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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Habakkuk 3:17-19

HABAKKUK—NOTE ON Habakkuk 3:17 Anticipating great destruction by the Babylonians, Habakkuk has radically changed. He began by informing God how to run his world; he ends by trusting that God knows best and will bring about true justice. Though the fig tree should not blossom. Even during suffering and loss, Habakkuk has learned that he can trust God. That trust brings great joy, not in circumstances, but in God himself: yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Yahweh has become Habakkuk’s strength (see Psalms 18:32, Psalms 18:39).

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See also Habakkuk 3:17-19 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Habakkuk 3:17. _ALTHOUGH THE FIG TREE SHALL NOT BLOSSOM_] תפרח _tiphrach_, "shall not flourish," shall _not put forth its young_ _figs_, for the fig tree does _not blossom_. The _young figs appe...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    ALTHOUGH - literally, For THE FIG TREE SHALL NOT BLOSSOM - The prophet repeats his confidence in God, premising his knowledge that all human hopes should fail. I know, he says, all stay and support sh...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 3 The Vision of the Coming of the Lord _ 1. The prophet's prayer (Habakkuk 3:1) _ 2. The coming of the Lord for judgment and redemption (Habakkuk 3:3) 3. The effect upon the prophet (Habak...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    HABAKKUK 3. THE PRAYER OF HABAKKUK. Habakkuk 3:1. Shigionoth: probably plural of _shiggaion_ (Psalms 7:1, p. 373). But LXX reads _n e ginoth_, on the stringed instruments (_cf._ Psalms 4:1;...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    A liturgical addition, expressing perfect trust in Yahweh even amid loss and grief (cf. Joel 1:17). HABAKKUK 3:17. For _tiphrah_, blossom, read probably _tiphreh_, bear fruit (LXX). Habakkuk 3:19. F...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ALTHOUGH. Hebrew. _ki,_ as in 2 Samuel 23:5. but must be understood not as being hypothetical, but as bringing out the antithesis with Habakkuk 3:18 (compare Job 8:7). FIG TREE... VINES... OLIVE. See...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    It is not easy to say whether Habakkuk 3:17 contains a series of suppositions referring to what may happen in the future, or describes a condition of things actually existing. The latter way of readin...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _HABAKKUK'S RESPONSE TO GOD'S MESSAGE -- HABAKKUK 3:16-19:_ When Habakkuk heard God's message he responded in fear. He knew that destruction was coming upon his nation. He also knew that later God wou...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1226 THE CHRISTIAN’S BOAST Habakkuk 3:17. _Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no m...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    ALTHOUGH THE FIG-TREE SHALL NOT BLOOM, &C.— For then the fig-tree shall not flourish, Nor shall fruit be on the vines: The produce of the olives shall fail, And the fields shall supply no food: The fl...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    HYMN OF FAITH. Habakkuk 3:16-19 RV. I heard, and my body trembled, My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entereth into my bones, and I tremble in my place; Because I must wait quietly for the day...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JEHOVAH COMES TO JUDGMENT This is one of the most brilliant poems in the OT. It was written by a man of imagination as well as of faith. It is not quite certain whether Habakkuk 3:8 are intended to re...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE PROBLEM OF ASSYRIA Habakkuk _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ CHAPTER 3 V1 (These are) the words that the *prophet Habakkuk prayed. (He used music called) Shigionoth. V2 *LORD, I have heard (what people) s...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (10-18) All the verbs in these verses are misrendered as regards tense. (See note on 3-15.)...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (16-19) Habakkuk now reverts abruptly to the Divine sentence of Habakkuk 1:5 _et seq.,_ and describes with what emotion he meditates on the coming disasters, and on his own inability to prevent them....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    ALTHOUGH. — Better, _For._ The conjunction connects this verse with what precedes, and explains Habakkuk’s affliction more fully. With the sword shall come famine, invasion as usual producing desolati...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כִּֽי ־תְאֵנָ֣ה לֹֽא ־תִפְרָ֗ח וְ אֵ֤ין יְבוּ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Habakkuk 3:1 The third chapter, an Ode or Rhapsody, is ascribed to Habakkuk by its title. This, however, does not prove its authenticity: the title is too like those assigned to the Psalms in the peri...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE FAITH THAT IS INVINCIBLE Habakkuk 3:1-19 This psalm was intended to be sung by the captives during the Exile, which was near. In Habakkuk 3:3-15 there is a recital of the great events in the past...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In the proclamation concerning the righteous, the majesty of Jehovah and the consequent triumph of His people are set forth. It consists of a psalm which is a prayer. In the first movement the prophe...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Fail. Literally, "lie," (Haydock) or frustrate our expectations. (Calmet) --- Spem mentita seges. (Hor.[Horace?] i. ep. 7.) --- Fold. Septuagint, "food."_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    If we read these verses as we ought to read them, implying the spiritual effect wrought upon the mind of the Prophet, and in like manner what may be supposed in the same way to influence every child o...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Lectures on the Minor Prophets. W. Kelly. There is no prophetic delivery among the twelve lesser books more peculiar and characteristic than that of Habakkuk. It has no longer the occupation with the...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _REJOICING IN GOD_ (_A Harvest Sermon_) ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flo...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    The Prophet declares now at large what that rest would be of which he had spoken; it would be even this—that he would not cease to rejoice in God, even in the greatest afflictions. He indeed foresees...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    This answer brings home to the heart of the prophet the solemn presence of God, and leads him to look for a revival of God's working in the midst of the people in grace, and turns him back to God's fi...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    ALTHOUGH THE FIG TREE SHALL NOT BLOSSOM,.... Or rather, as the Septuagint version, "shall not bring forth fruit"; since the fig tree does not bear blossoms and flowers, but puts forth green figs at on...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be] in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Although the fig-tree shall not blossom_ Though all outward means of support should fail, yet will I still have a firm confidence in the power, goodness, and faithfulness of God, that he will preserv...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    A PLEA FOR MERCY...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive, as it brings forth its blossoms and yields its fruit, SHALL FAIL, shriveling up, AND THE FIELDS SH...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    FAIL: _ Heb._ lie...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    16-19 When we see a day of trouble approach, it concerns us to prepare. A good hope through grace is founded in holy fear. The prophet looked back upon the experiences of the church in former ages, a...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    To war foreseen the prophet supposeth famine, and describeth the most grievous, as indeed it fell out. ALTHOUGH THE FIG TREE, which was in that country a very considerable part of their provision to l...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Habakkuk 3:17 tree H8384 blossom H6524 (H8799) fruit H2981 vines H1612 labor H4639 olive H2132 fail H3584 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘For though the fig tree will not blossom, Nor will fruit be in the vines, The produce of the olive will fail, And the fields will yield no food, The flock will be cut off from the fold, And ther...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    ALTHOUGH That is, despite the afflictions of Israel in dispersion, the prophet will rejoice because of the Lord, as yet to return to His temple....

