2 O LORD, H3068 how long shall I cry, H7768 and thou wilt not hear! H8085 even cry out H2199 unto thee of violence, H2555 and thou wilt not save! H3467
3 Why dost thou shew H7200 me iniquity, H205 and cause me to behold H5027 grievance? H5999 for spoiling H7701 and violence H2555 are before me: and there are that raise up H5375 strife H7379 and contention. H4066
4 Therefore the law H8451 is slacked, H6313 and judgment H4941 doth never H5331 go forth: H3318 for the wicked H7563 doth compass H3803 about the righteous; H6662 therefore wrong H6127 judgment H4941 proceedeth. H3318
5 Behold H7200 ye among the heathen, H1471 and regard, H5027 and wonder H8539 marvellously: H8539 for I will work H6466 a work H6467 in your days, H3117 which ye will not believe, H539 though it be told H5608 you.
6 For, lo, I raise up H6965 the Chaldeans, H3778 that bitter H4751 and hasty H4116 nation, H1471 which shall march H1980 through the breadth H4800 of the land, H776 to possess H3423 the dwellingplaces H4908 that are not theirs.
7 They are terrible H366 and dreadful: H3372 their judgment H4941 and their dignity H7613 shall proceed H3318 of themselves.
8 Their horses H5483 also are swifter H7043 than the leopards, H5246 and are more fierce H2300 than the evening H6153 wolves: H2061 and their horsemen H6571 shall spread H6335 themselves, and their horsemen H6571 shall come H935 from far; H7350 they shall fly H5774 as the eagle H5404 that hasteth H2363 to eat. H398
9 They shall come H935 all for violence: H2555 their faces H6440 shall sup up H4041 as the east wind, H6921 and they shall gather H622 the captivity H7628 as the sand. H2344
10 And they shall scoff H7046 at the kings, H4428 and the princes H7336 shall be a scorn H4890 unto them: they shall deride H7832 every strong hold; H4013 for they shall heap H6651 dust, H6083 and take H3920 it.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Habakkuk 1
Commentary on Habakkuk 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Prophecy of Habakkuk
Chapter 1
In this chapter,
It is well that there is a day of judgment, and a future state, before us, in which it shall be eternally well with all the righteous, and with them only, and ill with all the wicked, and them only; so the present seeming disorders of Providence shall be set to rights, and there will remain no matter of complaint whatsoever.
Hab 1:1-4
We are told no more in the title of this book (which we have, v. 1) than that the penman was a prophet, a man divinely inspired and commissioned, which is enough (if that be so, we need not ask concerning his tribe or family, or the place of his birth), and that the book itself is the burden which he saw; he was as sure of the truth of it as if he had seen it with his bodily eyes already accomplished. Here, in these verses, the prophet sadly laments the iniquity of the times, as one sensibly touched with grief for the lamentable decay of religion and righteousness. It is a very melancholy complaint which he here makes to God,
Hab 1:5-11
We have here an answer to the prophet's complaint, giving him assurance that, though God bore long, he would not bear always with this provoking people; for the day of vengeance was in his heart, and he must tell them so, that they might by repentance and reformation turn away the judgment they were threatened with.
Hab 1:12-17
The prophet, having received of the Lord that which he was to deliver to the people, now turns to God, and again addresses himself to him for the ease of his own mind under the burden which he saw. And still he is full of complaints. If he look about him, he sees nothing but violence done by Israel; if he look before him, he sees nothing but violence done against Israel; and it is hard to say which is the more melancholy sight. His thoughts of both he pours out before the Lord. It is our duty to be affected both with the iniquities and with the calamities of the church of God and of the times and places wherein we live; but we must take heed lest we grow peevish in our resentments, and carry them too far, so as to entertain any hard thoughts of God, or lose the comfort of our communion with him. The world is bad, and always was so, and will be so; it is out of our power to mend it; but we are sure that God governs the world, and will bring glory to himself out of all, and therefore we must resolve to make the best of it, must be ourselves better, and long for the better world. The prospect of the prevalence of the Chaldeans drives the prophet to his knees, and he takes the liberty to plead with God concerning it. In his plea we may observe,