily be 
 accounted for when we remember that Jehovah is holy and 
 just, and that His utterances relate to sinful men, who de- 
 serve to hear such statements. But the fact that this signifi- 
 cation does not suit the word in all cases, shows that there 
 must be another meaning which shall be applicable where- 
 ever it occurs as a prophetic communication. Finally, this 
 word is interpreted to mean an utterance or enunciation of 
 more importance than any statement made in ordinary 
 conversation, and which consequently demands the attention 
 of the hearer. It corresponds very closely to the word 
 ''deliverance," as used in such phrases as a deliverance of 
 the Supreme Court or of the General Assembly, i. e., an im- 
 
40 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 portant and authoritative enunciation, ( — effatum, — Acker- 
 man, Maurer, Rosenmueller, Anspruch, Theiner, Delitzsch, 
 Umbreit, Phillipsen, De Wette, Hitzig, — Hochspruch — 
 Ewald.) This interpretation agrees accurately with the 
 derivation and usage of the word. The verb nasa has the 
 signification of "to utter" in all phrases which refer to any- 
 thing spoken, such as "to lift up a voice, a cry, the name 
 of the lyord, a prayer, a lamentation, a parable, a psalm, a 
 reproach, Ps. 15: 3; Ex. 20: 7; Hab. 2: 6; Num. 23: 7; Isa. 
 14: 4. It never in such cases signifies "to threaten." The 
 meaning "utterance" is applicable to the original word 
 wherever it occurs. It is consequently to be regarded as 
 its true rendering. It describes the succeeding prophecy as 
 an important and authoritative annunciation. This word 
 is limited sometimes by the word "Jehovah," sometimes by the 
 phrase, "the word of Jehovah," sometimes by the names of 
 the lands or nations to which it refers, and sometimes, as in 
 the present instance, by a descriptive clause. It is here said 
 to be the utterance which the prophet Habakkuk saw. It 
 is that part of the whole prophetic revelation which he, as 
 God's messenger, was commissioned to declare to men. (See 
 remarks on his life and office in the Introduction.) Abar- 
 banel notices the fact that the designation "prophet" is ap- 
 plied to only three of the minor prophets, viz., Haggai, 
 Zechariah, and Habakkuk, and gives as his reason for it, that 
 in their prophecies the phrases "The word ot the Lord 
 came. Thus saith the Lord," &c., so common in the 
 writings of other inspired men, do not occur, and hence the 
 specific designation prophet is applied to them, in the title 
 of the book. — Vision was one of the methods by which God 
 communicated His will to men. While under the influence 
 of the Spirit, the mind of the prophet was abstracted from 
 all other objects, and fixed upon the things seen, while his 
 body often seemed asleep. This was a common method of 
 inspiration. Hence prophets were at first called "seers," 
 and the verb "to see" was generally used to express the 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 4 I 
 
 perception of truth by inspiration. This prophetic vision 
 differs from natural sight, from the operation of the natural 
 reason, and from the spiritual illumination by which the 
 believer sees the beauty, force and applicability of the truth. 
 It describes the effect produced by the Holy Ghost upon 
 men, when He communicates truth to their minds, and 
 controls them while uttering the Word of God to others. 
 Habakkuk here claims such inspiration for himself, and a 
 place for his book in the written Word of God. 
 
 2-4. The prophet complains to Jehovah ot His apparent 
 Unconcern, though crime prevails in Judah. How long^ 
 Jehovah, have I cried^ and thou wilt not heai\f {how long) 
 shall I cry out unto thee^ Violence^ and thou wilt not save? 
 The prophet speaks as the representative of Israel, not of the 
 common people or vulgus^ but of the pious in Israel, the 
 members of God's household, who were compelled to live in 
 the midst of abounding sin, and shared in its evil conse- 
 quences. — Jehovah is the self-existent, eternal, and un- 
 changeable God, the God of revelation and the covenant 
 God of His people. This name of God was originally written 
 *'Yahaveh," which is the third person future of the Hebrew 
 verb "to be, havahy It was regarded by the Hebrews as 
 peculiarly sacred, and was pronounced only by the high priest 
 when he entered into the Holy of Holies. Where it occurs 
 in the Scriptures, the Jews substituted one of the other 
 names of God for it. In order to indicate this the vowels 
 of the substituted name were written in connection with the 
 consonants of the word "Yahaveh." We therefore gener- 
 erally pronounce it by the aid of the vowels ot Adhonai^ the 
 ordinary word for "Lord." Habakkuk's language implies 
 that the condition of things which induced him to cry for 
 help had already existed for a long time, and was so des- 
 perate that nothing but the interference of Yahaveh could 
 afford relief This is indicated both by the appeal to 
 Yahaveh, and by the mingling of the past and future tenses 
 of the verbs in his complaint. The}- are used to express 
 
42 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 intense feeling. The violence of which he complains is not 
 that of the Chaldeans, as Hitzig thinks. For their invasion 
 was still luture, and is not announced to the prophet in 
 Jehovah's reply to his complaint. It is intended to desig- 
 nate the abuse of power manifested in oppressive acts of 
 cruelty and injustice throughout the Kingdom of Judah in 
 public and private. This term is used in Gen. 6: 11-13, to 
 describe the moral condition of things before the flood, and 
 in Ps. 18: 48, it describes the conduct of David's enemies. 
 Its nature and effects are described in verses 2-4. The in- 
 difference of Jehovah to the cry of the prophet is expressed, 
 first, by His not hearing, and secondly, by His not saving 
 the prophet and his people. God is the covenant God of 
 Israel, able to save, and engaged to help them in times of 
 trouble. The people of God often think His ear closed 
 against their petitions, and His hand unwilling to save, and 
 on this account the prophet appeals to Jehovah. His cry, 
 though earnest and importunate, was hitherto unavailing. 
 For God did not yet interfere to remove the causes of his 
 solicitude. Jehovah, because He is what He is, is the only 
 refuge of His people in time of trouble. He does not, how- 
 ever, always answer prayer when we offer it, or give us just 
 what we desire. The people of God are appointed unto 
 affliction, and in infinite wisdom He never removes it from 
 them until the proper time comes. 
 
 J. Wky wilt thou show me iniquity^ and why wilt thou 
 behold trouble ? Oppression and violence are before me^ 
 a7id strife has existed^ and contentio7t will raise itself. 
 The particle ''why," i. e., "to what extent and for what 
 purpose," may be supplied before each clause of the verse, 
 though it is perhaps better to regard its influence as ex- 
 tending only to the first two clauses. The prophet first 
 traces the origin of the present condition of things to in- 
 iquity, and then describes it as trouble. He declares with 
 reference to iniquity, first, that God permitted it to abound, 
 and placed the prophet in a position where he must see it. 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 43 
 
 The word translated "iniquity" means originally, "nonentity," 
 then "the absence of all goodness," then negatively, "un- 
 righteousness," or positively, "wickedness," "iniquity," 
 and more specifically "injustice, falsehood." Here 
 the more general sense is preferable, which is then ren- 
 dered more specific in the third clause, "why wilt thou 
 then behold trouble?" This is preferable to the translation of 
 the King James version, and of Newcomb and Rosenmueller, 
 "and cause me to behold grievance," for the reason that the 
 verb tabhit is never used elsewhere in a causative sense. It 
 is also used elsewhere, e. g., in Isaiah, to express "look- 
 ing at with indifference." "To behold" signifies here "to 
 look upon without interfering to prevent it." This second 
 ground of complaint is, that Jehovah regarded their trouble 
 only as a careless and indifferent spectator, which God 
 really seems to do, (Hitzig and Hengstenberg). The word 
 translated "trouble" means originally "toil, labor," and then, 
 like the corresponding Greek and Latin words ponos and 
 labor ^ means "trouble." It is related to the noun in the 
 preceding clause, as the effect to cause. These nouns are 
 frequently used elsewhere in the same relation. This 
 trouble is further described by the terms "oppression and 
 violence." Jarchi interprets "iniquity," as "plundering, 
 laying waste." Aben-Ezra interprets it, "men of iniquity," 
 i. e., the Chaldeans, "wherefore dost thou look upon, nor 
 bring aid; wherefore dost thou permit me to see the devas- 
 tation of the barbarian enemy, and not bring aid?" The 
 iniquity mentioned in the first clause, is here expressed more 
 specifically. While iniquity in all its forms prevailed, the 
 abuse of power in acts of oppression and injustice was most 
 prominent. They were before him in the sense of being 
 openly and frequently committed, so that, as it were, he could 
 not look without seeing them, and though a prophet, not- 
 withstanding all his remonstrances, exhortations, and re- 
 proofs. (Gill.) Strife and contention are the most promi- 
 nent elements in the prophet's idea ot trouble; strife refers 
 
44 ^^ COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 to all differences both public and private, and contentions 
 to the quarrels and disputes that follow them. The last 
 verb is the root from which the noun massa in verse i is 
 derived. It means that contention makes itself a promi- 
 nent object of view, obtrudes itself on one's notice. Sin 
 and trouble are closely bound together in the administration 
 of God's government as cause and effect, or a<J labor and 
 its reward; one sin often leads to another. Oppression and 
 violence are represented here as the precursor of strife and 
 contention. One sin may sometimes be the penalty of 
 another sin. The strife and contention, while in them- 
 selves sinful, were the punitive consequence of their oppres- 
 sion and violence. Though God seems to us to look on 
 our sins and troubles with indifference, yet, as the sequel of 
 this prophecy shows. He will vindicate His own glory in 
 His own time and way. Might does not make right. 
 
 4. Therefore law shall be torpid^ aud judgnieiit will not 
 go forth to purity; for the wicked is encompassing the 
 righteous^ wherefore judgment shall go jorth pei^verted. 
 "Therefore," i. e., because thou, Jehovah, will not interfere 
 to prevent this evil and distressing state ot affairs. Law is 
 the rule of duty. In Judah, the law of Moses was its writ- 
 ten representative. It was both the civil and religious code 
 of the nation, and is here described as dormant, paralyzed, 
 inoperative. It was neither observed as a rule of duty, nor 
 executed as the index of punishment to evildoers. ''''And 
 judgment goes not forth to purity ^ The administration of 
 justice does not terminate in the establishment of right. A 
 parallel passage is found Isa. 42: 3, where the Messiah is 
 said to "bring forth judgment unto truth," i. e., so as to es- 
 tablish truth instead of falsehood. Others interpret this 
 clause as in our version "judgment never goes forth," and 
 others, "judgment does not go forth," by truth. Whichever 
 interpretation be adopted, the sense remains the same, that 
 the administration of the law does not result in the estab- 
 lishment of that which is pure and right, and in the con- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 45 
 
 demnation of the wicked. The prophet assigns the second- 
 ary cause of the state of things described in the preceding 
 clauses. This was the fact, that the wicked surrounded the 
 righteous, as enemies encompass a besieged city. The 
 wicked surpass the righteous in number, repress their good 
 influence, and treat them as enemies, wherefore judgment 
 is perverted, a repetition of the sentiment ot the second 
 clause, as the consequence of the multitude, power, and 
 hatred of the wicked. While Jehovah delays to execute His 
 judgments, the hearts of men are fully set in them to do evil, 
 and while iniquity abounds, the love of many waxes cold, 
 and the law of God becomes powerless to guide in the way 
 of duty or restrain from crime. 
 
 5-1 1. Jehovah replies to the complaint of the 
 prophet. 5. Jehovah directs the attention of the 
 prophet and his people to His marvellous work 
 among the nations, which is so strange as to be in- 
 credible. 6. This work is God's raising up the Chaldeans 
 as the instrument for punishing Israel. This is a bitter 
 and impetuous people which marches through the breadth 
 of the earth. 7. They are terrible and dreadful; their 
 supremacy is entire. 8. Their cavalry are fierce and swift, 
 and soon cover the land. 9. Their object shall be violence, 
 and they shall gather many captives. 10. They shall scoff 
 at mighty men and strongholds. 11. They shall transgress, 
 imputing their power to their god. 
 
 5. Behold ye among the peoples^ and re^ard^ and be 
 greatly astonished! For a work working in yonr days^ ye 
 will not believe^ though it be told. God speaks in this par- 
 agraph, and the verbs are in the plural because He addresses 
 both the prophet and the people of Judah, whom he repre- 
 sents. Jehovah proposes a remedy for the present state of 
 affairs, which is remarkable, because it corresponds so ex- 
 actly with what has already been said in the preceding 
 verses. The prophet has described what he has seen, and 
 expresses his amazement. God now bids him look again, 
 
46 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 and be amazed at the plan which Jehovah Himself has al- 
 ready adopted to remove the trouble. The prophet's atten- 
 tion is directed to the surrounding nations, where the indi- 
 cations of God's plan may already be seen. His view must 
 no longer be confined to his past experience, nor to the 
 condition of his own land, but embrace Syria, Assyria, 
 Babylonia, Egypt, and all their dependencies. In these 
 lands the agencies are already at work that will accomplish 
 God's purposes. These purposes are wonderful in their 
 nature, marvellous in their consummation, and amazing in 
 their effects. The reduplication of verbs of similar signifi- 
 cation in the first hemistich, conveys the sentiment that 
 Jehovah regards the object which He points out, as one of 
 great importance and deserving their most earnest attention. 
 The reason assigned for this duty is the marvellousness of 
 the work going on in their da}'S. No personal pronoun is 
 used, as in the English Bible, to describe the author of this 
 work, which must be regarded as the object of the verb 
 translated "ye will not believe." This work includes many 
 particulars, involving all that was requisite in the chastise- 
 ment of one nation by another. Here it embraces the over- 
 throw of the Assyrian Empire, the conquest of Philistia and 
 Palestine by Egypt, the rise of the Babylonian Empire, the 
 expulsion of the Egyptians from Carchemish, and the in- 
 vasion of Judah by the Chaldeans. This work is described 
 as in actual progress "in your days." The unusual expres- 
 sion a "work working" suggests the thought that this work 
 is not completed, but is daily advancing to its consumma- 
 tion, which would be reached in the days of that generation. 
 The phraseology of the next verse, "Behold me raising up 
 the Chaldeans," while it explains the nature of the work, 
 also asserts the present and continued activity of Jehovah 
 in its execution. Even while His people sinned, suffered, 
 and complained, the God of providence was exerting 
 His energies in doing that which, when accomplished, 
 would be worthy of Himself, and exactly suited to the cir- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 47 
 
 cumstances of His people. The expression "a work work- 
 ing in your days" may be illustrated by such phrases as "the 
 leaven leavening the whole lump," "to see a house building" 
 "to hear a train running." In every case when a participle 
 governs an object, whether it be a noun or a clause, the 
 participle precedes the object. Chapter 2: 5, 6; 2: 9; 2: 12; 
 2: 15; 2: 18; 2: 19. In no case does the participle follow the 
 object. The expression "in your days" may comprise a whole 
 lifetime of seventy years, but it more frequently describes a 
 period of fo£t};_Years as the duration of a generation. The 
 generation which Moses brought out of Egypt lived but 
 forty years, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. Num. 
 14: 33; 32: 13; Acts 13: 18; Joshua 5: 6. It seems very 
 appropriate to the circumstances of the case that 
 the Lord should employ the same time in pre- 
 paring Judah for their expulsion from the land of Canaan, that 
 was occupied in preparing Israel for their entrance into that 
 land. The condition on which Israel should possess and 
 enjoy the land of Canaan was, obedience to the law of God. 
 2 Kings 21: 8. The cup of Judah's iniquity became lull in 
 the days of Manasseh. The sins of b oth_^iiig_and people 
 were so great, that they ^rendered it accessary that God 
 should remove them out of His sight. 2 Kings 24:^; 21: 2-9. 
 The pious life of Josiah, and the reformation which he ef- 
 fected, were not sufficient to turn the Lord from the fierce- 
 ness of His great wrath wherewith His anger was kindled 
 against Judah, because of the provocation wherewith Man- 
 asseh had provoked him withal, 2 Kings 23: 26; 2 Chron. 
 34:22. If then the invasion of Judah by Nebuchadm zzar 
 occurred B. C. 608, the term of forty years would extend to 
 B. C. 648, four years before the close of Manasseh's reign, a 
 time exactly adapted to the nature and purpose of Habakkuk's 
 prophecy. It would include all the particulars already 
 mentioned as belonging to this work. Inspired records of 
 Jewish history, though they do not mention Habakkuk, 
 speak of the prophets "in those days," in terms which ex- 
 
48 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 actly describe Habakkuk and his work, 2 Kings 21: 10, 
 and all their prophecies correspond with Jewish history 
 between B. C. 648 and 608. This announcement would 
 be so marvellous as to be incredible both to the prophet and 
 his people. The work itself would require all the laborious 
 effort implied in an invasion and conquest oi Judah by an- 
 other nation, and it seemed utterly inconsistent with the 
 idea that Judah was the chosen people of God, an idea 
 which had been cherished by them for many centuries past. 
 The reason assigned for the marvellousness of their unbelief 
 is, "for it shall be told." There would be no lack of infor- 
 mation, which would excuse their unbelief God would 
 tell them all that they needed to know, and that which He 
 revealed to them would certainly be fulfilled. Consequently 
 they might well be amazed at what they saw and heard. 
 
