Bible Commentaries

Introduction

1	Unto Habakkuk, complaining of the iniquity of the land,
5	is shewn the fearful vengeance by the Chaldeans.
12	He complains that vengeance should be executed by them who are far worse.

Verse 1
The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

Isaiah 22:1; Nahum 1:1

Verse 2
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

how

Psalms 13:1,2; 74:9,10; 94:3; Revelation 6:10

and thou wilt not save

Psalms 22:1,2; Jeremiah 14:9; Lamentations 3:8

Verse 3
Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Psalms 12:1,2; 55:9-11; 73:3-9; 120:5,6; Ecclesiastes 4:1; 5:8; Jeremiah 9:2-6; Ezekiel 2:6; Micah 7:1-4; Matthew 10:16; 2 Peter 2:8

Verse 4
Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

the law

Psalms 11:3; 119:126; Mark 7:9; Romans 3:31

for

1 Kings 21:13; Job 21:7; Psalms 22:16; 58:1,2; 59:2,4; 82:1-5; 94:3,20,21; Isaiah 1:21-23; 59:2-8,13-15; Jeremiah 5:27-29; 12:1,6; 26:8,21-23; Jeremiah 37:14-16; 38:4-6; Ezekiel 22:25-30; Hosea 10:4; Amos 5:7,12; Micah 2:1,2; Micah 3:1-3; 7:2-4; Matthew 23:34-36; 26:59-66; 27:1,2,25,26; Acts 7:52,59; Acts 23:12-14; James 2:6,7

wrong

or, wrested.

Exodus 23:2,6; Deuteronomy 16:19; Ezekiel 9:9

Verse 5
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

ye among

Deuteronomy 4:27; Jeremiah 9:25,26; 25:14-29

and regard

Isaiah 29:14; Lamentations 4:12; Daniel 9:12; Acts 13:40,41

for

Isaiah 28:21,22; Jeremiah 5:12,13; 18:18; Ezekiel 12:22-28; Zephaniah 1:2; Acts 6:13,14

Verse 6
For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

I raise

Deuteronomy 28:49-52; 2 Kings 24:2; 2 Chronicles 36:6,17; Isaiah 23:13; 39:6,7; Jeremiah 1:15,16; Jeremiah 4:6,8; 5:15; 6:22,23; 21:4; 25:9

breadth

Heb. breadths.

Verse 7
They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

their judgment, etc

or, from them shall proceed the judgment of these and the captivity of these.

Jeremiah 39:5-9; 52:9-11,25-27; Deuteronomy 5:19,27

Verse 8
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.

horses

Deuteronomy 28:49; Isaiah 5:26-28

fierce

Heb. sharp. evening.

Jeremiah 5:6; Zephaniah 3:3

they

Jeremiah 4:13; Lamentations 4:19; Ezekiel 17:3,12; Hosea 8:1; Matthew 24:28; Luke 17:37

Verse 9
They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

for

6; 2:5-13; Deuteronomy 28:51,52; Jeremiah 4:7; 5:15-17; 25:9

their faces shall sup up as the east

or, the supping up of their faces, as, etc. or, their faces shall look toward the east. Heb. the opposition of their faces shall be toward the east.

Isaiah 27:8; Jeremiah 4:11; Ezekiel 17:10; 19:12; Hosea 13:15

they shall gather

2:5; Genesis 41:49; Judges 7:12; Job 29:18; Psalms 139:18; Jeremiah 15:8; 34:22; Hosea 1:10; Romans 9:27

Verse 10
And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

scoff

2 Kings 24:12; 25:6,7; 2 Chronicles 36:6,10

they shall deride

Isaiah 14:16; Jeremiah 32:24; 33:4; 52:4-7

Verse 11
Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

shall his

Daniel 4:30-34

imputing

Daniel 5:3,4,20

Verse 12
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

thou not

Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 90:2; Isa:; 57:15; Lamentations 5:19; Micah 5:2; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16; Hebrews 1:10-12; 13:8; Revelation 1:8,11

mine

Isaiah 43:15; 49:7; Acts 3:14

we

3:2; Psalms 118:17; Isaiah 27:6-9; Jeremiah 4:27; 5:18; 30:11; 33:24-26; 46:28; Ezekiel 37:11-14; Amos 9:8,9

thou hast ordained

2 Kings 19:25; Psalms 17:13; Isaiah 10:5-7; 37:26; Jeremiah 25:9-14; Ezekiel 30:25

mighty God

Heb. Rock.

Deuteronomy 32:4,30,31; 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalms 18:1

established

Heb. founded. for.

Isaiah 27:9,10; Jeremiah 30:11; 31:18-20; 46:28; Hebrews 12:5,6

Verse 13
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

of

Job 15:15; Psalms 5:4,5; 11:4-7; 34:15,16; 1 Peter 1:15,16

iniquity

or, grievance. wherefore.

Psalms 10:1,2,15; 73:3; Jeremiah 12:1,2

deal

Isaiah 21:2; 33:1

holdest

Esther 4:14; Psalms 35:22; 50:3,21; 83:1; Proverbs 31:8,9; Isaiah 64:12

the wicked

3,4; 2 Samuel 4:11; 1 Kings 2:32; Psalms 37:12-15,32,33; 56:1,2; Acts 2:23; 3:13-15

Verse 14
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

creeping

or, moving. no.

Proverbs 6:7

Verse 15
They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

take

Jeremiah 16:16; Ezekiel 29:4,5; Amos 4:2; Matthew 17:27

they catch

Psalms 10:9; Luke 5:5-10; John 21:6-11

drag

or, flue-net. therefore.

Jeremiah 50:11; Lamentations 2:15,16; Ezekiel 25:6; 26:2; 35:15; Revelation 11:10

Verse 16
Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

they

11; Deuteronomy 8:17; Isaiah 10:13-15; 37:24; Ezekiel 28:3; 29:3; Daniel 4:30; 5:23

plenteous

or, dainty. Heb. fat.

Verse 17
Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

and

9,10; 2:5-8,17; Isaiah 14:16,17; Jeremiah 25:9-26; 46:1-49; 52:1-34; Ezekiel 25:1-30

---

Footnotes: