Habakkuk 2:6-8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Habakkuk 2:5-14

The prophet having had orders to write the vision, and the people to wait for the accomplishment of it, the vision itself follows; and it is, as divers other prophecies we have met with, the burden of Babylon and Babylon's king, the same that was said to pass over and offend, Hab. 1:11. It reads the doom, some think, of Nebuchadnezzar, who was principally active in the destruction of Jerusalem, or of that monarchy, or of the whole kingdom of the Chaldeans, or of all such proud and oppressive... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 2:6

Shall not all these take up a parable against him ,.... A proverbial expression, a short sentence, a laconic speech, delivered in a few words, which contains much in them concerning the vices of these emperors, and imprecating judgments upon them for them; took up and expressed by the nations brought into subjection unto them, and especially by the Christians in those nations spoiled and persecuted by them: and a taunting proverb against him ; or, "whose explanation are riddles to him" ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 2:7

Shall not they rise up suddenly that shall bite thee ,.... Or, "thy usurers", or "creditors" F4 נשכיך "foeneratores tui, seu creditores tui", Cocceius, Van Till. , as some render it; the Christians, whose money, goods, and substance, they had spoiled them of, but now should be repaid with great usury and gain; these, that is, their princes and emperors, as Constantine and Theodosius, rose up suddenly, and conquered the heathen emperors, and took away their power and authority from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 2:8

Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee ,.... Those that survived the persecutions of the Roman emperors; those that were left of the great numbers put to death by them; those under Constantine rose up, and by just retaliation spoiled them of all their power and wealth: because of men's blood ; the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus, of those under the altar, whose blood cried for vengeance, Revelation 6:9 , which was shed under the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 2:6

Shall not all these take up a parable against him - His ambition, derangement, and the final destruction of his mighty empire by the Persians, shall form the foundation of many sententious sayings among the people. "He who towered so high, behold how low he is fallen!" "He made himself a god; behold, he herds with the beasts of the field!" "The disturber of the peace of the world is now a handful of dust!" read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 2:7

Shall they not rise up suddenly - Does not this refer to the sudden and unexpected taking of Babylon by Cyrus, whose troops entered into the city through the bed of the Euphrates, whose waters they had diverted by another channel; so that the Babylonians knew nothing of the matter till they saw the Persian soldiers rise up as in a moment, in the very heart of their city? read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 2:8

For the violence of the land - Or, for the violence done to the land of Judea, and to the city of Jerusalem. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 2:6

Verse 6 Now at length the Prophet denounces punishment on the Babylonian king and the Chaldeans; for the Lord would render them a sport to all. But some think that a punishment is also expressed in the preceding verse, such as awaits violent robbers, who devour the whole world. But I, on the contrary, think that the Prophet spoke before of proud cruelty, and simply showed what a destructive evil it is, being an insatiable cupidity; and now, as I have stated, he comes to its punishment; and he... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 2:7

Verse 7 The Prophet proceeds with the subject which we have already begun to explain; for he introduces here the common taunts against the king of Babylon and the whole tyrannical empire, by which many nations had been cruelly oppressed. He therefore says that enemies, who should bite him, (34) would suddenly and unexpectedly rise up. Some expound this of worms, but not rightly: for God not only inflicted punishment on the king when dead, but he intended also that there should be on earth an... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 2:8

Verse 8 The Prophet here expresses more clearly why the Babylonians were to be so severely dealt with by God. He shows that it would be a just reward that they should be plundered in their turn, who had previously given themselves up to plunder, violence, and cruelty. Since, then, they had exercised so much inhumanity towards all people, the Prophet intimates here that God could not be deemed as treating them cruelly, by inflicting on them so severe a punishment: he also confirms the former... read more

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