 6. For behold me^ raising up the Chaldeans^ the bitter and 
 hasty nation^ the onegoiiig unto the breadths of the earth to pos- 
 sess the dzvelling places (that belong) not to it. ' ' ' ^For behold me^ 
 raising upy The word ''for" introduces the proof of the 
 declaration that God was at work, however incredible it 
 might seem to them. The attention of the people is di- 
 rected first, to the worker, secondly, to the peculiar nature of 
 the work itself, and thirdly, to the instrument by which it 
 shall be performed. The worker is the Jehovah unto whom 
 the prophet makes his complaint in verse 2, who is not only 
 the self-existent and eternal God, and the covenant God of 
 Israel, but also the God who reigns among the nations of 
 the earth. "No man hath seen God at any time," but men 
 may still behold him intellectually and spiritually by the 
 proper improvement of reason and ol spiritual gifts. The 
 participle translated "raising up," is active, and refers to 
 what God is now doing among the nations of the earth. It 
 implies that He has already selected and appointed the Chal- 
 deans as His agents. It represents Jehovah as actually en- 
 gaged in preparing them to act their destined part in the 
 accomplishment of His designs. It asserts that God is now 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 49 
 
 qualifying them for it, and inciting or permitting them to en- 
 ter on it at the proper time and in the proper way, 
 and that when they had entered on it, He would direct, as- 
 sist, and overrule them. The signification by many inter- 
 preters of "rousing" or "exciting" is too limited. For 
 Jehovah is a wise, mighty and omniscient Sovereign, in 
 whose government the preparation of means of punish- 
 ment is contemplated in connection with the commission 
 of sin. The punishment itself is in entire accordance with 
 the law of God, and its infliction accomplishes God's penal 
 purposes. The people whom Jehovah raises up are called 
 "Chaldeans" or, as it is written in Hebrew, Casdmi. This 
 name is plural in form, and is by many interpreters derived 
 liom the nam^e of their ancestor Chesed, who was Abraham's 
 nephew. Gen. 22: 22. Ewald and others refer the name of 
 Casdim to that ot Arphaxad, an ancestor of Abraham, 
 mentioned in Gen. 10:22. Oppert supposes that the 
 name is of Tartaric origin, and signifies, "two rivers," and 
 therefore describes the region known as Mesopotamia. The 
 Chaldeans were the subjects of the kingdom whose capital 
 was Babylon. Their origin and early history are shrouded 
 in the mists of antiquity. The earliest Scriptural reference 
 to them is contained in Gen. 11: 28, where Abraham is 
 paid to have been brought out from Ur of the Chaldees. 
 They are said by Xenophon to have dwelt in the moun- 
 tains of Armenia or Kurdistan, while in sacred history we 
 meet with them only as inhabitants ot the plain of Shinar. 
 These apparently contradictory statements are reconciled 
 by supposing them to have been a nomadic tribe of moun- 
 taineers whose original home was iVrmenia, and whose 
 name was analogous with that of the Kurds, and that part 
 of the tribe either emigrated voluntarily to Babylonia, or 
 was taken captive and transferred thither by the victorious 
 Assyrians, according to their usual method of dealing with 
 conquered nations. The theory ot their deportation by the 
 Ass3'rians agrees well with the language of Isaiah 23: 13, 
 
50 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 "Behold the Chaldeans! this people was not, until the As- 
 syrians tounded it for them that dwell in the wilderness." 
 Having become domesticated in the plain of Shinar, they 
 threw off the yoke of the Assyrians, and became indepen- 
 nent. They were still, however, under the dominion of As- 
 syria during the reign of Manasseh, II Chron. 33: 11, and, 
 in connection with the Medes, destroyed Nineveh, B. C. 
 625. They were a bold and martial people, and soon ex- 
 tended their dominions far and wide, rapidly becoming the 
 dominant power among the surrounding nations. But their 
 history is obscure until the days of Nabopolassar and his 
 son Nebuchadnezzar, whose name appears more frequently 
 in sacred history than any other monarch of Babylon. The 
 Chaldeans are here described, first, in general terms as a 
 "bitter and hasty nation." As a bitter substance com- 
 municates its own bitterness to our tongues, so the Chal- 
 deans produce bitterness of heart in those with whom they 
 come in contact. They disregard the comfort, peace, hap- 
 piness and rights of individuals and nations. Their gov- 
 ernment is autocratic. They are selfish, fierce and cruel. 
 They distress their fellow-men by communicating to indi- 
 viduals, disappointment, sorrow, pain and death; by bring- 
 ing upon their armies, disaster and defeat; by overthrowing 
 nations, by slaying their rulers, and by deporting captive 
 nations. Thus they created in others that bitterness of 
 spirit which made life a burden. The Chaldeans were a 
 "hasty" nation. This implies, first, that they were rapid 
 in their movements, their armies made speedy advances 
 upon their enemies, and secondly, that they were energetic, 
 vehement, irascible, impetuous, always ready to avenge a 
 wrong, or to secure any advantage over their fellow-men. 
 Their ferocity and impetuosity are also found combined as 
 their most striking characteristics, in the prophetic symbol 
 of the Babylonian kingdom, namely, "the lion with eaglets 
 wings," Dan 7: 4. The appropriateness of this descrip- 
 tion may be seen both in the operations of the 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 5 1 
 
 government, and in the acts of individuals. Several 
 circumstances are recorded in Scripture confirming 
 the correctness of this description. Thus, the treatment ot 
 Zedekiah and his family b3^ their captors, II. Chron. 26 : 17; 
 the deportation of captive nations, the threat of Nebuchad- 
 nezzar against the magicians, Dan. 2: 10-13; the casting of 
 the three young men into the fiery furnace, Dan. 3: 19-20; 
 the slaughter ot the young men, 11. Chron. 34: 17; the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem, II. Chron. 34: 19; may be cited as 
 appropriate illustrations. After this short and striking por- 
 trait, the lyord points out the various features that compose 
 it, and exhibits it as presenting a fit instrument for the ex- 
 ecution of His plans. The first of these is that the Chaldean 
 nation is "the one going to the breadths of the earth, to 
 possess the dwellings that belong not to it," traversing the 
 broad lands of the earth unto its utmost limits. The word 
 translated "earth" should not be confined, as in the author- 
 ized English version, to the land of Judah, but embraces the 
 whole world, and the phrase "the breadths of the earth" 
 includes not merely its broad plains or wide places but its 
 entire surface in every direction to its farthest boundaries. 
 So the phrase "the depths of the sea" describes its waters to 
 its very bottom. The plural form of the word "breadths" 
 possibly contains a reference to the ancient geographical 
 idea that the world had a level surface of unknown extent, 
 and the nation is here said to make progress in every direc- 
 tion, north, south, east and west, until it reaches the ends 
 of the earth. Its designs are accompanied by the irresistible 
 progress of its power, and its victorious armies secure the 
 dwellings that belong not to it. God is sovereign of 
 nations, and manages them so as to accomplish His pur- 
 poses in His own time and way. He punishes nations by 
 natural and temporal calamities. His instruments for the 
 chastisement of sin are often in course of preparation even 
 while the sinner is in course of transgression. His wisdom 
 is displayed also in the adaptation of means to the accom- 
 
53 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 plishineiit of the end. When He would punish Judah, He 
 raises up the Chaldeans to do it for Him. 
 
 7. Terrible and dreadful {is it\ from itself its judgment 
 and its dignity shall go forth. The people is autocratic, and 
 its own will is its law. It is an object of terror and dread, 
 because it possesses the character ascribed to it in the con- 
 text. TliewordJ judgment'' must here signify the admin- 
 istration of justice^ The word~^^dignity" means its majesty 
 or supremacy over others. In all judicial matters, it is 
 despotic, acknowledging no law but its own will. Its dig- 
 nity is the fruit of its own exertions, and is maintained by 
 its own ability. The verb^^alXggjbrth" is in the third 
 person singular of the future tense. The use of a verb in 
 the singular, with two subjects connected by a conjunction, 
 shows that the two subjects belong to the same class of 
 things, and may be included in one common expression, 
 such as the lollowing : his supremacy both as judge and 
 lord is autocratic, self-derived, and self-maintained. The 
 future tense implies that such is its character now, and such 
 it will continue to be in the future. The despotism of the 
 Chaldean rule is matter of history. 
 
 8. And swifter than leopards are its horses., and more 
 fierce than the wolves of evenhig; mid its horsemen sweep 
 proudly on^ and its horsemen shall come from afar; they shall 
 fly like an eagle hastening to eat. In Judah th e horse wa s 
 comparatively rare. The Mosaic law, Deut .fe^l: #, p osi-^/?^^ 
 tively forbade the kings of Judah to multiply horses. 
 Among the surrounding nations, however, they were more 
 extensively reared and more generally employed, and con- 
 sequently constituted a much larger element in national 
 wealth and power. They are never mentioned among the 
 beasts of burden, but allusion is often made to their em- 
 ployment for military purposes. _They are introduced" into 
 the~description of the Chaldeans, because cavalry was so 
 important an arm of service in their army, while m 'that of 
 Judah it was so insignificant. The leopard is an animal 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 53 
 
 of the cat kind, noted for its swiftness. It is more spirited, 
 mettlesome, and keen than the wolf, surpassing it in speed, 
 courage, and endurance. The wolf remains in his den dur- 
 ing the day, and prowls about for food during the evening 
 and night. This habit of the animal has given rise to some 
 singular proverbial expressions in various languages. Thus 
 the twilight is called by the Arabs and Persians, "the tail of 
 the wolf," and by the French, "the period entre cllien et 
 loup," i. e., the time between the dog and the wolf In 
 the evening the wolf, hungry alter his day's fast, would be 
 far keener in the pursuit ot his prey than in the morning. 
 "And its horsemen." The original word for "horsemen" 
 is applied sometimes to the horse, and sometimes to its 
 rider. Henderson, to imitate this peculiarity, translates 
 this clause "his horse shall spread proudly along." The 
 signification "horsemen, cavalry," is appropriate here, and 
 is indeed the theme ot the whole verse. For the horses 
 mentioned in the first clause are those of the Chaldean's cav- 
 alry. The Hebrew wQxhpush^ translated ^^ sweep proudly on^^^ 
 probably corresponds in significance with the analogous 
 Arabic verb, which means "to act proudly, to prance, 
 to curvet." The whole tenor of the passage suggests the 
 idea of a bold, rapid and forward movement. "And its 
 horsemen shall come from afar." The verb "come" implies 
 approach to the land of Judah, where Jehovah had His es- 
 pecial dwelling. They make long and rapid journeys with 
 as little weariness as the eagle. See Deut. 28: 49, 50; Jer. 
 5: 15. The eagle's strong pinions never weary in pursuit 
 of his prey, however great the distance at which his pierc- 
 ing eye may discover it. The particular species of the ani- 
 mals mentioned here, cannot and need not be accurately de- 
 termined, because the qualities ascribed to them, are not 
 peculiarities of individuals, but are possessed by the whole 
 family to which they belong. The predatory nature of the 
 animals suggests the additional thought that the Chaldeans 
 are fierce and rapacious marauders. 
 
54 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 g. Its all shall come for violence^ the desire of their faces 
 IS forward^ and it shall gather the captivity like sand. "Its 
 all, (they all) shall come," &c. The singular form of the 
 word "all" expresses the totality of the nation better than a 
 plural would do. (Delitzsch.) Calvin thinks that the 
 phrase, "come for the prey" implies that they would have 
 no trouble or labor, for they would be victorious before 
 they had any contest. The cruel rapacity of the Chaldeans, 
 which was already suggested by the character of the ani- 
 mals to which they are compared in verse 8, is here defin- 
 itely expressed. The whole available force of the nation 
 shall be engaged in the invasion of Judah, and be irresis- 
 tably victorious. On the word "violence," see verse 2. "The 
 desire of their faces, " &c. This clause in Hebrew consists 
 of three words, of which the first and the last are very 
 variously interpreted. The first w^ord occurs nowhere else, 
 and the last is rendered by some, "forward towards that 
 which is in front;" by others "eastward" (Dutch Anno, and 
 West. Anno.); and by others "an east wind." The significa- 
 tion "eastward" is adopted by Abarbanel, who thinks the 
 passage refers to the return of the Chaldean army loaded 
 with the spoils of Judah; and also by Hitzig and others, who 
 explain it by supposing an eastward march of their army 
 after entering the Jewish territory near the Mediterranean. 
 Their interpretations, however, do not agree with the scope 
 of the passage, and probable route of the army. The sig- 
 nification "eastward" is well suited to the context, but it 
 never has this meaning unless the word "wind" is added 
 in the original, and this is wanting here. The first word in 
 this clause is rendered first, "desire," secondly, "gathering 
 host, or troop," thirdly, "aspect^ or direction," fourthly, "ab- 
 sorption, or supping up." We prefer the first, because it 
 expresses the idea common to several of the renderings, and 
 corresponds to the signification of the similar Arabic verb. 
 The clause then expresses the sentiment that the faces of 
 the Chaldeans glow with a longing desire to possess and en- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 55 
 
 joy the booty which was just in front ot them. "And it 
 shall gather the captivity," &c. The captivity means the 
 captives. These should be as numerous as the sand; and 
 perhaps the figure also implies that they should be gathered 
 with as little resistance as sand. 
 
