_UNTO HABAKKUK, COMPLAINING OF THE INIQUITY OF THE LAND, IS SHEWED THE FEARFUL VENGEANCE BY THE CHALDEANS: HE COMPLAINETH THAT VENGEANCE SHOULD BE EXECUTED BY THEM WHO ARE FAR WORSE._ _Before Christ 690._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN, &C.— _The sentence, or prophesy._ The prophet in the first four verses inveighs against the irregularities of Judah; and in the 6th verse he speaks of the coming of the Chaldeans into the country as of a thing entirely new; and as if those people had been called into existence for the ve... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE ARE THAT RAISE UP STRIFE, &C.— _And there is strife; and contention carries it._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JUDGMENT DOTH NEVER GO FORTH, &C.— _And judgment goeth not forth to victory_ or _perfection, for the wicked overbeareth the righteous._ Houbigant. See Isaiah 42:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD YE, &C.—_THOUGH IT BE TOLD YOU_— _See and behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish; for,_ &c.—_when it is told._ Houbigant. So also the LXX, and Acts 13:41.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT BITTER AND HASTY NATION— _That swift nation, which shall hasten its pace, and shall march,_ &c. Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR JUDGMENT, &C.— _They give to themselves their own judgments, and their own auguries._ The meaning is, that the Chaldeans plunder whatever they deem in their own judgments proper to be theirs, and esteem their own will in the place of auguries and omens. Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR FACES SHALL SUP, &C.— _A burning wind goes before them, and gathers captives as the sand._ Houbigant. They shall carry desolation, destruction, and fire every where before them. The winds which blew from Arabia the Desert were extremely hot, and very dangerous, not only on account of their own... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL SCOFF, &C.— _And he shall scoff at kings, and princes will be a jest with him; he will but laugh at every strong hold; for he will heap up the dust,_ (or _raise a mound_) _and take it._... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN, &C.— _Then shall his spirit be changed, and he shall depart, and become guilty, who confided in his god._ The prophet here foretels the wonderful change which was to happen to Nebuchadnezzar; who was to have the heart of a beast, and to _become guilty;_ to be punished for his pride, to depart... [ Continue Reading ]
ART THOU NOT FROM EVERLASTING, O LORD— _For_ thou, _O Lord, my God, the holy God, the God of truth, thou hast of old ordained him to judgment: thou hast made him a strong enemy, that thou mightest correct him._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MAKEST MEN, &C.— By delivering them to Nebuchadnezzar, who takes them in his net as a fisherman takes fishes. These creatures suffer themselves to be taken without resistance, because they have no power to defend themselves; no chief to conduct or guard them; _as reptiles, who have no protector_... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEY REJOICE AND ARE GLAD— _Therefore he rejoices and triumphs._ The whole verse may he rendered in the singular number.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, &C.— _Therefore will he sacrifice to his net, and burn incense to his drag; because by them is his portion fat, and his meat delicious._ The meaning is, that he attributes all his good success to his valour, his courage, his conduct, and good fortune; or else to that god, whose statue he... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL THEY THEREFORE, &C.— _Therefore he continually maketh his net empty_ [in order to be fed with that delicious food], _and spareth not to slay the nations._ Houbigant. Others render it, Shall he therefore draw out his net, and that continually, to slay the nations, and without mercy? REFLECTION... [ Continue Reading ]