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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 3:6

He stood and measured the earth ,.... This alludes to the ark of the Lord, the symbol of his presence, standing and abiding at Gilgal for the space of fourteen years, while the land of Canaan was subdued by Joshua; and then measured out by him, and divided by lot, as an inheritance to the children of Israel, according to the direction and appointment of the Lord, Joshua 13:1 &c.;: here it may have respect to the mission of the apostles into the various parts of the world, and the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:6

He stood, and measured the earth - ארץ erets , the land; he divided the promised land among the twelve tribes. This is the allusion; and this the prophet had in his eye. God not only made a general assignment of the land to the Hebrews; but he even divided it into such portions as the different families required. Here were both power and condescension. When a conqueror had subdued a country, he divided it among his soldiers. Among the Romans, those among whom the conquered lands were... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:6

Verse 6 He says that God possessed every power to subdue the earth to himself, and that he could at his will destroy it, yea, dissolve mountains as veil as nations. Some of the Jews understood this of the ark, which stood at that time in Gilead. They then suppose that the Prophet meant this in short—that when God chose a place for the ark of the covenant in Gilgal, that he determined then what he would do, and that he then in his secret counsel divided the land, so that each should have his... 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 3:6

He stood, and measured the earth. God takes his stand, and surveys the earth which he is visiting in judgment. As his glory filled the heavens, so now he with his presence paces the earth, measuring it, as it were, with his foot. He considers, too, all the doings of the children of men, and requites them accordingly. Vulgate, Stetit, et mensus est terram. So the Syriac. On the other hand, the LXX . gives, ἔστη καὶ ἐσαλέυθη ἡ γῆ , "The earth stood and quaked." Thus the Chaldee,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Habakkuk 3:6-7

An ideal theophany: 2. The wonderful acts of the Deity. I. MEASURING THE EARTH , AND DRIVING ASUNDER THE NATIONS . 1 . Measuring the earth ; i.e. either surveying it with his all-seeing glance whereat there is universal consternation (Fausset), or measuring it out among the peoples on its surface, as Joshua partitioned the Holy Land after its conquest among the tribes (Pusey). Both ideas are historically true, no Divine interposition of any magnitude occurring... read more

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