 10. And this {people) shall scoff at kings^ and princes 
 shall be a derision nnto it. It shall deride every fortress^ 
 and it will heap np earth and take it. The people described 
 in the foregoing context, the Chaldeans, shall look with 
 contempt upon all that oppose it, however high in station 
 and mighty in resources. "This" reters not only to the 
 kings and nobles of the Jews, but those of all nations 
 whither the Chaldeans may set their faces. "Derision" is 
 used here to express an object of derision. "He shall deride," 
 &c. His military skill shall be so superior to that of other 
 nations, that he shall regard every attempt at seli-defence 
 as worthy only of mockery. — "And it will heap up," &c. 
 This mode of assault was also practised by the Romans. A 
 mound of earth (Latin, agger ^ was raised before the walls 
 of a besieged city, on which the battering engines were 
 erected. It was gradually extended toward the walls, 
 through the addition of new materials, and when a break 
 was made in the walls, it formed a path for the entrance of 
 the besieging army. The instruments which God employs 
 for the execution of His purposes are irresistible. 
 
 11. Then it has chajiged spirit^ and transgressed^ and be- 
 come guilty. This his power is for his god. Many inter- 
 pretations have been made of the first clause, of which the 
 tollowing specimens are given : "then shall his mind 
 change," (Auth. Vers.); "then shall he sweep by as a wind," 
 (Revised Vers.); "then his spirit reviveth, or renews itself," 
 (Gesenius); "then its courage becomes young again, or 
 grows;" "then he shall pass along as a wind," (Keil); "dann 
 fahrt es dahin ein Sturm," (De Wette); "then it gaineth 
 fresh spirit," (Henderson); Isaiah 24: 5, "because they 
 have transgressed the laws, then its spirit revives," (SchafF). 
 
56 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 The word ''then" in the beginning of this verse may in- 
 dicate a point of either time or space. Keil prefers the 
 latter, but most interpreters think it designates the point of 
 time at which a change occurs in the affairs of the Chal- 
 deans, after executing the will of Jehovah upon the sur- 
 rounding nations and having attained supremacy among 
 them. The nation has changed its spirit. It has become 
 proud and self-confident. Once, under Assyrian control, it 
 became independent and self-reliant, but in consequence of 
 its long-continued and unvarying prosperity, independence 
 and self-reliance became self-worship. iVfter the conquest 
 of Judah, it engaged but seldom in foreign wars. The verbs 
 of the second and third clauses describe the consequences of 
 this change of spirit. It transgresses the allotted bounds 
 and becomes guilty. This word "transgress" in the orig- 
 inal combines the ideas ot sin and punishment, and these 
 two are so intimately connected in the divine government, 
 that they cannot be dissociated. Sin and guilt are here 
 closely connected in the language of the Lord, and guilt is 
 liability to punishment. "This his power is for his god." 
 Its power has now become its god, the very might which 
 it has received from Jehovah as a talent to be employed in 
 His service, has been adopted and worshipped as its god. 
 The prophet seizes upon this fact and urges it powerfully, 
 in the following appeal to Jehovah, see verses 15-17. The 
 truth of this prophecy is finely illustrated in the history of 
 Nebuchadnezzar, who may be regarded as the representative 
 man and monarch of the Chaldean race. Glorying in the 
 strength of his own arm, he says : "Is not this great Baby- 
 lon," &c. His sin is immediately punished by the God 
 whose prerogatives he has assumed. It is also illustrated in 
 the history of Belshazzar, the last in the line of the Chaldean 
 kings, who closes his reign and passes beyond his allotted 
 bounds by a public insult to the God of Israel. Daniel 5. 
 
 DOCTRINES. 
 
 I. The supremesovereignty of Jehovah, vs. 5-1 1; Ex. 20: 3. 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 57 
 
 2. So long as the wicked remain within bounds, God 
 may use them as His instruments, but when they exalt 
 themselves against Him, they become the objects of His 
 wrath. 
 
 3. The means which God employs are always sufficient 
 to accomplish the end He desires, and they are often at 
 work while their operation is concealed from the minds of 
 men, verses 5-10. 
 
 4. Prosperity begets pride; pride induces the heart in 
 which it is found to set the object of its pride in the place 
 of God, and worship it as God. 
 
 i: 12-17. In this paragraph, the prophet expresses his 
 assurance that God would raise up the Chaldeans for the 
 chastisement, and not for the destruction, of His people, 
 because the Chaldeans were less deserving of His favors 
 than the Jews. Jehovah is the covenant God of the Jews, 
 who will give life to His own people, and use the Chaldeans 
 for purposes of chastisement. He is too holy, and sympa- 
 thizes too closely with His people to send needless trouble 
 upon them. Yet Jehovah will treat His people as irrational 
 animals which become an easy prey to their pursuers. But 
 the Chaldeans conquer nations as the fisherman gathers fish. 
 They then offer to their implements of warfare divine 
 honors. Will then Jehovah permit them forever to con- 
 tinue in their selfish and wicked course ? 
 
 12. Art thou notfrorn eternity^ Jehovah f My God^ 7ny Holy 
 one^ we shall 7iot die ^Jehovah! for judgment hast thou set him; 
 and Rock ! for chastisement hast thou ordained him. Awed 
 by the fearful description of the nation that should be em- 
 ployed by Jehovah in the vindication ot His own honor, 
 and conscious of the helplessness ofhimselfand of his people, 
 the prophet pronounces his belief that though he and his 
 people may be chastised, they will not be destroyed. The 
 grounds ol his confidence are expressed both in his 
 mode of address, and in his plea, "Art thou not from eter- 
 nity." The signification of the word "Jehovah," has already 
 
58 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 been given, verse 2. The Hebrew word Elohim describes 
 God as the supreme object of worship. In turning away 
 from the god of the Chaldeans mentioned in verse 1 1 , and 
 in addressing Jehovah as his God, the prophet appeals to 
 the relation existing between God and His worshippers, 
 which makes it right and appropriate for Him to favor 
 them. The expression "my Holy One" describes Jehovah 
 as a Being of spotless purity. This attribute renders it cer- 
 tain that He will deal kindly with those in whom His own 
 holy image has been created, and will punish their enemies 
 and His because they are unholy. The prophet'^ argument 
 consists in an appeal to the eternity of Jehovah. If He be 
 eternal, then He is also the only living and unchangeable 
 God, of Whom are all things, and Who is especially the 
 Giver of life. From these premises the prophet draws the 
 conclusion "we shall not die." The scribes say that this is 
 one of eighteen passages in the Old Testament, in which 
 Ezra and his colleagues corrected the ancient text. The 
 alteration here is alleged to be from "thou shalt not die" to 
 "we shall not die." The change however is altogether im- 
 probable. The prophet appropriately describes the expected 
 blessing as one that belongs to the people whom he rep- 
 resents, and this accounts for the fact that the verb in this 
 clause is in the plural number. A God like Jehovah will 
 not destroy His own covenant, His own saints. Many in- 
 terpreters, instead of making "Jehovah" a vocative, make 
 the word predicate of the sentence, and read it: "Art thou 
 not from eternity Jehovah?" Either version suits the con- 
 nection well. The prophet, after asserting his expectation 
 that he and his people shall not die, describes the Chal- 
 deans as ordained for the accomplishment of a particular 
 purpose. "Thou hast made them what they are, and ap- 
 pointed them to be a scourge, in order that the demands of 
 justice may be satisfied, and thy people chastised for their 
 sins." Chastisement, however, does not imply their des- 
 truction. Jehovah is called a "Rock," because He is the 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 59 
 
 refuge and defence of His people, being eternal, immutable 
 and almighty. Jehovah is the God who makes all things 
 work together for the good of His people and the punish- 
 ment of His enemies. The afilictions of His people are 
 temporal chastisements, not eternal punishments. Jehovah 
 possesses such attributes as fit Him both for blessing His 
 people and punishing His enemies. 
 
 I J. Thou art of purer eyes than to look upon evil^ and to 
 behold trouble thou zvilt not be able. Wherefore wilt thou be- 
 hold spoilers ? Wilt thou keep silence^ while the wicked swal- 
 lows tip him that is 7nore righteous than he ? God, who is a 
 Spirit, is described as possessing the members of the human 
 body, in order to aid us in our conception of His character. 
 As we instinctively avert our eyes from that which is hate- 
 ful, so the holiness of God is opposed to that which is sin- 
 ful, and His mercy to undeserved trouble. The words "to 
 behold trouble" are used precisely as in verse 3, to express 
 the thought that Jehovah cannot look with indifference 
 upon the troubles of His people, even when they have been 
 occasioned by their own sin. Sin and trouble are always 
 closely connected in the government of God. Since God pos- 
 sesses so pure eyes, the question is asked, why wilt Thou be a 
 careless spectator, while the marauding Chaldeans are laying 
 waste the earth? Why be silent and unconcerned, while 
 the wicked Chaldeans are destroying the Jews among whom 
 are the only righteous ones of earth, and who as a nation 
 are more righteous than the Chaldeans? The same attributes 
 ot God which call for the punishment of His people, as 
 the prophet has already declared in verse 3, demand more 
 imperatively the punishment of the Chaldeans, because they 
 would be greater sinners and occasion greater trouble than 
 the Israelites. 
 
 14. And make man as the fishes of the sea^ as the creeping 
 things over which there is no ruler ? The vav conversive at 
 the beginning of this verse connects it with the latter clauses 
 of the preceding verse, so that it continues the description 
 
6o A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 of Jehovah's threatened treatment of the Israelitish people. 
 The prophet pleads that the predicted punishment is incon- 
 sistent with the true nature of man, whom God made in His 
 own image. By abandoning men to Chaldean oppression, 
 and not interfering to prevent it. Thou, Jehovah, wilt de- 
 grade them to the position of the irrational inhabitants ot 
 the sea, who have no protector, and consequently fall an 
 easy prey to their pursuers. The creeping things are those 
 animals whose home is in the sea, Ps. 104: 25; Ps. 69: 34. 
 God is here said to do what He permits to be done. 
 
 75. Its all has lijted 7ip with hook; it will catch him with 
 its net^ and gather them with its seine; therefore will it re- 
 joice and exult. In the preceding verses, the work of Jeho- 
 vah has been described, in verses 12-14, and now the Chal- 
 dean nation is presented as fulfilling His purpose. The 
 verb of the first clause is a preterite, and expresses what 
 Jehovah has done and is now doing through Chaldean 
 agency. In the days of Manasseh Judah had been con- 
 quered by them, and Manasseh carried a prisoner to Baby- 
 lon. Other conquests had been made, with apparently as 
 much ease as the fish is drawn from the water by the hook. 
 The phrase "its all" is used exactly as in verse 9, to de- 
 scribe the whole Chaldean nation with its skillful leaders, its 
 mighty armies, and its immense resources. That which 
 had been done by them at the point of time indicated by 
 the first clause should be surpassed in time to come. The 
 verbs ot the second and third clauses are in the future tense, 
 and both verbs and nouns express the idea of progress, both 
 in the instruments and success of their military expeditions. 
 They who have raised fish with the hook, shall do more 
 and greater things with their gradually increasing ability. 
 In so doing they shall treat Israel especially as irrational 
 creatures, and of this fact the prophet desires to complain 
 to Jehovah. Their efibrts are so successful that they rejoice 
 and exult over their victories, their spoils, their captives, 
 and their supremacy. In the mean time Judah shall lie 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 6 I 
 
 helpless at their mercy. God never fails to provide suitable 
 and efficient means for the accomplishment of His ends. 
 
 1 6. Wherefore it will sacrifice to its net^ mid burn in- 
 cense to its seine ^ for by the77i its portion is fat^ and its food 
 is fatteyied 7neat. The result of their military operations 
 was abundant prosperity, which is represented here by a 
 large supply of food. In consequence of their success the 
 Chaldeans will pay divine honor to the two instruments 
 which contributed most to their prosperity, and were the 
 appropriate emblems of their power. They would thus 
 prove themselves to be idolaters imworthy of the favor ot 
 the only true God. Rosenmueller thinks the passage may be 
 illustrated by reference to the ancient custom of worshiping 
 those pieces of offensive armor by which victory had been 
 gained. He quotes Justin 43: 3, who says "from the very 
 origin oi history the ancients worshipped spears as immortal 
 gods, in memory of which, spears are to this day added to 
 the images of the gods." Lucian in Tragoediae says: "The 
 Scythians indeed sacrifice to their scimitars." Arnovius ad 
 gentes, 6, preserves the tradition that in ancient times the 
 nations of Scythia worshipped the scimitar. Ammianus 
 Marcellinus, 17: 12, and Schaff, (Herodotus, 4: 59: 62,) state 
 that the Sarmatians were accustomed to offer annually a sac- 
 rifice to a sabre set up as a representative of Man. We have, 
 however, no certain proof that the custom prevailed among 
 the Chaldeans. The passage is probably designed to ex- 
 press the same thought as the last clause of verse 11, that 
 is, he has no god but his own power. 
 
 I J. Shall it therefore empty its net^ and continually spare 
 not to destroy the nations? Having thus described the 
 Chaldeans as a selfish and wicked conqueror, the prophet 
 asks whether God will permit the Chaldeans to go on in 
 this course continually. To "empty the net" signifies to 
 gather in the spoils of conquest, and at the same time pre- 
 pare for further acquisitions. Some interpreters think 
 there is a reference to the Chaldean custom of removing 
 
62 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 the captive nations from their own homes, and transplant- 
 ing them to some other portion of the Chaldean empire. 
 This, however, would limit the meaning of the expression 
 too narrowly. The question implies a negative answer. 
 God may use the wicked as His instrument for a while, yet 
 His character renders it impossible that they should long 
 remain unpunished. 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 I. The author declares his purpose to place himself 
 where he can hear the voice of Jehovah, and offer his reply. 
 2. Jehovah bids the prophet write his vision in a per- 
 manent form, put it in a prominent place, and depend upon 
 its fulfillment. 3. This will be in its appointed time; 
 it will be complete and speedy. 4. Jehovah describes the 
 Chaldean as proud and fierce. Obedience to the law of the 
 Lord will alone secure righteousness. 5. He is a drunk- 
 ard, proud and insatiable, gathering all nations to himself. 
 6. The spoiler shall be spoiled himself; the conquered na- 
 tions shall utter a song. The song is continued through 
 the rest of the chapter in five strophes, each of which con- 
 tains three verses.^) The first (vs. 6-8,) describes the Chal^ 
 dean as a covetous m'iser, whose burden is worthless. The 
 result shall be spoiling and oppression. The cause will be 
 his bloodguiltiness and his violence everywhere. The 
 second strophe (vs. 9-1 1,) designates him as an avaricious 
 conqueror. The results of his conduct are shame and 
 guilt. The reason for this is that the conquered and helpless 
 will cry out for justice. The third strophe (vs. 12-14,) rep- 
 resents the Chaldean as a builder of a city in blood and in- 
 iquity. The Lord's interposition shall render his labors 
 useless, because the Lord designs to fill the earth with His 
 own glory. The fourth strophe (vs. 15-17,) describes the 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 63 
 
 Chaldean as one who giveth his neighbor drink, that he 
 may gratify himsdf ,^vvith his shame. The result shall be 
 the cup of Jehovi-c's wrath. The reason is the blood- 
 guilt, which was tte evidence of their wickedness. The 
 fifth strophe (vs. 18^0,) describes the Chaldean as an idol- 
 ater, whose idol is not profited by the skill of its maker. 
 Even when overlaid with gold or silver it is useless as a 
 teacher, and the prophet contrasts with it the fact that there 
 is only one Jehovah, the true God, who is in the temple of 
 His holiness. 
 
