1.
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
watch = watch-tower; referring to the place.
set me = take my station.
tower = fortress.
watch = look out; referring to the act = keep outlook.
unto: or, in.
answer when I am reproved: or, get back because of my complaint.
2.
And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
Write, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 27:8 ). App-47 and App-92 .
the vision. Supply the logical Ellipsis : "[which I am about to reveal to thee]". Compare Habakkuk 1:1 .
upon tables: i.e. boxwood tables smeared with wax. Compare Luke 1:63 .
that he may run that readeth it = that he that readeth it may flee. Hebrew. ruz = to run as a messenger (Job 9:25 .Jeremiah 23:21 ; Jeremiah 51:31 .Zechariah 2:4; Zechariah 2:4 ); or, to flee for refuge (Psalms 18:10 ), as in Haggai 1:9 .
3.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
yet = deferred.
appointed: i.e. fixed by Jehovah for its fulfillment.
and not lie. Figure of speech Pleonasm ( App-6 ), for emphasis.
it will not tarry. Some codices, with five early printed editions (one Rabbinic, margin), Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and will not tarry".
4.
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos ( App-6 ), emphasizing the twofold answer to the prophet's prayer: the fate of the wicked in the coming judgment, and the preservation and eternal lot of the righteous. Supply the Ellipsis: "Behold [the proud one]".
his: i.e. the Chaldean's of Habakkuk 1 ; or the lawless one described in Hab 1 and in the verses which follow.
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
the just = a righteous one. Quoted in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 1:3 , Galatians 1:11 . Compare Hebrews 10:38 .
live: i.e. live for ever in resurrection life. See notes on Leviticus 18:5 . The wicked go on living, without faith, if it refers to this life; therefore "live" must refer to a future life. The Hebrew accents place the emphasis on "shall live"; not "the just by his faith", but "a just one, by his faith, will live", and make the contrast not between faith and unbelief, but between the fate of each perishing and living for ever. In Romans 1:17 the context places the emphasis on " the righteous "; in Galatians 1:3 , Galatians 1:11 it is placed on "faith".
5.
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
transgresseth = = is transgressing, or is acting deceitfully.
wine. Hebrew. yayin. App-27 .
man = strong man.
desire = soul. Hebrew. nephesh.
hell = Sheol. See App-35 . Compare Isaiah 5:14 .
is = he [is].
people = peoples
6.
Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
parable. Hebrew. mashal.
proverb = enigma. Hebrew. hidah, as in Psalms 78:2 .
Woe. Note the five woes in verses: Habakkuk 2:6 , Habakkuk 2:9 , Habakkuk 2:12 , Hab 6:15 , Hab 6:19 .
how long? i.e. for his time is short.
thick clay = pledges. Reference to Pentateuch App-92 . Occurs in this form only here. Compare other forms in Deuteronomy 15 and 24, where it occurs nine times with a cognate meaning, and in Joel 2:7 .
7.
Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?
bite: or, exact usury.
vex = shake.
8.
Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
9.
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
coveteth . . . covetousness = extorteth a gain.
set his nest on high. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 24:21 ).
power = hand. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the power exercised by it.
evil. Hebrew. ra'a' . App-44 .
10.
Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
consulted = counselled, or devised.
shame = a shameful thing.
sinned against thy soul. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 16:38 ).
sinned. Hebrew. chata. App-44 .
11.
For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
12.
Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!
iniquity. Hebrew. 'aval. App-44 . Not the same word as in Habakkuk 1:3 , Habakkuk 1:13 .
13.
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. (with ' eth) = Jehovah of Hosts Himself. App-4 . See note on 1 Samuel 1:3 .
14.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
the earth shall be filled, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 14:21 ). App-92 . This is the fifth and last occurance of this wondrous prophecy: Numbers 14:21 .Psalms 72:19 . Isaiah 6:3 (= shall be); Hab 11:9 , and Habakkuk 2:14 .
glory. Compare Isaiah 66:18 , Isaiah 66:19 . Ezekiel 28:22 ; Ezekiel 39:13 , Ezekiel 39:21 .
15.
Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
that puttest thy bottle to him = that addest (or pourest) thy fury or venom (Hebrew construct form of hemah = heat, wrath; not of hemeth = bottle) thereto. See Oxford Gesenius, p. 705, under saphak.
makest him drunken, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 9:22 ).
16.
Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.
let thy foreskin be uncovered: i.e. be as one uncircumcised: i.e. uncovenanted.
17.
For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
violence of Lebanon: i.e. violence [done to] Lebanon by felling its trees.
which made them afraid: or, shall make thee afraid.
18.
What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
trusteth = confideth. Hebrew. batah. App-69 .
dumb idols. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ). Hebrew. 'elilim illemim = nothings [that] say nothing. Compare Jeremiah 14:14 .
19.
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
Woe unto him, &c. "The sequence of thought" would not be improved, as suggested, by making Habakkuk 2:19 precede Habakkuk 2:18 . See the Structure above.
breath = spirit. Hebrew. ruach. See App-9 . Compare Psalms 115:4-7 ; Psalms 135:17 . Jeremiah 10:14 .
20.
But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
keep silence = Hush! Be still! So Zephaniah 1:7 . Zechariah 2:13 .