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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Habakkuk 3:11

Verse Habakkuk 3:11. The sun and moon stood still] This was at the prayer of Joshua, when he fought against the Amorites. See Joshua 10:11-6, and the notes there.

At the light of thine arrows they went] I think we should translate, -

By their light, thine arrows went abroad;

By their brightness, the lightning of thy spear.


Calvin very justly remarks that the arrows and spears of the Israelites are called those of God, under whose auspices the people fought: the meaning is, that by the continuation of the light of the sun and moon, then stayed in their course, the Israelites saw how to continue the battle, till their enemies were all defeated.

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See also Habakkuk 3:11 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SUN AND MOON STOOD STILL (AS ONE ACT RETIRING INTO) IN THEIR HABITATION - They withdrew, as it were, in the midst of the great tempest, wherein Joshua 10:11. “God cast down great stones from heaven up...

  • 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

    In answer to his prayer, Yahweh comes from Sinai, riding on His victorious chariots, surrounded by glory and splendour, His bow uncovered and His quiver filled with shafts, making the mountains to sin...

  • 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;...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE SUN AND MOON, &C. Reference to Joshua 10:12; Joshua 10:13. AT THE LIGHT, &C.. like light Thine arrows flew. AND AT THE SHINING, &C.. like lightning was Thy glittering spear....

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _GOD'S POWER AND WRATH WERE DEMONSTRATED -- HABAKKUK 3:8-15:_ God was not disturbed over disobedience of the rivers or the seas. His concern was over a rebellious people. His horses and chariots were...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AT THE LIGHT OF THINE ARROWS THEY WENT— _By their light thine arrows fled abroad, and by their shinings thy glittering spear._ When Joshua fought against the Amorites, at his command the sun and moon...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER XVIII THE PROPHET'S POETIC PRAYER VISION OF GOD IN JUDGEMENT. Habakkuk 3:1-15 RV. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, set to Shigionoth. O Jehovah, I have heard the report of thee, and am afra...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear. THE SUN AND MOON STOOD STILL - at Joshua's command (Joshua 10:1...

  • 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

    III. (1-15) A hymn describing a future self-manifestation of Jehovah on Israel’s behalf, accompanied by the signs and wonders of the early history. It is impossible to give the English reader an idea...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (3-15) Habakkuk describes the “Theophany” or self-manifestation of Jehovah, which is to introduce the desired deliverance. The Authorised Version has unfortunately rendered all the verbs in this secti...

  • 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

    THE SUN AND MOON STAND STILL IN THEIR HABITATION — _scil.,_ where they were at the beginning of the judgment. Here, of course, Habakkuk has in mind Joshua 10:12. The rest of the verse is best rendered...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ יָרֵ֖חַ עָ֣מַד זְבֻ֑לָה לְ אֹ֤ור חִצ

  • 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...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    The (o) sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation: (p) at the light of thy arrows they went, [and] at the shining of thy glittering spear. (o) As appears in (Joshua 10:12). (p) According to you...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Go. The five kings shall flee at the descent of Bethoron; or the heavenly body shall proceed at thy command, at the signal given by thunder, Josue x. 11._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    It is impossible by any comment, even if written with the pen of an angel, to add any beauty to this most sublime passage. I retire from it therefore, and only beg the Reader, as he reads it, to conne...

  • 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...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Here the Prophet refers to another history; for we know that when Joshua fought, and when the day was not long enough to slay the enemies, the day was prolonged according to his prayer, (Joshua 10:12....

  • 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

    THE SUN [AND] MOON STOOD STILL IN THEIR HABITATION,.... This is generally thought to refer to the miracle in the times of Joshua, Joshua 10:12 but a different word is there used, especially of the sta...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    The sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, [and] at the shining of thy glittering spear. Ver. 11. _The sun and moon stood still in their habitation_]...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Hab. 3:11. "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; at the light of thine arrows they went, at the shining of thy glittering spear." By this it is evident that there was not only a dreadful...

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

    _The sun and moon stood still in their habitation_ At the command of Joshua. _At the light of thine arrows they went_ Or rather, _by their light_ (namely, the light of the sun and moon) _thine arrows...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JEHOVAH'S MAJESTIC COMING TO JUDGMENT...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The sun and moon stood still in their habitation, or have entered their dwelling, so that a terrifying darkness ensues; AT THE LIGHT OF THINE ARROWS THEY WENT AND AT THE SHINING OF THY GLITTERING SPEA...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    AT THE LIGHT OF THINE ARROWS: Or, thine arrows walked in the light, etc....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    3-15 God's people, when in distress, and ready to despair, seek help by considering the days of old, and the years of ancient times, and by pleading them with God in prayer. The resemblance between t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE SUN AND MOON STOOD STILL: though the sun rejoice as a giant to run his race, and had constantly come out of his chamber to run it about two thousand five hundred years past, yet now he stops his c...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Habakkuk 3:11 sun H8121 moon H3394 still H5975 (H8804) habitation H2073 light H216 arrows H2671 went H1980 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘You divided the earth with rivers, The mountains saw you and were afraid, The tempest of waters passed by, The deep uttered his voice, And lifted up his hands on high. The sun and moon stood sti...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    AT THE LIGHT Or, thine arrows walked in the light, etc....

  • 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

    _God came from Teman._ GOD POETICALLY PORTRAYED AND PRACTICALLY REMEMBERED The Bible contains many grand songs and odes. But this song of Habakkuk stands in peerless splendour amongst them all. I. P...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    HABAKKUK—NOTE ON HABAKKUK 3:1 Habakkuk’s Prayer. Habakkuk asks for a new demonstration of God’s wrath and mercy, such as God gave so powerfully in the past. He closes with a confession of faith and tr...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    HABAKKUK—NOTE ON HABAKKUK 3:11 SUN AND MOON STOOD STILL refers to Joshua’s victory at Gibeah (Joshua 10:12). The Lord’s victory here will be equally sensational....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.] Habakkuk 3:8.] Now judgment is executed. The description rests upon two facts: dividing of Red Sea and of Jordan (Exodus 15:18; Psalms 104:3;...

  • 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

    Isaiah 28:21; Isaiah 38:8; Joshua 10:11; Joshua 10:12; Joshua 10:13;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Stood still — At the prayer of Joshua. In the light — Which was most miraculously continued....

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