Verse 1. Will stand, and so forth Waiting to see what the Lord will answer to my complaint, that is that the Chaldeans, who are worse than the Jews, and who attribute all their success to their own strength, or to their idols, should nevertheless prevail over the people of the Lord. The Lord’s answer is, that the prophet must wait with patience and faith; that all should be set right iu due time; and the enemies of God and his people punished according to their deserts. Challoner.—The prophet speaks, waiting for a further revelation, ( Worthington.) not seeing before the reasons of Providence in permitting the wicked to prosper. Bible. Psalms 72:17.—He is informed that the kings of Babylon, (verse 5. 8.) Juda, (verse 11) Tyre, (verse 14) and Egypt, (verse 18) and all who trust in idols, shall suffer. verse 19. Hereupon the judgments of God are pronounced just. Calmet.—Tower. Aq. and so forth “circle.” The ancient Jews say Habacuc formed a circle, out of which he would not stir till he was satisfied, (Kimchi) as Popilius did. V. Max. vi. 4. Daniel 11:29. Calmet.
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Verse 2. Over it. It shall be so legible ( Bible.) anyone may hear or take a copy. Calmet.
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Verse 3. Slack. That which happens at the time fixed is not. Worthington.—Hebrew “the vision is for an appointed time.” Habacuc might live to see the conquest and downfall of Nabuchodonosor. Many think that the first and second coming of Christ (Hebrews 10:36. Romans 1:17) are here insinuated, as the dominion of the aforesaid king represented the slavery of mankind under the devil, and the liberty granted by Cyrus was a type of their redemption. The felicity of the Jews is the last event which the prophet specifies, and this is here the literal sense. Saint Cyril Calmet.
Habakkuk
Verse 4. Unbelieving. Prot. “lifted up.” Bible.—The king’s vain projects shall fail. Septuagint Rom. “If he withdraw himself, my soul shall not have pleasure in him. But my just man shall live by my faith.” Others read with Saint Paul, “my just man shall live by faith.” Hebrews 10:38. Calmet.—The source of content arises from faith, (without which this life would be a sort of death, as the apostle and Saint Augustine Trin. xiv. 12. and so forth observe) because it is the beginning of life by grace, which the works of the law could not otherwise confer. Galatians 3. Worthington.—The Hebrew will admit the sense of the Septuagint and we ought rather to shew this in passages which the authors of the New Testament quote, than to excuse them. Here their version seems preferable to that given by moderns, ecce elata est, non recta anima ejus in eo, the drift of which who can guess? Beza has acted unfairly, “at si quis se subduxerit non est gratum animo meo;” whereas the text speaks of the “just man,” as Theophylactus observes. “Hence all who know his theological opinions, may see how suspicious his translation must be accounted.” Pearson. pref. Septuagint Bible.
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Verse 5. As wine deceiveth, and so forth that is by affording only a short passing pleasure, followed by the evils and disgrace that are the usual consequences of drunkenness: so shall it be with the proud enemies of the people of God, whose success affordeth them only a momentary pleasure, followed by innumerable and everlasting evils. Challoner.—Hebrew “but as the proud man prevaricates in wine, he shall not succeed.” Baltassar’s reign was short. Vat. De Dieu.—Nabuchodonosor saw himself reduced to the meanest condition.—Hell. He is insatiable. Proverbs 30:16. Calmet.—Æstuat infelix (Alex.) augusto limite mundi. Juv. x.
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Verse 6. Parable. Lit. “marvel,” or wonderful speech; parabolam.—Dark. Prot. “a taunting proverb;” ( Bible.) when Nabuchodonosor became like a beast, and his empire was soon after divided. Calmet.—Clay. Ill-gotten goods, that like mire both burden and defile the soul. Challoner.—Gold and silver are only a sort of earth. Job 28:16. Zechariah 9:2. Habacuc does not even name riches, out of contempt. Some think ( Calmet.) that he alludes to the grave. People prayed for their deceased friend: Sit tibi terra levis. Drus.
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Verse 7. Bile, like worms in the grave. Cyrus will overturn the kingdom. The Rabbins pretend that Evilmerodac caused his father’s body to be cut in pieces for the crows, lest he should return again. Calmet.
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Verse 8. Blood. For cruelty, avarice, and so forth the Chaldees shall be ruined. Worthington.—City, different from that land of the Arabs, who dwell under tents. This city may denote Jerusalem, Babylon, and so forth
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Verse 9. Wo. This is commonly understood of Nabuchodonosor; but it seems rather to designate Joakim, (Jeremiah 22:13) whose injustice scandalized the prophet. Calmet.
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Verse 10. House. Thinking to establish thy family for ever, thou hast proved its ruin by avarice, and so forth Worthington.—This is applied to Nabuchodonosor, but may be as well explained of Joakim, who oppressed his people, and was cast out like an ass. Calmet.
Habakkuk
Verse 11. Timber. Hebrew “caphis (Septuagint the insect κανθαρος) from the wood shall answer.” Bible.—The signification of the Hebrew term is unknown. It was customary to place beams of wood after some courses of stone, to strengthen the building. 3 Kennicott. 6:36. Calmet.—The crimes were so crying, that if men were silent the very stones would publish them. Menochius.
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Verse 12. Wo. This might be explained of Nabuchodonosor; but we rather understand the king of Tyre, whose pride was intolerable. Ezekiel 28. It seems useless to repeat so often the same threats against one king. Calmet.
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Verse 13. Things, and so forth That is, shall not these punishments that are here recorded come from the Lord upon him that is guilty of such crimes? Challoner. or, are not these riches from the Lord? The king of Tyre thought himself a god. Ezekiel 28:2. Calmet.—People; enemies of God’s people. Challoner.—The riches of the Tyrians shall perish, so that the troops of Nabuchodonosor shall find nothing worth their trouble. Thus all were justly punished.
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Verse 14. Sea. The land and naval forces attacked Tyre. Calmet.—Vast multitudes came against Babylon. Menochius.—The punishment of the wicked will cause many to adore and to fear the Lord. Bible.
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Verse 15. Wo. All this may refer to the king of Egypt, who deceived Joakim, Sedecias, and so forth Calmet.—Septuagint “O, he who giveth drink to his neighbour, a cruel overthrow, and who maketh,” and so forth—Nakedness. Septuagint “caverns;” deluding him, so that his places of retreat become useless. Bible.—The Jews relate that Sedecias was intoxicated, and then acted with indecency. Saint Jerome—But these accounts deserve little credit.
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Verse 16. Glory. Egypt shall suffer at last. Isaiah 19:14. Jeremiah 43. and so forth It was customary to hand the cup about. Jeremiah 25:17. Matthew 26:27. Calmet.
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Verse 17. Libanus. That is, the iniquity committed by the Chaldees against the temple of God, signified here by the name of Libanus. Challoner.—Egypt had persuaded the governor of Cœlosyria and the Jews to revolt, and then abandoned them.—Beasts, which were adored in Egypt. Those who explain all of the Chaldees are much perplexed, understanding the army of Cyrus, or the oppressed nations, or subjects to be meant. Calmet.—And of. Hebrew “land of the city,” as verse 8.
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Verse 18. Thing, Prot. falsely, “image.” Bible.—This is addressed to all idolaters.
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Verse 20. Temple. Hebrew “palace,” or heaven. House is generally put for the temple.—Silence, out of respect, and so forth The guards of the eastern princes observe the utmost silence and modesty. God is very different from idols. He is the arbiter of life and death. Calmet.—Silence often denotes subjection. 1 Maccabees 1:3. Menochius.