 ./. On my watch let me stand ^ ajtd let me station myselj 
 upon a tower ^ and I zvill look oiU to see what he [Jehovah) 
 will speak in nie^ and what {reply) I shall return upon my 
 complaint. The prophet expresses his earnest desire for an 
 answer to his complaint, and having laid his complaint be- 
 fore Jehovah, the prophet reverently assumes the attitude 
 of earnest expectation that he may learn the will of God. 
 The intensity of his desire is expressed even in the para- 
 gogic form of the verb. It is not necessary to assume that 
 he refers to any definite locality or particular tower, where 
 he will watch. He desires to say that he will take the pos- 
 ition of earnest expectation, so that, like the sentinel on 
 his outpost, or the watchman on his tower, he may obtain 
 the earliest and clearest information respecting the object of 
 his solicitude, and then, like sentinel and watchman, inform 
 his waiting bj^thren. "I will look out to see." The 
 verb trans!at^J'look-oit," is the root of the noun meaning 
 "watchman," anf " watch-tower. " "What he (Jehovah) 
 will speak in me." Others translate, "speak to me," but 
 the version given above retains the usual form of the He- 
 brew preposition, and presents the additional thought that 
 what he expected was an internal communication of the 
 will of Jehovah, an inspiration. Similar examples of the use of 
 thephrase may be found in II Sam. 23: 2; Num. 12: 6; Zech. 
 i: 9, 13, 14; 2: 2, 7; 4: I, 4, 5; 5: 5, 10; 6, 4. The prophets 
 sometimes represented the people by presenting their com- 
 
64 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 plaints to God, and sometimes were Jehovah's organ of 
 communication to them. Here he asks what reply he, as 
 the orga n of Jehovah, shall make^to lEe people wliom li£ 
 hasjrepresented in his complaint The word "complaint" 
 may also be rendered "argument" or "reproot". He refers 
 in it to what he has said inCi: i2-if) God is our refuge. 
 Though an host encamp against us, we may still find some 
 sentinel-post or watch-tower where we may wait tor Him. 
 When we wait on Him, He will communicate with us. 
 When He has spoken in us, we, and especially the ministry, 
 should tell others what God has revealed to us. 
 
 2. And Jehovah answered me and said^ write a vision ana 
 inscribe it upon the tablets^ so that he may run (the one) read- 
 ing in it. Jehovah replies directing the prophet to record the 
 coming vision and informing him how and why this should be 
 done. By his answer he fulfilled the expectation of the prophet, 
 to whom a vision would be granted, of which he should 
 make a permanent record, for a reason assigned in verse 3. 
 This vision is contained in \fe. 4-20, and as it is yet indefinite 
 and unrevealed it is called a and not_(^^ vision. That which 
 the prophet in verse i had described by the words, "what 
 he shall speak in me," is here called a visi on, to indicate it 
 as a divine revelation supernaturally perceived. "And inscribe 
 it upon the tablets." This clause may either be regarded as 
 explanatory ol the preceding one, or as prescribing an addi- 
 tional method of securing its preservation, viz., by giving it 
 publicity. By tablets are meant the smooth surfaces of 
 brass, stone, wood either bare or covered with wax, plas- 
 ter, &c., upon which inscriptions intended for the public 
 were writteru__ This method of preservation, as the most re- 
 cent excavations prove, was well known in the ancient east. 
 In an excavation at Kouyunjik, the workman come upon a 
 chamberful of tablets of terra cotta, with inscriptions in per- 
 fect preservation piled in heaps from the floor to the ceiling. 
 The presence of the definite article before the word "tablets" 
 points the prophet to those particular ones which he would 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 6^ 
 
 immediately recognize as intended to be used for the pur- 
 pose. We can say nothing with certainty respecting the 
 material or composition of these tablets. We know that they 
 must have been in such places as would attract attention. 
 The mention of more than one tablet may arise from the 
 fact that since the vision must be written in large and dis- 
 tinctly legible characters, more than one would be needed to 
 contain it all. But more probably the plural refers to sev- 
 eral tablets in different positions, on each of which was a 
 copy of the vision. The vision must be written in large 
 plain letters, so that one might run beside it and still read. 
 
 J, ''''For the vision is yet for the appointed time^ and it 
 shall pant for the end and not he. Though it delay ^ wait for 
 it. For it shall certainly cofne and not tarry.^'' The definite 
 article is wanting before the word "vision" in the Hebrew, 
 for the same reason as in the preceding verse, though it is 
 necessary in English. This verse assigns the reason for the 
 preservation of the vision by the methods prescribed in verse 
 2. The reasonJSj_tJmt Jts_^ take place 
 
 jit some future time. It will be fulfilled at the time ap-~ 
 pointed in the counsels of God. The prophecy, though its 
 tulfilment is future, pantsjfor, that is, rapidly hastens on 
 tQ.its consummation or end. It is the word of Jehovah and 
 therefore sure. His truth and His power go hand in hand, 
 the vision hastens to the end that it may be proven true. 
 Many interpreters translate this clause, "at the end it shall 
 speak." This, however, does not suit the context well, for a 
 vision_is not spoken, at Jhee^ Icmg before it; nor can- 
 
 the verb here be used in the signification of proving itsell 
 true, which is entirely foreign to it: "It shall be entirely 
 fulfilled; though its accomplishment seems to be delayed be- 
 yond your expectations, yet wait for it." Its fulfillment is 
 certain and will not be delayed beyond the time prescribed 
 by Jehovah. The prophet refers not to the second coming 
 of Christ, (Pusey,) but to the coming ot the Chaldeans. 
 
 /. ''''Behold / Puffed up^ not right ^ is his soul in hini^ and 
 
66 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 the righteous by his faith shall live^ ^^^^hold'^ directs the 
 earnest attention of the reader to his following thought. By 
 some interpreters the whole of the verse is referred to the 
 Jews, while others refer the first clause to the Chaldeans, and 
 the second to the Jews. We prefer the latter view, and think 
 that Jehovah here announced the general principles of His 
 government in their application to both Chaldeans and 
 Jews. BY__"his soul in him" is meant the spirit that ani- 
 mated the Chaldean nation, the disposition which was 
 manifested in its history. This is described first posi- 
 tively, and then negatively. Positively, it is puffed 
 up, swollen, tumid. By some this word is taken as a noun, 
 meaning, pride, and then, (the abstract for the concrete,) 
 the proud. Thus Hendersen, who refers it to the Jews, 
 translates, "Behold the proud." It is, however, nev^er else- 
 where used as a noun and need not be so taken here. Nor 
 should the verb be interpreted, "to be proud." ) It expresses 
 rather the idea of being swollen with all evil passions. Of 
 these pride was but one. Others have been already men- 
 tioned in the description of the Chaldeans in the preceding- 
 chapter. _ Negatively, their spirit is described as not right, 
 not straight, not level. It is not what it ought to 
 be, not being conformed to the rule of rectitude. This dec- 
 laration froin the niouth of the Sovereign and Judge of all 
 the earth, is tantamouiit to a judicial sentence of death, be- 
 ^cause sin must be punished^ This is suggested, too, by the 
 next clause, where the opposite character and fate are pre- 
 sented to view. "The righteous by his faith shall live." 
 •^ A righteous man is one who has been justified, one whom 
 God regards and treats as righteous. He is righteous 
 whose sins are pardoned, and to whom the righteousness of 
 Christ is imputed unto justification. In the heart of a 
 righteous man, the work of sanctification has commenced, 
 so that the righteous are also the holy. It is therefore in 
 strong contrast to the character portrayed in the preceding 
 clause. The words "by his faith," are connected by the 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 67 
 
 punctuation of the modern Hebrew Bible, with the word 
 * 'righteous." Thus the righteous by faith shall live. In 
 some of the older editions, they are connected with the 
 word ''live," thus "the righteous shall live by his faith." 
 The difference in the sense is readily seen. The same 
 difference is noticed in the quotations of this clause in the 
 New Testament, ^Rom. i: t7>, Heb. 10:3^ Gal. ^: Ii.-^ The 
 connection with "righteous," as indicated by the Hebrew 
 points, is preferable here. Faith or trust in the word of 
 God is thus indicated as the means through which a sinner 
 becomes righteous. JPo_.all_ihe -righteous, life-is., promised. 
 This is the sum of all good things. To live, is to enjoy the 
 favor of God, which is life, and His loving-kindness, which 
 is better than life. The general principle here announced, 
 while it is true for all people and all times, is intended to 
 apply specifically to the Jews, among whom the only 
 righteous men on earth were to be found, and which had 
 therefore the strongest claim among the nations of the 
 earth to be called a "righteous nation." Nations must be 
 rewarded and punished according to their deeds. Without 
 faith there is no righteousness, and without righteousness 
 no life. 
 
 5. A7id moreover^ because the wine is a robber^ a mighty 
 one^ is arrogant^ and will not dwell at home^ who has 
 widened as the grave his soul^ and he is as death ^ and will 
 not be satiated^ and he has collected all nations nnto him^ and has 
 gathered unto hijn all the peoples. jThe general description 
 of the wickedness of the Chaldeans in verse 4, is here made 
 iriorespecifi.c^_ Jehovah points out one prevailing sin, and 
 exhibits its effects on the character and conduct of the 
 nations. His description in this verse bears a special rela- 
 tion to the complaint of the. prophet, i: 12-17, and to the 
 thoughts and langua^ of 1:13. ..^he whole tenor of the 
 .verse shows that the relation between ...the first clause and 
 ^the others is that of cause and effect, ^ine stands for the 
 intemperate use of intoxicating liquors, which is declared by 
 
68 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 both sacred and profane historians to have been a national 
 vice among the Chaldeans, Dan. 5; Herodotus i: 191; Xen- 
 ophon's Cyropsedia, 7: 5: 15; Curtius, i: 5: i. As in 
 Proverbs, wine is called a mocker, because it causes men to 
 mock, so it is here called a robber, because it incited the 
 Chaldeans to plunder, and thus made them what the prophet 
 declared them to be, i: 13. The noun translated "mighty 
 one," is derived from a root signifying ''to be strong." It 
 is sometimes used to denote man in general, as the pos- 
 sessor of strength. It is here employed without the article, 
 like a proper name, to designate the Chaldeans as a power- 
 ful people. It is contrasted here with ish^ the ordinary 
 term for man employed by the prophet, i: 13, as descrip- 
 tive of the Jewish nation. That which is true of the 
 nation is also true of those individuals who may be regarded 
 as the representatives of the nation, such as Nebuchad- 
 nezzar, under whom most of the Chaldean conquests were 
 gained, and who may be considered the impersonation of 
 the Chaldean character and power. This mighty people, 
 excited by wine, "is arrogant," i. e., haughty, self-willed, 
 and selfish. "And will not dwell at home." They are 
 restless, impatient of the ease and tranquillity of home. 
 J "Who has widened as the grave his soul." The soul stands 
 ^for the desires entertained by the nation. It is as greedy of 
 conquest and the gains accruing from it, as the grave is of 
 its prey. By some lexicographers, the word Sheol here 
 translated "the grave," is derived from a root signifying "to 
 ask, to crave," and by others, from a root signitying "to be 
 hollow." With the latter derivation it corresponds very 
 ^closely with the German "Holle," from the older form 
 "Hohle," and also with the old English, "Hell," by which it 
 is usually rendered in the English version. The figure 
 presented in the words is that of a vast subterranean 
 cavern or residence, into which each individual grave af- 
 fords an inlet. It is the abode of the departed, and only 
 means the place of punishment when limited to it by the 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 69 
 
 c 
 
 context. It answers exactly to our term I'the grave,'^ as 
 used in such phases as "to go to the grave," "a voice from 
 the grave." Like some huge monster, the grave devours 
 the nations. So the Chaldean opens wide his jaws to devour 
 the nations. "And he is as death, and will not be satiated." 
 They are grasping, remorseless, and unavoidable. Their de- 
 mands are insatiable. "And he has collected all nations 
 unto him," &c. He shall take into his own possession the 
 persons and property of the captive nations, and deal with 
 them according to his own pleasure. One portion of this 
 conduct was the deportation of captives from their own 
 homes to some other portion of the Chaldean territory. 
 
 6. Shall not these all of them raise a song cojicerning it 
 and a taunt ^ sharp sayings to it^ and shall say^ Aha ! the na- 
 tion multiplying (that which belongs^ not to tt^ how lo7tg? and 
 loading 2ipon it a mass of pledges. The nations conquered 
 and spoiled by the Chaldeans shall at length witness the fall 
 of their conquerors, and join in a song expressive of their 
 feelings. To "raise a song," means both to commence and 
 to utter aloud. The verb employed in this clause is the 
 root of the word translated "utterance" in the title of this 
 book, i: I. It implies both a previous state of silence un- 
 der the Chaldean domination, and such a state of excited 
 feeling as must find vent in speech. The word translated 
 "song" is derived from a root meaning "to resemble, to 
 compare," and in general is applied to a figurative or alle- 
 gorical composition. It may be translated according to cir- 
 cumstances by the terms, "proverb, enigma, parable, alle- 
 gory," &c. It is a poetical effusion, and the prophet repre- 
 sents it as though it were chanted by a full chorus ot the 
 captive nations. The word "song" is therefore a sufficiently 
 expressive translation of the original. The preposition 
 "concerning," may be rendered "against." It points out the 
 Chaldeans as the subjects of the song, and of course the ob- 
 jects of its denunciations. This song is described also as a 
 "taunt," or a song of derision, which is found only here and 
 
JO A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 in Prov. i: 6. The song consists of five stanzas or strophes, 
 here called "sharp sayings," each containing three verses. 
 With one exception, each of them, commences with the in- 
 terjection "Aha," and begins its closing verse with 
 "for." Each one, too, has its appropriate topic. These 
 strophes are called "sharp" or "weighty" sayings. The 
 word thus translated is applied to sayings that are full of 
 meaning and worthy of earnest consideration. They may 
 be abstruse, witty, sarcastic, or wise, according to circum- 
 stances. Delitzsch prefers the signification of "riddle," or 
 "enigma," and thinks he has discovered several terms in 
 which this peculiarity is supposed to be found. Among 
 these he specifies the words translated "a mass of pledges," 
 v. 6; "those that bite them," v. 7. The clause "and shall 
 say," is by some interpreted "men shall say," by others, "it 
 shall be said," but it seems better to regard the verb, which 
 is in the singular, as agreeing with the noun "all" in the 
 first clause. It expresses the concerted action of the whole 
 body of the nations, which is the result of their common ex- 
 perience at the hands of the Chaldeans. With indignation 
 they cry unitedly to God against their oppressors. 
 
 Directed by the Spirit of God, the voice of the nations be- 
 comes the voice of God, and thus their very complaints are 
 prophetic ol the overthrow of the Chaldeans. The song is 
 uttered while still under the power of their conquerors. But 
 such an appeal, prompted by God Himself, will not be made 
 in vain. The interrogative form of the sentence expresses 
 the strongest possible affirmation. 
 
 THE SONG OF THE NATIONS, VS. 6-20. 
 