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Zechariah 3:17 The prophet herein declares two things which are of supreme importance in the highest life of man. I. He declares the possibility of having joy independently of all external things. He...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Habakkuk's answer of faith to Jehovah. The terror of God's wrath against sinners. CHARACTERS: God, Habakkuk. CONCLUSION: The God of nature can alter and control all the powers of nature to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Zechariah 3:1. _A prayer of Habakkuk,_ by which he cheered and encouraged the church, and his own soul, under all the gloom that overspread the state of his country. _Shigionoth,_ the name of a pensiv...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, etc._ UNITED PRAYER FOR REMOVAL OF TEMPORAL AFFLICTIONS We are called in a special manner to humble ourselves before God, on account of a great national cala...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] Habakkuk 3:16. Trembled] The prophet describes his own feelings at the coming of Jehovah: first, fear and trembling; then, exulting joy (Habakkuk 3:18). “The alarm pervades his whole...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION HABAKKUK 3:1 Part II. PSALM OR PRAYER OF HABAKKUK. HABAKKUK 3:1 § 1. _The title._ A PRAYER. There is only one form

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now in chapter 3 it is a psalm, it is, A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth (Zechariah 3:1). Now about the seventh psalm or so, I think it is upon the Shiggaion, which is the same thing,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Amos 4:6; Deuteronomy 28:15; Deuteronomy 28:30; Haggai 2:16;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The labour — The labour bestowed upon the olive. Yield no meat — Corn. Flock — Of sheep....

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