Habakkuk 3:3-7 ASV

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 3:3

God came from Teman ,.... Or, "may God come from Teman" F20 יבוא "veniet", so some in Calvin, Van Till. ; since it is part of the prayer of Habakkuk: or, as "from Teman" F21 מתימן "sicuti olim ex Theman", Van Till. ; as he of old came from thence, a city in the land of Edom, Jeremiah 49:7 it was five miles from Petra, in Idumea, where was Mount Seir, from whence the Lord arose, and shone forth from Mount Paran, at the giving of the law, Deuteronomy 33:2 to which the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:4

And his brightness was as the light ,.... Of fire, of devouring fire on the top of the mount, to which the sight of his glory was like, Exodus 24:16 to which Kimchi refers it. Aben Ezra thinks the pillar of fire is intended, in which the Lord went before his people in the wilderness, Exodus 13:21 or as the light and splendour of Bereshith, as the Targum, of that primogenital light which was produced on the first day of the creation; or as the light of the seven days of the creation, as... 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

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:7

I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction ,.... The same with Cush or Ethiopia; hence the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it, "the tents of the Ethiopians"; and these are the same with "the curtains of Midian" in the next clause, tents being made of curtains, and the Ethiopians and Midianites the same people; so the daughter of the priest of Midian, whom Moses married, is called an Ethiopian woman, Exodus 2:21 . This seems to have respect to that panic which seized the... read more

Adam Clarke

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

God came from Teman - Bp. Lowth observes: "This is a sudden burst of poetry, in the true spirit of the ode; the concealed connection being that God, who had formerly displayed such power in delivering the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, might succor their posterity in a like wonderful manner." Hence the prophet selects the most striking facts of that first deliverance; and to decorate and render them impressive, brings forth all the powers of his genius, in all the strength and elegance of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:4

He had horns coming out of his hand - קרנים karnayim , rays. His hand - his power - was manifested in a particular place, by the sudden issuing out of pencils of rays, which diverged in coruscations of light, so as to illuminate the whole hemisphere. Yet "there was the hiding of his power." His Majesty could not be seen, nor any kind of image, because of the insufferable splendor. This may either refer to the lightnings on Mount Sinai or to the brightness which occasionally proceeded... 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

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

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:7

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Habakkuk 3:4

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

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

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