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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 3:5

Before him went the pestilence ,.... Either in the land of Egypt, when he marched through that, and slew all their firstborn, Psalm 78:50 or rather which he sent before him, and Israel his people among the nations of the land of Canaan, with other diseases and judgments, and destroyed them to make way for his people, which may be here alluded to, Exodus 23:27 and may point at the judgments of God, and those pestilential diseases which seized upon the persecutors of the Christians, both... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:5

Before him went the pestilence - This plague was several times inflicted on the disobedient Israelites in the wilderness; see Numbers 11:33 ; Numbers 14:37 ; Numbers 16:46 ; and was always the proof that the just God was then manifesting his power among them. Burning coals event forth at his feet - Newcome translates, "And flashes of fire went forth after him." The disobedient Israelites were consumed by a fire that went out from Jehovah; see Leviticus 10:2 ; Numbers 11:1 ; ... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:5

Verse 5 The Prophet repeats here, that God came armed to defend his people, when he went forth from Teman; for he connects with it here the deliverance of the people. He does not indeed speak only of the promulgation of the law, but encourages all the godly to confidence; for God, who had once redeemed their fathers from Egypt, remained ever like himself, and was endued with the same power. And he says, that before God’s face walked the pestilence; this is to be referred to the Egyptians; and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Habakkuk 3:3-5

An ideal theophany: 1. The onward march of the Deity. I. HIS PERSON DESIGNATED . 1 . God, or Eloah, the Strong or Powerful One. A name for the Supreme used for the first time by Moses ( Deuteronomy 32:15 ) to portray God as the Creator of Israel, and employed by Habakkuk "to designate God as the Lord and Governor of the whole world" (Keil). Omnipotence an essential attribute of Divinity ( Genesis 17:1 ; Joshua 4:24 ; 1 Chronicles 29:12 ; Job 36:5 ; Job 42:2 ; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Habakkuk 3:3-15

§ 3. The prophet or the congregation depicts in a majestic theophany the coming of God to judge the world, and its effect symbolically on material nature, and properly on evil men. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Habakkuk 3:3-15

God poetically portrayed and practically remembered. "God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah," etc. The Bible contains many grand songs and odes. There is the song that Moses taught Israel to sing ( Exodus 15:1 ). There is the triumphant song of Deborah and Barak ( 5:1-31 .). There is the song of Hannah, the mother of Samuel ( 1 Samuel 2:1 ). There is the song of David bewailing the death of Saul and Jonathan ( 2 Samuel 1:19 ), and his song of thanksgiving... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Habakkuk 3:3-18

God in history. On reading these verses containing the ode of Habakkuk we find that they abound in historical allusions. The prophet recalled to mind the Divine interpositions both in mercy and in judgment which had taken place in the bygone days, and in the light of them contemplated the position and prospects of his people in his own time. This course was a very customary one with the Hebrew bards. They were eminently patriotic, and delighted to touch upon the national experiences of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Habakkuk 3:5

After describing the splendour of the theophany, the prophet now turns to the purpose and effects of God's appearing. He comes to avenge and judge, therefore before him went the pestilence. Before him stalks plague, to punish his enemies and the disobedient, as in Egypt, in Canaan ( Exodus 23:27 ; 1 Samuel 5:9 , 1 Samuel 5:11 ); and among his own people ( Numbers 11:33 ; Numbers 14:37 , etc.; Le Numbers 26:25 ). For "pestilence" the LXX . reads "word." Burning coals went forth... read more

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