Habakkuk 2:1-8

The Introduction and the First Woe

v. 1. I will stand upon my watch, as an observer on a solitary height, and set me upon the tower, on the pinnacle of a fortress, where he would have an unobstructed view and could prepare his soul to receive the word and testimony of God, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, in an inner revelation, and what I shall answer when I am reproved, literally, "to my complaint," how he would satisfy himself and others by the answer of Jehovah.

v. 2. And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision, what would be shown him in this revelation, and make it plain upon tables, the writing. tablets on which he should engrave its contents, that he may run that readeth it, so that every one passing by, even hastily, would be able to read it quickly.

v. 3. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, it awaits its fulfillment in the future, but nevertheless in a fixed period, but at the end it shall speak and not lie, like the predictions of the false prophets. Though it tarry, wait for it, not becoming foolishly impatient, because it will surely come, it will not tarry, not be postponed beyond the time fixed for its fulfillment.

v. 4. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him, that is, the conqueror is puffed up, he is not sincere in his attitude over against God; but the just shall live by his faith, that is, he who relies on God's merciful promises in the Gospel would, and does, by this confidence, receive eternal life as a gift of God. Cf Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11.

v. 5. Yea, also, because he transgresseth by wine, rather, "and, moreover, wine is treacherous," not bringing those who are addicted to it life and power, as it seems to promise, but unhappiness and destruction; he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, the tendency of the Chaldeans in this respect being known, who enlargeth his desire as hell, in an insatiable greed, and is as death and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, as vassals and captives and slaves, and heapeth unto him all people, collecting them under his scepter;

v. 6. shall not all these take up a parable against him, a proverbial saying, and a taunting proverb, a satirical speech or sententious poem, against him and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! as the Babylonian conqueror did in this instance. How long? that is, How long could this still last?. and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! rather, "and loads upon himself a burden of pledges gained by usury. " "The Chaldean is compared to a harsh usurer and his ill-gotten treasures to heaps of pledges in the hands of a usurer. "

v. 7. Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, the Hebrew having a play upon words between the bite of a snake and the interest which the usurer demands, and awake that shall vex thee? rather, "and those who shake thee violently," as a creditor might shake a debtor in driving him out of his possession, "wake up,". and thou shalt be for booties unto them? so that they would, in turn, plunder.

v. 8. Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people, either those who were left after being spoiled, or those who had not yet been subjugated, shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, as shed by the Chaldeans, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein, the entire nation being guilty of such wickedness upon the various countries conquered by the Chaldeans, especially Judea and Jerusalem.