 We now enter upon the consideration of the song whose 
 peculiarities have already been described. In the first 
 strophe, the nations denounce the injustice and oppression 
 practiced by the Chaldeans, v. 6; declare the punishment 
 which is their due, v. 7 ; and the reason why this penalty shall 
 be inflicted, v. 8. 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 7 1 
 
 Verse 6 (b). The interjection "Aha" directs attention to 
 the Chaldean nation, and expresses the indignation of the 
 nations, and their prophetic exultation in view of the com- 
 ing downfall of the oppressor, who is described as a nation 
 increasing its own wealth by unjustly wresting their pos- 
 sessions from others. This is illustrated in the history ol 
 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, II Kings 24: 10-17; II 
 Chron. 36: 7, 17, 18; Dan. i: 2; 5: 23. The nations, in their 
 question "how long ?" desire to learn how long the Chal- 
 deans shall pursue this course of conduct and enjoy their 
 booty. The question implies a belief that their suffering 
 will reach the compassion of Jehovah, that the period of 
 Chaldean possession and enjoyment will not be perpetual, 
 and an earnest desire that it may end soon. The Chaldean 
 is represented in the last clause as a pawnbroker, who loads 
 himself with an immense quantity of pawns. The vocation 
 of a pawnbroker or usurer was prohibited by the law of 
 Mose3. The property and persons seized by the Chaldean 
 are pledges borne away by a usurer, and these form a heavy 
 burden upon his shoulders. The figure suggests that the 
 property he bears away is not his own, has been unjustly 
 obtained, and must some day be accounted for, while the 
 weight of the burden may prove his ruin. Many of the 
 older interpreters regard the word translated "a mass of 
 pledges," as a compound of two words meaning "thick 
 clay," and suppose the signification of the passage to be that 
 the Chaldean, in seizing upon the wealth of conquered na- 
 tions, has only burdened himself with that which is worth- 
 less, polluting and wearisome. Delitzsch regards this word 
 as one of the riddles or enigmas already mentioned in this 
 verse. He thinks the original word was designed to sug- 
 gest both senses, "a mass of pledges" and "thick clay." 
 This is ingenious but very improbable. Jehovah often em- 
 ploys nations to express His will. Sinners burden them- 
 selves with that which involves guilt and demands punish- 
 ment. No sin escapes Jehovah's notice, and punishment. 
 
72 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 under His government, is the natural and necessary result 
 of sin. 
 
 /. Shall not they that bite thee suddenly arise ? and shall 
 not they that shake thee azvake^ and thou be for spoils to 
 the^n ? This verse records the result ot the oppressive con- 
 duct of the Chaldeans, which shall be followed by its mer- 
 ited, appropriate and sudden punishment. The interroga- 
 tive form of the sentence implies an affirmative answer, and 
 is thus equivalent to a strong assertion. The agents by whom 
 they shall be punished are described in the first clause as 
 "those that bite thee." Some prefer to translate this term 
 "those that shall exact usury of thee," and regard the word 
 as employed with special reference to the character of 
 usurer in which they are described in verse 6. Delitzsch 
 thinks this one of the enigmas mentioned in verse 6, and gives 
 to it the double sense of oppressive and usurious. Though 
 we are not disposed to accept Delitzsch's theory, yet it seems 
 quite probable that the word was here selected to express 
 the idea of oppressive violence, and under this to describe 
 the pain, the loss, the ruin, which will follow being bit- 
 ten. Enemies shall arise against the Chaldeans 
 as dangerous and deadly as the serpent, the scor- 
 pion, the lion. These oppressors shall arise sud- 
 denly, i. e., they shall abandon their state of inactivity, 
 and engage actively in the work of punishment. This 
 shall be done in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The 
 suddenness of the downfall of the Chaldean Empire corres- 
 ponds very accurately with this description. In the second 
 clause, the enemies of the Chaldean nation are described as 
 accomplishing its ruin by shaking it, just as one shakes to its 
 destruction a wall, a tree, or a building. The form of the 
 original Hebrew participle implies earnest activity in the 
 work. The figure expressed by the verb "awake" is simi- 
 lar to that of the preceding clause, being the rousing of a 
 sleeper to consciousness and activity. The result of their 
 efforts is that they shall mete to the Chaldeans an exact 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 
 
 n 
 
 and appropriate retribution for their sins. The very 
 nations plundered by it, in turn shall spoil it. Divine 
 providence sends appropriate punishment upon trangressors. 
 This is otten long delayed, and often suddenly inflicted, and 
 always certain. Its suddenness is illustrated in the flood, the 
 destruction of Sodom, the punishment of Pharaoh, the 
 punishment of the enemies of God, Sennacherib, Nineveh, 
 Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon. 
 
 8. Because thou hast spoiled fnany nations, all the rem- 
 nant of peoples shall spoil thee, on account of the blood- 
 gidlt of man, and the violence oflaiid, city, ajtd all dwelling in 
 it. This verse declares that the reason of the downfall of the 
 Chaldean nation was its own injustice and oppression, and 
 that the mode of its punishment should correspond exactly 
 in kind with the external form of its sin. All that is left of 
 the nations after its violence has been fully stated, shall join 
 in this work of appropriate retribution. See Joshua 23:12; 
 Zech. 14:2. The reason is plainly declared to be its guilt 
 and violence. Its guilt was the guilt ot murder, or blood- 
 guiltiness, literally "the bloods" of man. The word "bloods" 
 used in the plural number, always refers to the guilt of 
 murder, and with this the nation's hands were indelibly 
 stained. The destruction of lite was a marked feature of its 
 treatment of other nations. The guilt of murder was not 
 its only cause of condemnation. It was liable also to pun- 
 ishment for the violence (see note on i: 2,) done to 
 conquered nations generally, and not merely to Judea and 
 Jerusalem. Jer. 25:9;27:3. The conquered nations would 
 be injured in land, city, and people, i. e., in all their parts 
 and interest 
 
 The second strophe includes verses 9-1 1. Verse 9 de- 
 nounces the Chaldean as a sinful plunderer. Verse 10 de- 
 scribes the result of his sin to be shame and guilt. Verse 
 1 1 expresses the cause of this result to be the very provi- 
 dence of God in those things in which his sin has been 
 manifested. 
 
74 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 p. Aha I The 07ie plundering^ plunder of evil^ for his 
 house^ to set his nest on high^ to deliver himself from the hajid 
 of evil. "Aha !" directs attention to the Chaldean as in verse 
 6, and expresses condemnation, and denounces him as wor- 
 thy of punishment. The Chaldean is described as rapacious 
 and selfish. "Plunder of evil" is not such as leads to the 
 punishment of the robber, but that which is gained by in- 
 justice and oppression. This unjust o;ain is acquired for the 
 benefit of his own house, which includes not merely the reign- 
 ing family, but the whole Chaldean nation. The great rep- 
 resentative of the nation applied the gains to the aggrandize- 
 ment of his own family. The Chaldean is compared to the 
 eagle which places its nest on the top ot some inaccessible 
 cliff, where it may rear its brood and enjoy its prey in 
 safety. The design of the Chaldean in all his rapacity is to 
 make for himself and his family a safe and permanent home, 
 in which he may secure himself from the hand or power of 
 evil, which includes all the chastisement or punishment of 
 which a nation is capable, and thus enjoy his sinful gains. 
 This language of the nations clearly expresses the folly as 
 well as the wickedness of hoping to escape evil by pursuing 
 evil practices. One cannot deliver himselt from evil by do- 
 ing evil, therefore the nations say, "Aha !" 
 
 10. ^^Thou hast devised shame to thy house ^ the destroying of 
 many nations^ and those that sin against thy souV The sin 
 of the Chaldean has brought upon him two results, the first 
 of these is shame to his house, for the reason that he had 
 destroyed many nations. In devising and accomplishing 
 this object, he had actually wrought his own disgrace. He 
 had conquered the weak, enslaved the independent, removed 
 the captives out of their own land, slain the helpless, burned 
 their cities, and oppressed them without measure. The sec- 
 ond result is guilt, which shall burden his own soul. The 
 soul being the seat of feeling, the sensitive part of our being 
 which takes cognizance of pleasure or pain, and being en- 
 dowed with a conscience which decides upon the moral 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 75 
 
 quality oi our actions, to sin against it is to sin against one's 
 best interest, and implies necessary punishment. So the 
 Chaldean by his own act involved his own soul in guilt and 
 consequent ruin. Prov. 8: 36; 20: 2. 
 
 II. For the stone from the wall shall cry out; and the cross- 
 beam froin the tiinber shall answer it. This verse assigns 
 the reason for the statement ot the preceding verse, that the 
 Chaldean had by his own action involved himself in shame, 
 guilt, and consequent punishment. The reason is, that sut- 
 fering unjustly inflicted demands retribution at the hands of 
 a just God. This is figuratively expressed by ascribing feel- 
 ing and speech to inanimate nature, a mode of illustration 
 common in the Scriptures and used by the Saviour Him- 
 self. For example, the heavens, the firmanent, day and 
 night, Ps. 19: I, 2; sun, moon, and stars, Ps. 148: 3; Job 38: 
 7; the sea, Ps. 98: 7; blood. Gen. 4: 10; stones, Luke 19: 40; 
 all are said to testify to the nature and perfection of their 
 Creator, and especially to His wisdom, power, goodness, and 
 j ustice, as exhibited in them and through their instrumentality. 
 The stone belonging to the wall of the Chaldean house, and 
 the beam or girder among its timbers, with all nature, unite in 
 such testimony. They furnish also another species of testim.o- 
 ny. They differ from all the other inanimate speakers to 
 which the Scriptures refer, because they are the work of men's 
 hands,building materials prepared for the Chaldean palace,and 
 placed in their proper position by his agency. They have been 
 removed by man's hands from their original position in the 
 quarr}^, the forest, or the wall or the timbers of some other build- 
 ing, transported to Babylon, and now contribute to the 
 strength and the glory of his house. Here, too, their very 
 presence, form, position, and experience testify against the 
 rapacity and cruelty of the Chaldean. The same thought is 
 presented by the prophet, 2: 9, when the Chaldean is des- 
 cribed as a bird of prey which builds its nest out of what 
 has been stolen from the nests of weaker birds, and like 
 it has constructed a safe and strong residence out of the ma- 
 
76 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 teriais formerly composing the dwellings of the nations he has 
 conquered. Another mode of testimony of which the stone 
 and beam are capable is that of declaring what they have 
 seen and heard. Inanimate nature may also record both 
 sights and sounds, and reveal them in God's time and way. 
 This mode of utterance is probably exemplified in the out- 
 cry of the stones mentioned in Luke 19: 40. So the cap- 
 tive nations may bear witness to what they have seen and 
 heard as subjects of the Chaldean Empire. Another mode 
 of testimony adopted by some interpreters represents the 
 voice of the stone and beam to be an allusion to the worms 
 and vermin occupying the now decayed beams and broken 
 stones which were once materials in the Chaldean palace, 
 and uttering their cry from the midst of its ruin. This is 
 entirely improbable. The testimony conveyed in these 
 various methods is indubitably true, and therefore incontro- 
 vertible. All utterances of the inanimate world are not 
 only true, but consequently in entire accord with each 
 other. The implication here is that the stone and beam never 
 conflict in their declarations. The testimony thus rendered 
 involves the necessary punishment of the Chaldean, be- 
 cause the God of nature and providence is the Sovereign of 
 the universe. True testimony will decide His actions, 
 and whether sin be found in a nation or an individual, it 
 must be punished. 
 
 12-14. In this strophe, the Chaldean is charged with 
 seeking his own aggrandizement through blood and crime. 
 In verse 13, his efforts are declared to be useless, and they 
 will terminate in utter ruin, because (verse 14,) all shall 
 know the I^ord. 
 
 12, Aha! TJie 07ie building a city in blood-gidlt^ and a 
 town in crime. On the interjection ''Aha!" see verses 6 and 
 9. The word "city" and "town" are here used as poetical 
 equivalents. They apply to the cities and towns built 
 or established by the Chaldeans through the labor of cap- 
 tive nations, and especially to the city of Babylon, the capi- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 77 
 
 tal of Chaldea, which Nebuchadnezzar boasts of having 
 built up by the might of his power, Jer. 51: 58; Micah 3: 10; 
 Jer. 22: 13. This the nations declare to have been built in 
 bloodshed and crime, by compelling unwilling service 
 through the practice of murder. The word translated 
 *'blood-guilt " is the plural of the noun meaning "blood," 
 and always signifies the guilt of murder, bloodguiltiness, as 
 in verse 8. 
 
 7j. Behold! is it not from Jehovah of Hosts ^ and nations 
 toil just for the fire ^ and peoples weary themselves just for 
 vanity. "Jehovah of Hosts" does not signify that Jehovah 
 is the God of battles, (Clericus,) but the Sovereign of the 
 whole imiverse, into whatever classes of being it may be 
 divided, such as the spiritual world, material creation, hu- 
 man and animal races, and whatsoever else has been 
 brought into being by His omnipotent hand. The atten- 
 tion of the hearer is directed to Jehovah, from whom that is 
 said to come to pass, which occurs because He has decreed 
 it, and because His wisdom and power execute it. His 
 purposes are derived from the suggestions of neither angels 
 nor men. Those purposes will be executed without regard 
 to the expectation or opposition of His creatures, and. their 
 fulfilment will force upon all, the conviction of His Sover- 
 eignty. Here the captive nations, most of whom were 
 heathen, will join in the recognition of Jehovah, the true 
 God, the covenant God of Israel. The conjunction "and," 
 which occurs twice, indicates a causal connection between 
 the first clause and each of the others, and may therefore be 
 best translated by "that." God decrees it, and consequently, 
 nations toil for naught. The sentiment contained in the 
 last two clauses is expressed in general terms and is appli- 
 cable to all nations, in so far as they stand opposed to the 
 kingdom of God, and labor merely for their own aggran- 
 dizement. The kingdoms of the world are not now the king- 
 doms of our Lord and of His Christ. As the language of 
 the captive nations, it is designed to apply specially to the 
 
jS A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 Chaldean nation, which was the grand representative of evil, 
 and to nations which toiled under its own despotism. 
 These toiled just for the fire, and wearied themselves just for 
 vanity. Hard and wearisome as their labor is, it is utterly 
 useless, because it will be consumed totally and irremediably. 
 An old interpreter illustrates this by comparing their work 
 to the web of cloth which passes out of the weaver's loom 
 into a furnace. Haggai i: 6 furnishes similar illustrations. 
 
 i^. For the earth shall be filled zuith the knozvledge oj the 
 glory of Jehovah^ as the waters shall cover the sea. This 
 verse contains the reason why the toil of nations shall be useless. 
 That reason is that the earth shall be completely filled with 
 the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah. The "glory of the 
 Lord" signifies the manifestation of the excellence of Jehovah 
 as revealed in works ot creation, providence and redemption, 
 and consequently of the establishment, maintenance and 
 progress of the kingdom of God upon the earth. To 
 "know" the glory ol Jehovah is not merely to be acquain- 
 ted with it, nor to comprehend its mysteries, but actually to 
 experience the regenerating, sanctifying and elevating 
 power of the gospel. This shall be the experience of the 
 whole earth in God's time and way. It may be long postponed, 
 but it will come certainly and completely. With this 
 knowledge the earth shall be filled as the waters cover the 
 sea, i. e., the bed or bottom of the sea, which is occupied by 
 its waters completely and unceasingly. As the waters hide 
 all inequalities of the bed of the sea, and so fill it as to re- 
 duce them to a line and surface of perfect beauty, so shall 
 this knowledge of God remove all traces of sin and suflfer- 
 ing. Unlike the waters of the flood, this knowledge shall 
 give life and happiness to all the inhabitants of the earth. 
 
