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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Habakkuk 3:3-15

It has been the usual practice of God's people, when they have been in distress and ready to fall into despair, to help themselves by recollecting their experiences, and reviving them, considering the days of old, and the years of ancient times (Ps. 77:5), and pleading with God in prayer, as he is pleased sometimes to plead them with himself. Isa. 63:11; Then he remembered the days of old. This is that which the prophet does here, and he looks as far back as the first forming of them into a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:9

Thy bow was made quite naked ,.... It was took out of its case, and arrows out of their quiver, and these made use of against the enemies of his people: this is put for all weapons of war; the sword was unsheathed, and all military weapons employed, and the power of the Lord was exerted; or, as the Targum, "the Lord was revealed in his power;' fighting the battles of his people, as in the times of Joshua: according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah . That is, to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:10

The mountains saw thee, and they trembled ,.... At the power and presence of God, as Sinai of old; See Gill on Habakkuk 3:6 by which are signified mighty people and nations, kings and great men, struck with terror at the amazing providence of God in the world, on the behalf of his own people, and against their enemies; see Revelation 6:14 , the overflowing of the water passed by ; which is usually referred to the overflowing of the river Jordan at the time of the passage of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:11

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 standing still of the sun; nor are the sun and moon said there to stand in their habitation; nor will the series of the history of times past, or the thread of prophecy of things to come, admit of this reference; nor do the words express the clear shining of the sun and moon at their standing... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:12

Thou didst march through the land with indignation ,.... Not the land of Canaan, fighting against the inhabitants of it, dispossessing them to make room for the Israelites, whatever allusion may be to it; but the antichristian land, the whole Romish jurisdiction, and all the states of it, through which the Lord will march in wrath and fury, when he pours out the vials of it upon them; or this is desired, and prayed for; for it may be rendered, "do thou march through the land" F18 תצעד ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:9

Thy bow was made quite naked - That is, it was drawn out of its case; as the arrows had their quiver, so the bows had their cases. A fine oriental bow and bow-case, with quiver and arrows, are now before me; they show with what propriety Jehovah is represented as taking his bow out of its case, in order to set his arrow upon the cord, to shoot at his enemies. It is not the drawing out, or making bare the arrow, that is mentioned here; but the taking the bow out of its case to prepare to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:10

The mountains saw thee - This is the continued answer to the questions in Habakkuk 3:8 . These are figures highly poetic, to show with what ease God accomplished the most arduous tasks in behalf of his people. As soon as the mountains saw him, they trembled, they were in pangs. When he appeared, the sea fled to right and left, to give him a passage. "It uttered its voice." The separation of the waters occasioned a terrible noise. "And it lifted up its hands on high." Its waters, being... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:11

The sun and moon stood still - This was at the prayer of Joshua, when he fought against the Amorites. See Joshua 10:11-12 ; (note), 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:12

Thou didst march through the land - This refers to the conquest of Canaan. God is represented as going at the head of his people as general-in-chief; and leading them on from conquest to conquest - which was the fact. Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger - Thou didst tread them down, as the oxen do the sheaves on the threshing-floor. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:9

Verse 9 The Prophet explains the same thing more clearly in this verse—that the power of God was formerly manifested for no other reason but that the children of Abraham might be taught to expect from him a continued deliverance: for he says that the bow of God was made bare. By the bow, he means also the sword and other weapons; as though he had said, that God was then armed, as we have found declared before. God therefore was then furnished with weapons, and marched to the battle, having... read more

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