I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. I WILL STAND UPON MY WATCH - i:e., watchpost. The prophets often compare themselves, awaiting the revelations of Yahweh with earnest patience, to watc... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. AND THE LORD ANSWERED ME, AND SAID, WRITE THE VISION - which I am about to reveal to thee. AND MAKE IT PLAIN - just as God directed the law to be written, "Write upon the stone... [ Continue Reading ]
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. FOR - assigning the cause why it ought to be committed to writing: because its fulfillment belongs to the future. THE VISION IS... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. BEHOLD, HIS SOUL WHICH IS LIFTED UP - the Chaldean's soul (Maurer). The unbelieving Jew's soul (Henderson). IS NOT UPRIGHT IN HIM - i:e., is not accounted upright in God's sight; in antithesis to ... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: YEA ALSO, BECAUSE HE TRANSGRESSETH BY WINE - additional reason why... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! SHALL NOT ALL THESE - the "nations" and "peoples" (Habakkuk 2:5) "heaped unto him" by the Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? SHALL THEY NOT RISE UP SUDDENLY - the answer to the question, "how long?" (Habakkuk 2:6). THAT SHALL BITE THEE - "bite" [ naashak (H5391)], often used of usury, so favo... [ Continue Reading ]
Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. BECAUSE THOUGH HAST SPOILED MANY NATIONS, ALL THE REMNANT OF THE PEOPLE SHALL SPOIL THEE - "the remnant of... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! WOE TO HIM THAT COVETETH AN EVIL COVETOUSNESS - i:e., a covetousness so surpassingly evil as to be fatal to himself. TO HIS HOUSE - greedily seizing enor... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. THOU HAST CONSULTED SHAME TO THY HOUSE BY CUTTING OFF MANY PEOPLE. Maurer, more literally, 'Thou hast consulted shame to thy house (namely) to destroy many' - i:e., in consulting (determining) to... [ Continue Reading ]
For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. FOR THE STONE SHALL CRY OUT OF THE WALL. Personification. The very stones of thy palace, built by rapine, shall testify against thee (). AND THE BEAM OUT OF THE TIMBER - the cross-beam or main rafter conne... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! WOE TO HIM THAT BUILDETH A TOWN WITH BLOOD - namely, Babylon, rebuilt and enlarged by blood-bought spoils (cf. ).... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? BEHOLD, IS IT NOT OF THE LORD OF HOSTS. Yahweh, who has at command all the hosts of heaven, and earth, is the righteous Author of Babylon's destruction. 'S... [ Continue Reading ]
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. FOR THE EARTH SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD, AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA. Adopted from , with the difference that Isaiah's phrase, "the knowledge of the Lord," i... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! WOE UNTO HIM THAT GIVETH HIS NEIGHBOUR DRINK, THAT PUTTEST THY BOTTLE TO HIM - literally, skin, as the Easterns use "bottles" of skin for wine; Maur... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. THOU ART FILLED WITH SHAME - now that thou art fallen. "Thou art filled" indeed (though so insatiable)... [ Continue Reading ]
For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. FOR THE VIOLENCE OF LEBANON - thy "violence" against "Lebanon" - i:e., Jerusalem (Isaiah 37:24; Jere... [ Continue Reading ]
What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? WHAT PROFITETH THE GRAVEN IMAGE ... The powerlessness of the idols to save Babylon from its doom is a fitting WHAT PROF... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. WOE UNTO HIM THAT SAITH TO THE WOOD, AWAKE - arise to my help. TO THE DUMB STONE, ARISE, IT SHALL TEACH! - rathe... [ Continue Reading ]
But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. BUT THE LORD - Yahweh; in striking contrast with the idols. IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE - "His place" (, "Behold, the Lord cometh out of His place), heaven (, "The Lord is in His holy temple;" ; ). The temple at Jerusalem... [ Continue Reading ]