 15-17. The Chaldean, like a deceiver who intoxicates 
 his neighbor, pours out his wrath upon the nations, just in 
 order to feast his eyes upon their shame. V. 16. He shall 
 be punished by being compelled to drink of the cup of the 
 Lord's right hand, which shall bring upon him great shame. 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 79 
 
 V. 17. Thus shall he be punished, because of his violence, 
 which always demands the interference of Jehovah's right 
 
 hand. 
 
 7 J. Aha! the one giving his neighbor drink^ pouring out 
 thy wrath^ a7id even (so as) to intoxicate^ in order to behold 
 their nakedness. "Aha!" See note, verse 6, (b.) The pro- 
 nouns ot the second and third persons, the singular and plu- 
 ral, as interchanged in this verse, are occurrences not uncom- 
 mon in the Hebrew. The interchange is here so obvious 
 that it produces no obscurity. The noun '-neighbor" is used 
 collectively to designate any or all of the neighboring na- 
 tions. To these the Chaldean gives intoxicating drink, not 
 literally, (Pool,) but, as is explained by the next clause, by 
 pouring out his wrath for them to drink. The word 
 "wrath" means originally "heat," and hence, any violent 
 passion. Here it expresses the violence and cruelty exhib- 
 ited to the nations by the Chaldeans. This cup of wrath 
 they compel the nations to drink unto intoxication. 
 There is a limit to their cruel violence, until the nations lie 
 before them in a miserable, helpless and shameful condition. 
 The design of the Chaldean is that he may feast his eyes 
 upon the shame of those nations whom he has brought into 
 this fearful state, and exult in the cunning and power which 
 have wrought their ruin. The reference which some inter- 
 preters have imagined in this clause, to a peculiar sin of 
 which the Babylonians are charged by Herodotus and 
 Ctesias, is needless and inconsistent with the drift of the 
 passage. 
 
 16, Thou art satiated with shame from glory. Drink 
 also thou ajid show thyself uncircumcised. The cup of the 
 right hand offehovah shall turn itself unto thee.^ and igno- 
 miny shall be upon thy glory. This verse contains the result 
 of the treatment of the captive nations by the Chaldean, 
 which shall be severe and appropriate. As he brought shame 
 upon others, so shall he drink large and copious draughts 
 of it, until his proud spirit is as thoroughly filled with 
 
8o A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 shame as it was once with joy. This punishment will be 
 the more humiliating, because it is a descent Irom glory to 
 shame. The prediction is here thrown into the form of a 
 command, and indicates the stern necessity of obedience 
 to the highest authority. The effect of drinking upon 
 them, will be the same as in the case of the captive nations, 
 namely, misery, helplessness, and disgrace, while the addi- 
 tional thought is suggested that in the exposure of his un- 
 circumcised state, all will recognize his estrangement from 
 the covenant of life. The "right hand" of Jehovah is the 
 seat of His power, and is employed in the execution ot His 
 purposes. It holds the cup of His wrath, and in due time 
 it shall turn towards the Chaldean, Lam. 4: 21. When his 
 turn comes to drink, he cannot put it away from him, but 
 must drain it to the very dregs. The word translated 
 "ignominy" has been interpreted by some as signifying "the 
 most extreme contempt," by others as the compound word 
 signifying, "vomit of shame," ''^vomztits ignominiae^^ (Vul- 
 gate). Either of these interpretations expresses the idea that 
 his glory shall be exchanged for ignominy, and shall be con- 
 cealed by it from human view. 
 
 I J, For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee^ and 
 spoiling of beasts shall terrify them\ on account of the blood- 
 guilt of man^ and violence of the land^ city and all dwelling in 
 it. This verse presents the reason why such shame shall 
 rest upon Babylon. And in order to express it more forci- 
 bly, the punishment is first figuratively described, and its 
 cause then stated in language quoted trom 2: 8. "Lebanon" 
 is the name of a mountain range in the northern part of 
 Palestine. It was so goodly and important a part of the 
 country that its name is sometimes used as the designation 
 of the whole land of promise, as in Isa. 14: 4, 8. Some in- 
 terpreters think it so used here, and that the first clause 
 of the verse describes the injury done by the Chaldeans to 
 the whole land, which was the rightful home of the pro- 
 fessed people of God. Hendersen and others regard the 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 8l 
 
 term "Lebanon" as signifying only the city ot Jerusalem, 
 because materials brought from Lebanon were employed in 
 the construction of a part of the city, (see Jer. 22: 23; Ezek. 
 17: 23; Zech. 11: I,) and partly because of the stateliness of 
 its buildings and especially of the grandeur of the temple. 
 The prophet designs rather to express the chastisement ol 
 the sin of the Chaldean by means of a figurative reference to 
 Lebanon. Lebanon was celebrated as abounding in goodly 
 cedars, Qer. 22: 23; I Kings 5: 6; Ps. 27: 5; Isa. 14, 8; Ezra 
 2)'. 7-) and also in wild animals, (II Kings 14: 9; Song of Sol. 
 4: 8). Its forests were liable to be destroyed by violence, 
 and its beasts to be spoiled by Israel's enemies, a mode of treat- 
 ment which shall terrify them. "Violence" signifies the 
 irrational and illegal exercise of power. Lebanon would be 
 subjected to it by the felling of its cedars, (Isa. 14: 8,) and 
 also by the destruction of its beasts, which shall terrify the 
 people, because a mere remnant of them w^ould be left. Both 
 "violence" and "spoil" must be regarded as the subject of 
 the verb in the first clause, "shall cover thee," and thus the 
 declaration is made that an infliction similar to that suffered 
 by the forests and the beasts of Lebanon shall fall upon the 
 Chaldean, and this infliction shall be severe and unavoidable. 
 On the latter part of the verse, which is quoted from verse 
 8 see remarks on that verse. 
 
 18-20. This paragraph difiers in form from the other di- 
 visions of the song, the interjection "Aha" commencing 
 the second verse of the strophe instead of the first, and the 
 last verse beginning with "and" instead of "for." The na- 
 tions, in verse 18, declare the unprofitableness of idols, and 
 the consequent uselessness of idolatry. In verse 19, the na- 
 tions denounce the sin of idolatry wherever it occurs, and 
 especially among the Chaldeans, and then prove its folly. 
 Verse 20 assigns a reason for casting off idolatry, because 
 Jehovah is the true God who dwells in heaven, and is the 
 supreme Lord. 
 
 18, What does it profit a graven image though its maker 
 
82 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 has graven it? a molten image and teacher of falsehood^ 
 though the maker of his work trusted upon it^ to make dumb 
 idols f The question here implies the answer that idols de- 
 rive no advantage from the labor and skill of him who makes 
 them, (Jer. 2: 11,) but whatever be their size, form, or beauty, 
 they still remain a log of wood, a block of stone, or a mass 
 of metal. The very terms here employed to describe an 
 idol, a "graven image," and a "molten image" show the folly 
 of idol w^orship. Their very forms are due to the skill of 
 the workman. They are lifeless matter, "the product of his 
 art and yet the hope of his soul," (Pool.) When made, they 
 are dumb idols incapable of speech, and their silence is the 
 strongest evidence that they have not been profited by the 
 Vv^orkman's skill. Even when pretended oracles are given in 
 their name, the event proves them false, and they theretore 
 earn for themselves the title of teacher of falsehood. But 
 God is the true teacher, Jer. 10: 8-14; Job 36: 22. There- 
 fore because they still remain dumb, their service is un- 
 profitable. 
 
 ig. Aha! The one saying to the wood^ awake! Arise ^ to 
 the diunb stone; sJiallit teach? Behold ! litis is overlaid with 
 gold and silver^ aiid there is no spirit at all in tJie midst of it, 
 "Aha" must be interpreted here as in verse 6. The Chal- 
 dean is now charged with the crime whose unprofitableness 
 has just been exposed, and consequently all idolatrous na- 
 tions share in his guilt and folly. He is guilty of saying to 
 that which is mere wood and stone, "awake," "arise," i. e., 
 abandon your present state of repose and inaction, and ex- 
 ert yourselves to help me. The folly of this petition is 
 forcibly shown by the question, "shall it teach?" because it 
 is from its very nature incapable of doing such a thing. 
 Some translate this clause, "it shall teach," and regard it as 
 the reason why the petitioner calls upon the idol, and a 
 recognition of its power to help. But this signification 
 would probably have been expressed by a verb in the second 
 person singular. The folly of idolatry is moreover shown 
 
PROPHECY OF HABaKKUK. 83 
 
 by the fact that overlaying the idol with gold and silver is 
 applicable only to an inanimate object, and while such 
 treatment may increase its value, yet it cannot impart either 
 spiritual or physical life. According to the account ot the 
 creation of man in Gen. 2: 7, the living spirit and the breath 
 of man are intimately connected. But the idol is destitute 
 of spirit, and consequently of breath, and both of these are 
 essentially necessary to the articulation of an oracular 
 response. 
 
 20. And Jehovah is in the temple of his holiness. Be 
 silent before him all the earth. The conjunction ''and" is 
 here in place of the word "for," which occurs in the last 
 verse* of all the other strophes in the Song of the Nations. 
 It introduces the coming truth concerning Jehovah as an 
 additional fact, which must be considered in connection 
 with the statements just made respecting idolatry. This 
 position also suggests the strongest contrast between dumb 
 idols and the living Jehovah. Though the word "for" does 
 not introduce the sentence, yet there is also a casual con- 
 nection between the iollowing clause and the two preced- 
 ing verses. The making of idols and idolatrous worship 
 are entirely useless because Jehovah is the only true God. 
 The name "Jehovah" describes Him as the self-existent, 
 eternal, and unchangeable God. He is Jehovah of Hosts, 
 because the Creator and Sovereign of all classes of beings. 
 He is the covenant God of Israel, who will make all things 
 work together for the good of His people. The "temple of 
 His holiness" does not refer to the temple in Jerusalem, nor 
 to the church on earth, but to heaven as His peculiar dwell- 
 ing-place, which is consecrated to Him, and is free from all 
 stain of impurity. Seated there He is the Sovereign of all 
 creation, therefore all the earth and all its inhabitants are 
 bound to be silent before Him, in token of their dependence 
 upon Him, their reverential submission to His will, com- 
 plete recognition of His supremacy, their conscious unworth- 
 iness, and their desire to seek His favor. 
 
84 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The third chapter of this prophecy forms an integral por- 
 tion of the book, and is closely related to 2: i, where the 
 prophet announces two things to be done by himself He 
 declares that he will stand on his watch and tower, to see 
 first what Jehovah will speak in him, and secondly what re- 
 ply he will return to Jehovah upon his complaint. The 
 second chapter contains the prophet's account of Jehovah's 
 communication in and through him, respecting the Chal- 
 dean nation, and the third chapter contains the prophet's 
 reply as predicted by himself It stands in its appointed 
 place, and makes the book a complete whole. The prophet's 
 appointed task is an act of worship before Jehovah in heaven, 
 and this is indicated in the title of the chapter, verse i. 
 He prays in verse 2, presenting in penitent faith his desire 
 for the advancement of God's work, and an exhibition of 
 His mercy. In verses 3-16, he renders glory to God for His 
 wonderful and His complete supremacy over all the earth. 
 In verses 17-19, he announces his entire submission to 
 Jehovah's will, and his confident expectation of good. 
 
 /. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon shiggionoth. 
 This composition is a prayer, and its title is also prefixed 
 to several of the Psalms of David. See Psalms 17, 86, 90, 
 102, 142. The various elements of prayer, such as thanks- 
 giving, adoration, confession, and petition, become promi- 
 nent in these psalms according to the circumstances and 
 feelings oi the writer. The only petition in this prayer is 
 contained in verse 2, while the rest of the composition is an 
 expression of the writer's confident expectation of Jehovah's 
 interference to help his people and punish his enemies. The 
 term "shiggionoth" is very obscure. It is the plural of the 
 noun shiggaion^ which occurs only in the title of Ps. 7. 
 Among the interpretations of the phrase the following may 
 be noticed, none of which however can be positively as- 
 serted to be correct: first, "upon musical instruments called 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 85 
 
 shiggaions;" secondly, "after the manner of songs;" thirdly, 
 "after the manner of elegiac or plaintive song;" fourthly, 
 "after the manner of erratic songs, dithyrambic odes," a 
 species of rhythmical composition which from its enthusi- 
 astic irregularity is admirably adapted tor songs of triumph 
 or victory; fifthly, "concerning wanderings, errors, sins of 
 ignorance," w^hich are then said to be the sins of the Chal- 
 deans against the Jews. 
 
 2. Jehovah 1 1 have heard the communication of thee. I 
 a7n afraid, Jehovah! vivify thy work in the juidst of the 
 years; thon wilt make it known; in wrath thoit wilt remem- 
 ber to be mercijnl. The first clause is literally rendered, "I 
 have heard the hearing of thee." Some understand this to 
 mean, "I have heard the messenger announcing thine ap- 
 proach." We preier to regard it as the communication of 
 God which had already been made to the prophet's hearing, 
 i. e., the communication made to him concerning the great 
 work of God. It corresponds in substance with the term 
 "utterance," in i: i, and "vision," in i: 2, as a description 
 of an inspiration, while it designates it particularly as that 
 which is heard concerning Jehovah. The effect of this rev- 
 elation of Jehovah's sovereignty, justice and mercy 
 filled him with deep and heartfelt reverence and 
 awe. This effect follows every exhibition of Jeho- 
 vah's presence and power. The prophet prays Jeho- 
 vah to "vivify" His work, i. e., to execute it. 
 The "work" of God can only mean the great work which is 
 the subject of this book, and which Jehovah announces as 
 His work in i: 5. This was the employment of the Chal- 
 dean as the instrument in the chastisement of His professed 
 people, and the rejection and punishment of that wicked na- 
 tion when the appointed time should come. Trembling be- 
 fore the sovereign Jehovah, the prophet now prays that He 
 will "vivify" His work, i. e., make it live, make it a living 
 reality, accomplish it, so that what was prophecy should be- 
 come history. 
 
86 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 The phrase "in the midst of the years" signifies, during 
 and within the years appointed for this purpose, so that the 
 prescribed time shall not pass by until the work is accom- 
 plished. The petition of the first clause changes to the ex- 
 pression of believing anticipation in the second, that God 
 will execute His promised work, and make it manifest to 
 all. As God liad directed the measures to be taken tor dis- 
 seminating the vision of chapter 2 very wddely, (2: 2,) now 
 the prophet declares his belief that God will make the ful- 
 fillment known. Jehovah's anger would be displayed both 
 in the chastisement of the Jews by the Chaldeans, and also 
 in the punishment of the Chaldeans for their wickedness. 
 Even while this process of punishment is going on, the 
 prophet expresses the hope that God will not forget to show 
 mercy to his oppressed and distressed people. The very ex- 
 pression of his faith is really a continuation of the petition 
 in the first clause. 
 
 J. A god shall C07ne from Teman^ and a holy one from Mount 
 Par an. Selah. His splendor has covered the heavens^ and the 
 earth is full of his praise. The term usually employed to 
 designate God is Elohim., which is a noun in the plural 
 number. The word used in this verse is Eloah^ which dif- 
 fers only in being in the singular number. Many writers 
 think it is introduced here as a poetical equivalent to the 
 ordinary form Elohim, but it seems more probable that as 
 the plural is applied to God to describe Him as the supreme 
 object of rev^erence, the singular is here used to suggest the 
 idea of "a god," indefinitely. The prophet receives intima- 
 tions of the approach of a divine Being, whose presence in- 
 dividually as Jehovah is left to be interred by the preceding 
 inscription. In this way the passage differs from i: 12, 
 where Jehovah is called by the prophet "My God," Elohim^ 
 "My holy one." Teman is a country lying to the south and 
 east of Idumea. It derived its name from Teman the grand- 
 son of Esau. The name signifies "the south," and some in- 
 terpreters preter to give it that meaning here. But the par- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 87 
 
 allelism demands a proper name here as well as in the sec- 
 ond clause. Paran is applied to the whole region between 
 Judea and Sinai, part of which was a wilderness, and part 
 hilly and mountainous. The term ''Mount" describes it as 
 a hilly country rather than as a single mountain peak or 
 range. The ancient name is still preserved in Wady Feiran, 
 a ravine north of Mount Sinai. The reason why God is 
 said to come trom these places is, these were the scenes of 
 His ancient wonders. Gen. 21: 21; I Sam. 25: i; Deut. 33: 
 2; Gen. 36: 11-42; Jer. 49: 7; x\mos i: 12. He had once 
 brought up His people Israel from Egypt through these 
 lands into Canaan, and had exhibited His justice and His 
 mercy to them in His wonderful dealings with them. The 
 prophet would now represent Him as coming from the scenes 
 then made memorable, to perform another great act in the 
 drama of the church's history by chastising and delivering 
 His people a second time. The object of His coming is 
 therefore the prosecution of the great work mentioned in 
 the preceding verse. "Selah." "Pause." The word "Se- 
 lah" is now generally interpreted as we have here translated 
 it. It is supposed to have indicated a pause in the recita- 
 tion of the Psalm, while the instruments performed an inter- 
 lude. It generally occurs at the close of a strain, and in some 
 instances is several times repeated in the same Psalm. It is 
 occasionally found at the close of the piece, and is supposed 
 to indicate that it must not be repeated. Other 
 interpretations have been given, which need not be repeated, 
 as they are generally abandoned. During the pause the 
 tokens of the presence of the Deity became more manifest 
 and glorious, and the prophet exchanges the future tense for 
 the present. His approach is so attended with a display of 
 His divine majesty, that the heavens and the earth are 
 flooded with it as they are with the light ot the rising sun. 
 "His praise" suggests the thought that the earth, by receiv- 
 ing and reflecting His glory, actually praises Him for it. 
 ^. And there shall be brightness as the light. He has 
 
S8 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 horns from his Jiand^ ajid there is the veiling of his strength. 
 The progressive development of the theophany is described 
 in such terms as suggest a description of sunrise. In this 
 natural phenomenon the heavens are first illuminated by the 
 beams of the sun, then the earth is touched by them, and 
 everything is flooded with brilliant, glorious light. So now 
 the prophet would represent the coming divinity as shed- 
 ding forth such brightness as fills and adorns everything. 
 Some take the word translated "the light" to mean the sun, 
 as in Job 24: 14, but this translation is needless. As the 
 theophany advances, the all-pervading light is traced to its 
 source, the hand of the Deity. The word "horns" designates 
 the rays of light which proceed from a luminous body. It 
 is so used by the Arabs. Both ancient and modern picto- 
 rial illustrations of the sun represent it by a circle sur- 
 rounded by cones or horns. The word "horns" in the orig- 
 inal is in the dual number, not to indicate that there are but 
 two rays, but simply because those objects usually found in 
 pairs are expressed by nouns in the dual number. In the 
 hand and thi horns, both of which are Scriptural emblems 
 of power, is His strength "veiled," concealed from observa- 
 tion. The hand of the Deity, which He is wont to use in 
 the accomplishment of His promises and threatenings, is the 
 seat of His power, and the effulgent brightness proceeding 
 trom it, is at once the token and veil ot His strength. 
 
 5. Before him pestilence shall move on^ and plague shall 
 go Old at his feet. He is a terrible and dreadful God. The 
 most awful scourges of humanity attend His progress. The 
 word translated "plague" is rendered by some, "birds of 
 prey," by others, "lightning," and by others, "coals of fire," 
 but the signification of burning, inflammatory disease, is 
 suited to the etymology of the word, (compare the usage in 
 Ps. 9: 16 ; Deut. 32 : 34,) and suits the parallelism of 
 the clause. The phrase to "go out at one's feet" signifies "to 
 accompany a leader, to follow in his train." 
 
 6. He stood and measured the earth; he looked and scat- 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 89 
 
 tered nations; and the old moimtaifts broke asnnder^ the hills 
 of eternity sank; ways of eternity are to him. Having 
 reached the theatre where His mighty work must 
 be performed, the God stood still and measured 
 the earth. Some give to the verb translated 
 ^'measured" the sense of 'He causes to tremble," deriving it 
 Irom a root nowhere else found, and urge in support of this 
 version the parallelism of the second clause. But this is not 
 sufficient reason for changing the signification oi the verb, 
 which is definitely fixed by usage. By measuring the earth, 
 many understand that He measures it with His eyes, surveys 
 it as the scene of His approaching work. We prefer to re- 
 gard Him as measuring it with His stride. His form is so 
 vast, that as he stood, he measured the whole earth, like 
 the apocalyptic angel, who stands, with one foot on sea, and 
 the other on land. Thus standing in His majesty, he just 
 looks upon the earth, and the effects of his glance are dis- 
 played both in the rational and material creation. Whole 
 nations are scattered by it, as chaff is scattered by the wind. 
 The adjectives in the remaining clauses of the Authorized 
 Version are nouns in the Hebrew, and would be translated 
 literally "the mountains of perpetuity," "the hills of eternity," 
 "the ways of eternity." Not only are men smitten 
 and scattered by His glance, but it rends asunder the very 
 frame work of nature. The very mountains and hills that 
 are so old, and have seen so many changes unmoved, now 
 break and are levelled to the ground betore Him. By the 
 "ways of Jehovah," Hitzig understands the paths on which 
 Jehovah walks, and because He walks upon them they 
 are affected as describe in the preceding clause. But it is 
 better to take the word "ways" in its ordinary sense of His 
 acts. The passage then represents Him as resuming or re- 
 peating the same great deeds which he had performed of 
 old, and perhaps especially those He wrought in bringing 
 His people Irom Egypt to Canaan. 
 
 7. / saw the tents of Cushan under iniquity; the curtains 
 
go A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 of the land of Midian shall tremble. The general statements 
 of the preceding verse are now particularized by specifying 
 the effects produced upon Cushan and Midian by the pres- 
 ence and looks of Jehovah. The term "Cushan" occurs 
 nowhere else, but it is generally conceded to be a mere 
 poetical variation of "Cush," the termination being added 
 to bring it into close analogy with Midian. Most modern 
 interpreters refer the name "Cush" or Ethiopia to a rich and 
 powerful empire occupying the region south of Egypt, now 
 called Abyssinia. The land ot Midian lay east and north 
 of the Elanitic arm of the Red Sea to the land of Moab. 
 These two are mentioned as individuals taken from the 
 countries south of Palestine, and representing all the rest. 
 The "curtains" signify literally the "hangings" of which 
 the tent is made, and derive their name from their tremu- 
 lous motion in the wind. The word is used as a synonym 
 for "tents" in the first clause, and both stand for their in- 
 habitants. To be under iniquity, is to be under its power, 
 to suffer it as a heavy burden. 
 
 8, Against the river^s has biirited^ Jehovah! against the 
 rivers thine anger ^ against the sea thy wrath; for thou wilt 
 ride npon thy horses., thy chariots of salvation. In ancient 
 times Jehovah had exhibited His power by smiting the Nile, 
 the Red Sea, and the Jordan. The prophet now asks 
 whether Jehovah would repeat these ancient wonders. The 
 question is not designed to elicit or suggest a negative an- 
 swer, as Hendersen thinks, but in connection with the last 
 clause of the verse is designed to express the thought that 
 Jehovah is now riding forth in the same majestic display 
 which attended Him when He smote the Nile, the Red 
 Sea, and the Jordan. The horses and chariots are men- 
 tioned, not to represent lightning, or angelic spirits, but as 
 the military accompaniments of a great conqueror. They 
 are called "the chariots of salvation" because in them 
 Jehovah comes to deliver His people. 
 
 g. In nakedness thy bow is made bare; sworn missiles is 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 
 
 91 
 
 the word. Selah. With rivers thou wilt cleave earth. Hes- 
 selberg and Hitzig think the rainbow is meant, but it suits 
 the context better to explain it of the military bow. This 
 was carried in a case or sheath, to which the Greeks and 
 Latins e^ave the name of corvtos. The act of withdrawing 
 the bow from the sheath indicated preparation for immedi- 
 ate action. Thus Jehovah now prepares Himself for the 
 execution of His work of salvation. The second clause is 
 one of the most difficult in the book, and the ingenuity of 
 interpreters has furnished a hundred different expositions ot 
 it. Among the many interpretations of this passage, it may 
 be interesting to our readers to present the following: i. 
 *'sworn are the rods of His word," i. e., the penalties decreed 
 by the word of God are confirmed by an oath and hence are 
 unchangeable and unavoidable. Gesenius. 2. Rosenmueller 
 and others translate: "the oaths of the tribes, even the 
 promise," i. e., God in making bare His bow will accomplish 
 the salvation of His people and fulfill the promise which 
 He made to the tribes of Israel and sealed with his oath. 3. 
 Hesselberg and Hitzig read here: "seven are the lines (of the 
 bow.) (Let) a song of victory (be sung.)" 4. Henderseu; 
 "Sevens of spears was the word," i. e., the word of com- 
 mand. 5. Maurer reads: "The spears are satiated (with 
 blood). A song (of victory"). 6. Keil: "Rods are sworn by 
 word." 7. SchafF: Rods (of chastisement) are sworn by 
 the w^ord." In the translation we have given, the descrip- 
 tion of the warlike preparation commenced in the first 
 clause is continued by describing the missiles as sworn, i. e., 
 trusty, sworn to do their duty. The word translated 
 "missiles" includes all sorts of jaculatory weapons, such as 
 arrows, darts, spears, &c. Here probably it signifies "arrows," 
 which are the representatives of such instruments as 
 Jehovah employs in the execution of His purposes, as light- 
 ning, which is often called God's "arrow." Having thus 
 presented the Divine Warrior as all ready for action, the 
 prophet next mentions the word or roar of the thunders 
 
92 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 which accompany and follow the discharge of the heavenly 
 artillery. "The thunder spoke." Blinded by the brilliance 
 of the arrows, he appropriately pursues the description 
 through the information furnished by the sense of hearing. 
 There is then a "Selah," a pause, while the weapons of 
 Jehovah perform their work, and the awe-struck prophet re- 
 covers from his terror and receives the word. After the 
 pause, the prophet beholds the coming effect of Jehovah's 
 power. The surface of the earth shall be cleft with deep 
 chasms which form the beds of rivers. Such has been the 
 case already with many of the rivers of Palestine, which 
 wind along through deep and narrow valleys, hemmed in 
 by lofty and precipitous walls of rock. 
 
 10. The mountains sazv thee^ they trembled; the flood of 
 waters has passed by; the abyss uttered its voice ^ lifted up 
 its hands on high. The theophany continues with a descrip- 
 tion of the consequence of God's presence upon nature. 
 This corresponds with what is said in verses 6-8, and de- 
 scribes again the effect produced upon the mountains and 
 waters by their vision of God. The tremor of the moun- 
 tains indicates their sense of His presence, wisdom, power, 
 and holiness. The next effect produced by the appearance 
 of God is the overflowing of waters which passed by, which 
 are an acknowledgment of Jehovah's presence, power, wis- 
 dom, holiness and covenant love to His people. This had 
 already been manifested graciously in the opening of a path 
 through the Red Sea and the Jordan for the use of Israel, 
 and positively in the judgments of the flood and of the Dead 
 Sea. It would reappear figuratively in the punishment of 
 Chaldea and the restoration of Judah to his own land. When 
 God's time came, and in close connection with what had 
 been previously predicted, the deep uttered his voice by 
 the roaring of his waters and exhibited his power by the 
 lifting up of his waves. Mountains and floods, both land and 
 water thus express their sympathy with each other and their 
 mutual recognition of the presence of Jehovah. 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 93 
 
 II. Stilly inoon^ stood in their habitation; at the light of 
 thine arrows they shall go forth ^ at the brightness of the glit- 
 tering of thy spear. The influence of Jehovah's presence 
 extends even to the heavenly bodies. The most conspicu- 
 ous of these, the sun and moon, are arrested in their course, 
 and stand still as they once did in the days of Joshua, Josh, 
 lo: 12, 13. But instead of continuing to shine as they did 
 on that memorable occasion, they withdraw into their habi- 
 tations, and thus at once conceal themselves from view and 
 plunge the world into total darkness. The "habitation" of 
 the sun signifies the places whither he retires from observa- 
 tion and shuts in his glories. The west as the place of sun- 
 set is thus called his tent or tabernacle. Some, in view of 
 this fact, interpret this passage of the sudden descent of the 
 sun and moon to the western horizon. But this is incon- 
 sistent with the signification of the verb "to stand," which 
 conveys the idea that they remained just where they were. 
 Gesenius thinks the term "habitation" refers to one of the 
 poetic signs of the Zodiac, which were called by the He- 
 brews, "the inns of the sun." But these terms have refer- 
 ence to his annual motion, and would be unsuitable here^ 
 where the reference plainly is to his diurnal motion. It is 
 preferable, therefore, to undejstand that sun and moon with- 
 drew each into its own habitation composed of the storm- 
 clouds that cover the earth. The cause of their withdrawal 
 is the terrible display of Jehovah's might, which has been 
 described in its effect upon the mountains by trembling, 
 upon the waters by roaring, and upon the sun and moon 
 not merely by becoming pale, (Ewald,) but by their entire 
 obscuration. The glory of the coming conqueror is mani- 
 lested in the light of His arrows and the brightness of His 
 glittering spear, from both of which emanates the highest 
 brilliancy because these instruments belong to a conquering 
 and glorious God. The verb translated "go forth" is in the 
 Piel form, and expresses the rapidity and power with which 
 the heavenly bodies shall go forth to execute their mission 
 as they did in the days of Joshua. 
 
94 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 T2. In indignation thou shalt march through the earth; in 
 anger thou shalt trample the nations. Displaying His hatred 
 of sin, and inflicting its due punishment, Jehovah passes 
 through the earth with the rapid, onward march of a con- 
 queror, as in Judges 5: 6; Psahn 68: 8; Isa. 63: 6. He de- 
 stroys not all nations, for He has come to save His own 
 people. Nothing can hinder His progress. He goes 
 whithersoever He pleases upon the face of the earth. The 
 nations are trodden beneath His feet with as much ease as 
 the unresisting grain is threshed out upon the floor. 
 
 /J. Thoji hast gone out luito tJie salvation of thy 
 people^ unto the salvation of thine anointed; thoit 
 hast smitten the head from the house of the zvicked^ to 
 lay bare the foundation luito the neck. Selah. The object 
 which Jehovah had in view in His interference is the de- 
 deliverence of His people, and His anointed, and the pun_ 
 ishment of their wicked enemies. Several ancient versions 
 take the Hebrew particle which occurs in the clause as a 
 preposition and translate "for salvation with thine 
 anointed,'^ i. e., with the promised Messiah. The objection 
 to this version is that in the preceding description of Jeho- 
 vah, no one was mentioned as His companion. It is better, 
 therefore, to regard the particle as the illustrative particle 
 which points at the anointed as the object of the action im- 
 plied in the salvation. Our word Messiah is merely the an- 
 glicized form of the Hebrew word here translated "anointed," 
 as "Christ" is of the Greek word by which the old versions 
 interpret it. Anointing is the sign of the gifts of the Holy 
 Spirit. It was therefore employed in the consecration of 
 the prophets, priests, and kings, to signify the bestowal of 
 those gifts which were requisite to the proper discharge of 
 these offices. Kings are especially, in the Scriptures, the 
 Lord's anointed, inasmuch as they held the highest oflice 
 and were peculiar types ot Christ and of His position as Head 
 of the Church. The rite of unction is expressly recorded 
 in the cases of Saul, David, and Solomon, and is supposed 
 
PROPHECY OF HABaKKUK. 95 
 
 to have been practised also in the case of their successors. 
 From Ps. 2: 2, and Dan. 9: 2, the title Messiah becomes the 
 common title of the great Deliverer whom the Jews ex- 
 pected even before the advent of Christ. The application 
 of the term in this passage to the coming Messiah is 
 adopted by many, among others by Delitzsch. The idea 
 thus suggested is that the preservation of the Messiah was 
 actually involved in the deliverance of God's people, be- 
 cause He was to spring from the Jews. To permit the de- 
 struction of the Jewish nation would be to falsify all the 
 prophecies respecting the coming Saviour. As the Messiah 
 was especially represented in every generation by a king 
 who was the I^ord's anointed, it is better to refer the term 
 to the ideal personage, who was the special type of the royal 
 Messiah, and to apply the term in the text to the whole 
 series of anointed ones culminating in the person of Christ. 
 iVll these, both types and anti-type, Jehovah went out to de- 
 liver. Some take the "anointed" to mean the Jewish nation, 
 but the application of this term to the people is rare if not 
 unexampled. In designating the Chaldean, the prophet re- 
 curs to an epithet which he had before applied to that 
 nation. His "house" means not merely his family or his 
 kingdom, but rather his home as the place of his residence, 
 the repository of his treasures, the seat of his power, and the 
 scene of his social enjoyment. The "head" is the upper 
 portion of the building which Jehovah smites and over- 
 throws, so as to render it no longer habitable, and thus 
 makes the Chaldean a houseless vagabond. The destruc- 
 tion of the house is total. The building must be over- 
 thrown until the foundation is laid bare unto the neck. 
 The "neck" is probably an architectural term denoting the 
 lower part, or foundation upon which the building rests. 
 Since in the human frame the neck unites the head and the 
 body, it is frequently applied in various languages to any- 
 thing that forms a bond of union or connecting link, as in 
 the phrase "a neck of land." So here, the neck of the 
 
96 A COMMENTARY OX THE 
 
 foundation or house is the base on which it rests, and by 
 which it is fastened to the earth. Maurer and others inter- 
 pret the phrase to mean "as high as the neck, in altitudine 
 colli," i. e., only so much of it remains as would reach to the 
 height of one's neck. The language of this clause reminds 
 us of the first promise, that ''the seed of the woman should 
 bruise the serpent's head," a prophecy which has had many 
 fulfillments, one of which consisted in the overthrow of the 
 Chaldeans. The "Selah" or "Pause" suggests the propriety of 
 another season of meditation, of adoration, thanksgiving 
 and prayer. 
 
 //. Thou J last pierced with his own missiles the head of 
 his leaders; they shall rush on to scatter me; their rejoicing is as 
 to devour the poor in a lurking place. The prophet still 
 continues to describe Jehovah's work, and addresses Him in 
 the second person singular. In the execution of His plans, 
 God has administered a decisive blow to His enemies, by 
 smiting their chief ruler. In a despotic government like 
 the Chaldean, all power resides in the autocrat, and when he 
 is smitten the whole body is rendered powerless. Jehovah 
 has smitten "with his own missiles," i. e., has turned 
 against him the very weapons by which the despot obtained 
 and maintained his authority. Delitzsch and others trans- 
 late the word rendered "leaders" by "tribes, hordes," 
 which, though it be correct, affects the general sense but 
 little. The pronominal suffix in the word translated "his 
 missiles" is by some referred to the people in verse 13, and 
 by others to the anointed. But as the suffix in the word 
 rendered "leaders" certainly refers to the Chaldeans, it is 
 better to give this one the same reference. The verb trans- 
 lated "rush on," is the root ot the noun signifying "a 
 storm, a tempest." It describes the bold and restless efforts 
 of the Chaldeans to destroy the chosen people. The 
 prophet speaks of himself here as in i: 12, as the representa- 
 tive of his scattered nation. The Chaldeans have also 
 treated the people of God, not only as the bold warrior 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 97 
 
 treats his conquered foes, but like the crafty robber who 
 lies in wait for his victim, seizes upon him by stealth, and 
 brings him to his own lurking place to despoil him. "The 
 poor" one is a Irequent designation of God's people. 
 
 75. Thou hast passed through the sea with thine horses^ 
 through the boiling of many waters. As Jehovah passed 
 through the Red Sea with His people and thus delivered 
 them from the hand of the Egyptians, so now He will 
 traverse the sea again and will deliver His people from the 
 hand of the Chaldeans. He thus permits no obstacle, how- 
 ever great, to prevent the accomplishment of His designs. 
 "The boiling of many waters" is a poetic description of 
 "the sea" in the first clause, and represents the magnitude 
 and multitude of the dangers b}' which God's people are 
 threatened. Other interpreters render the phrase "the 
 dregs of many waters," and understand it as a designation 
 ot the unclean and impure character of the enemies, or 
 as descriptive of the bed or bottom of the sea upon which 
 the passage is made. 
 
 16-19. ^^^^ prophet describes the efiects of fear and 
 anxiety produced by this revelation in every part of his 
 person, and his earnest desire for rest from trouble such as 
 would accompany a Chaldean invasion, (V. 16,) and then 
 declares his strong faith in the superintending providence 
 of God, which shall give him all needed help. In the most 
 dangerous circumstances God will supply him with strength, 
 comfort and rejoicing, (vs. 17-19.) 
 
 16. I heard and my belly trembled; at the voice yny lips 
 quivered; rottenness shall cojne into my bones^ and under me I 
 shall tremble^ who shall rest unto a day of distress^ to the go- 
 ing up of the people^ he will invade him. The prophet re- 
 turns here to the same point whence he set out in verse 2. 
 That which he "heard" was the whole communication made 
 to him in the preceding chapter concerning the rise of the 
 Chaldeans, God's employment of them as His rod, and their 
 final overthrow, which is the special subject of the second 
 
98 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 and third chapters. The revelation made to him produced 
 extreme anxiety and tear, which were attended by the usual 
 physical symptoms. "The voice" is that of Jehovah, which 
 proclaimed to him the prophecies in i: 5-11; 2:2-20; 3: 2-15. 
 
 The word here rendered "quivered" is the one usually 
 translated "tingled" and applied to the tingling of the ears 
 on hearing dreadful news. Some suppose there is an allu- 
 sion here to the sound produced by the lips when under the in- 
 fluence of high nervous excitement, or by an unconscious 
 attempt to imitate the words communicated by Jehovah. It 
 is better, however, touse what seems to be the original signifi- 
 cation of the verb, viz., "to vibrate, palpitate, quiver." It 
 then expresses the nervous tremor of the lips in time of terror. 
 The ancient versions generally have "trembling" instead of 
 "rottenness," either because they had a different word in 
 their copies of the prophecy, which is not probable, or as 
 expressive of the sense of the word employed. The mean- 
 ing of the phrase "rottenness shall come into my bones" is 
 that his bones no longer gave strength and stability to his 
 frame. They were as useless as though thoroughly dis- 
 eased. The phrase "under me" is translated by some "in 
 my place." We prefer to give "I who shall rest," i. e., 
 must remain passive, unable to prevent coming trouble, and 
 compelled to submit to the execution of Jehovah's will. The 
 "day of distress" was the day when Judah should be over- 
 whelmed by Chaldea. It was still future, and until it came 
 the prophet must rest. "To the going up of the people, he 
 will invade him," i. e., until the Chaldean who shall in- 
 vade Judah shall come up against the Jewish people. This 
 was the first great act in the work of God, and the one in 
 which the people were interested. Though a sad day in 
 itself, it would yet be the harbinger of a glorious day when 
 the purification of God's people should be completed and 
 their enemies totally overthrown. 
 
 //. For the fig tree shall not bloom^ and (there shall be) 
 no produce on the vines^ the work {fruit) of the olive has 
 
PROPHECY OF HABAKKUK. 99 
 
 failed, and the fields not yielded food, the flock has been cut 
 Oj^from the fold, and ?to herd in the stalls. This verse as- 
 signs the reason for the application of the term, "the day of 
 distress" to the future. The country will be involved in 
 all the evil consequences of an invasion, which should reach 
 everything upon which the people depended for support and 
 comfort. The whole country shall be as though a blight 
 had fallen upon the crops and a murrain upon the cattle. 
 
 i8. And I will rejoice in fehovah, and exult in the God 
 of my salvation. In strong contrast with the sterility and 
 gloom of the face ot nature, the prophet has found a source 
 of happiness, which fills him with joy and exultation. This 
 is Jehovah, the God of his salvation, by whom he and his 
 people shall be delivered. 
 
 ig. fehovah, Lord, is my strength, and he has made my 
 feet like hinds, he has caused 77ie to walk on my heights. To 
 (or for) the chief musician, on my stringed instrumejtts. The 
 prophet still speaks as the representative of his people, and 
 expresses his faith in the ability of Jehovah to help His 
 people, and the consequent security of all that trust in Him. 
 The same sentiment is found in Ps. i8: 33. The word 
 translated "Lord" is the one which the Jews usually sub- 
 stituted for "Jehovah," which they never utter. When, 
 however, it occurs in immediate connection with "Jehovah," 
 as here, they substitute the word "Elohim, God," for "Jeho- 
 vah." "Hinds" are described as the swiftest of their kind, 
 and some suppose that the female is mentioned here, because 
 swifter than the male. It hence readily escapes pursuit. 
 Thus the prophet hopes to escape the impending evil 
 which Jehovah has revealed. The "heights" are the moun- 
 tain tops, where the hind is in perfect satety, because inac- 
 cessible to her pursuers. So shall a refuge be found for 
 God's people in all times of trouble. The term translated 
 "chief musician," is applied to an overseer to whose charge 
 any work is committed, and especially to the director of the 
 temple music. This prayer ot Habakkuk is said to be "to" 
 
lOO A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 (or for) him as the chief performer. "My stringed instru- 
 ments." This may be connected with the preceding term, 
 and so point out the chief musician as the director of the in- 
 strumental music, or it may be designed to inform him on 
 what the psahn is to be performed. The expression 7iegi- 
 nothai^ "my stringed instruments," is possibly a compound 
 word, several of which appear in this prophecy. Some in- 
 terpreters suggest that it consists of the noun neginoth and 
 ai^ an abbreviation of fah^ one of the names of the Deity. 
 It would then signify the stringed instruments of Jah, and 
 describes those consecrated to Jehovah and used in the tem- 
 ple service under the direction of the chiet singer. This 
 view is supported by the lollowing considerations : First, 
 the chief musician executed his office in the courts of the 
 temple upon instruments consecrated to the use of Jehovah. 
 These could not be said to belong to any man. Neither 
 Hezekiah, who uses this phrase in Isa. 38: 23, nor Habakkuk, 
 though probably a Levite, would have spoken of these holy 
 instruments as his own. This interpretation is entirely 
 consistent with the use of the word in both places already 
 mentioned. Secondly, the title was the customary abbrevi- 
 ation of the name Jah or Jehovah. Many proper names 
 show traces of the same composition. Among them is 
 Adhonai^ the name of Jehovah, which is interpreted "the 
 Lord Jah." In this case the vo^oi pattahh is lengthened 
 into kamets, because always pronounced with reverence, 
 and the same effect is produced in the case of negmothai 
 by the pause accent. Other illustrations of this composi- 
 tion may be found in the names Ammishaddai, Num. i: 12; 
 Barzillai, II Sam. 17: 27; Haggai; Hushai, II Sam. 15: 32; 
 Sarai, Gen. 11: 22. The interpretation "on my stringed in- 
 struments" is now more generally adopted, and is in entire 
 accordance with the principles of Hebrew grammar. This 
 translr implies that the prophet Habakkuk was a Levite, 
 and nected with the musicians ot the temple service 
 
 as to airc^L the performance ot their public religious exer- 
 cises or a portion of them. See the Introduction. 
 
lOO 
 
 A COMMENTARY ON THE 
 
 (or for) him as the chief performer. "My stringed instru- 
 ments." This may be connected with the preceding term, 
 and so point out the chief musician as the director of the in- 
 strumental music, or it may be designed to inform him on 
 what the psahn is to be performed. The expression negi- 
 nothai^ "my stringed instruments," is possibly a compound 
 word, several of which appear in this prophecy. Some in- 
 terpreters suggest that it consists of the noun neginoth and 
 a/, an abbreviation of fah^ one of the names of the Deity. 
 It would then signify the stringed instruments of Jah, and 
 describes those consecrated to Jehovah and used in the tem- 
 ple service under the direction of the chiet singer. This 
 view is supported by the following considerations : First, 
 the chief musician executed his office in the courts of the 
 temple upon instruments consecrated to the use of Jehovah. 
 These < — ^'^ ^^^^ ^' 
 
 ^ rf-> < y-l 
 
 ■u^i. 
 
 ♦-v* *^ * 
 
 IxT i~\H i- \-% /-\-*^ 
 
 Page 14. Line 11. 
 
 Page 14. Line 25. 
 
 Page 42. Line 3. 
 
 Page 55. Line 11. 
 
 ERRATA : 
 
 Read not instead of "but." 
 Insert "mandates" instead ol 
 Omit "not." 
 
 Omit quotation marks. 
 
 Hezeki 
 thouo^h 
 instrun 
 consist* 
 mentio 
 ation o 
 show 1 
 Adhonc 
 Lord Ji 
 into k( 
 
 and the „ .^ ^ 
 
 by the pause accent. Other illustrations of this composi- 
 tion may be found in the names Ammishaddai, Num. i: 12; 
 Barzillai, II Sam. 17: 27; Haggai; Hushai, II Sam. 15: 32; 
 Sarai, Gen. 11: 22. The interpretation "on my stringed in- 
 struments" is now more generally adopted, and is in entire 
 accordance with the principles of Hebrew grammar. This 
 translr implies that the prophet Habakkuk was a Levite, 
 and nected with the musicians of the temple service 
 
 as to airc^L the performance ot tlieir public religious exer- 
 cises or a portion of them. See the Introduction. 
 
 ] 
 
Date Due 
 
 Ap^f^ .,^» « iafe 
 
:uli5fti:!J:. 
 
 !':i;i:ji;;::t::i 
 
 BS1645.K35 
 
 A commentary on the prophecy of 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library 
 
 1 1012 00055 0832