Habakkuk 1

THE burden Vid. Nahum 1. ver. 1. let. a, to which we may here add, as proper to this time and place; That the Prophet seems to speak of the grievous things here intended, as a burden to himself, a trouble he did feel and groan under. which Habakkuk Here we might as others guess at his Country, Parentage and Tribe; but no certainty appears in these, his name may perhaps intimate somewhat, either Actively one that embraceth, or Passively one embraced, and so may refer to God, or to his people, and intimate good to a people, whom God will ere long embrace, or it may speak one that is puzzled with the intricacy of affairs, and therefore expostulateth, as verse 2.3. the prophet Not he that is mentioned in the Apocryphal Book, but a Prophet called, and sent of God. did see Not only in the future certainty of it on others, but did also feel in the present trouble and perplexity wherewith it affected him..

O LORD Unto God alone he makes his Application, as only able to redress all grievances., how long It may be some years he had Preacht, and in Preaching had complain'd and cry'd out against wickedness. shall I cry Unto men in thy name, and unto thee in Prayer and Supplication., and thou wilt not hear Give answer by correcting or punishing the bad; and by rescuing and delivering the good; by appearing a just Arbitrator and Judge of both.! even cry With submission, not murmuring, not impatient, not distrusting the Justice or Mercy of God. out unto thee Who art more displeased, then I or any one else can be disquieted, with that I complain of, who art by office and word bound to restrain violence, &c. of violence The unjust and wicked oppressions which I see others feel, and all good people are endangered by., and thou wilt not save By changing the bad, or restraining them, or by overthrowing them, and setting up just and upright men in their room, both in Ierusalem, and in Iudea, and every where else.?

Why dost thou show It is a most unpleasing sight, and that which troubles me, and every good man, to see unjust and injurious men without controul, and unpunisht, to act their iniquity; and yet, O God, thou not only permittest it to be done, but to be done in sight, and to the grief of thy servants; thus God shows it, and 'tis not without just cause, though the cause be hidden. me iniquity Men of iniquity and vanity; unrighteous toward men, and vain in their thoughts and practices of Religion toward God., and cause me to behold This explains the former, let. m. grievance So 'tis in regard of the effect it has upon beholders, and such as suffer by this iniquity; 'tis grief and sorrow to them, 'tis a grievance they groan under.? for spoiling Such as wasteth, and undoeth them that fall under it. and violence Perverting Judgment, and turning it into Wormwood; or else 'tis a Hebraism, spoiling and violence, that is most violent robbing and spoiling each other. are before Every where I see it, to the breaking of mine heart. me: and there are that raise up Or, and there is strife, that is, little else but strife among men, occasioned by these oppressive practices. strife and contention So 'twill be a Hebraism, expressing endless contentions. It would bear, and Iudgment is taken away, which suits the next verse..

Therefore Because the wicked go on with impunity, and the punishment they deserve is defer'd. the law Of God, given to this people by the hand of Moses, the whole Law Moral, Ceremonial and Judicial. is slacked Is slighted, weakened, and little studied, and less obeyed by all sorts;. and judgment Not only private men neglect the Law, but Magistrates, Judges and publick Officers pervert, or divert, or obstruct it also. does never Heb. To the end, or unto victory, with prevalence to restrain the unjust, and to protect the innocent, which is the end of Magistracy, Rom. 13.3. go forth: for the wicked The unjust, and violent man. does compass about As 'twere besiegeth, surroundeth, with design to oppress and ruin by false witness, interest or bribery. the righteous: therefore wrong judgment Perverse Judgment, wherein innocence is condemned, and the nocent are acquitted; So the Judges are Swords in the Bowels, when they should be Shields over the Bodies of the Righteous. proceedeth.

¶ Behold Here God begins to answer the Prophet, and calls for a very particular and exact consideration of the thing, see and ponder. ye among the heathen What judgments, what punishments have been executed upon the Heathen, for like sins., and regard Weigh it well in all its tendency and consequence, for it is a warning to you, it assures you judgment will overtake you also., and wonder marvellously As astonished at judgments, too great to be exprest in words, and so strange that 'twill seem too much to be believed.: for I The Great and Glorious God, the just and supream Judge. will work Begin, continue and finish a work; A work I am working, a work of equal severity and justice. a work in your days It shall no more be defer'd, Ezek. 7.5. &c, which ye will not believe You wicked violent oppressours, will not believe tho' the Lord by his Prophets foretel it., though it be told you Described how, and by whom, and when..

For lo Now the Prophet declares particularly what 'tis that the Lord will work., I raise up Awaken to action, animate them in it, and strengthen them to accomplish their design. the Chaldeans Who had subdued other Nations, and had already ruined the Assyrian Monarchy., that bitter Cruel, and without Mercy. Ier. 6.23. and 21.7. and hasty Speedy and quick in executing their mercyless purposes, as Isa. 5.26, 27. nation, which shall march Heb. walk without fear, and in order, as a Conquerour does in his conquests. through the breadth Through all parts of the Land, no corner shall escape his search or cruelty. of the land, to possess Not to spoil and be gone; but to take and keep possession, as Lord and Proprietor in the right of conquest. the dwelling places Houses, Towns, Cities, Ierusalem it self, which they had no right to, till Iewish sins gave occasion for the disposs ssing of the Iewes, and the introducing of the Chaldeans. that are not theirs.

They are terrible and dreadful To affect the incredulous Iewes with greater fear, 'tis doubled, they are of all Nations most terrible; in the fierceness wherewith they assault, and cruelty with which they use their Captives.: their judgment The Law they observe is their own Will, and what they please you must submit unto, nor complain of wrong done, for as much as they do it. and their dignity Their Authority and Superiority for which you must reverence them, the Lordliness of their deportment toward you, or the Right they assume to send you Captives, all is from themselves, without respect to any other Law or Rule whatever? How miserable are you like to be, when enslaved to such a barbarous cruelty, and unbounded pride! shall proceed of themselves.

Their horses also are swifter They will be sooner upon you then you think, and when once among you, they will be swifter then you can fly from. Isa. 30.16. and Lam. 4.19. then the leopards A fierce creature, ravenous as the Lyon, and much swifter, a watchful and sly beast, from which 'tis very hard to shift., and are more fierce More eager after, and more cruel to the prey. then the evening wolves Which with long fasting in the day, do come out in the Evening, more fierce on every thing that may be a prey for them; see Ier. 5.6. Ezek. 22.27. Zeph. 3.3.: and their horsemen Excellent Riders, that can manage the speed and fierceness of these horses. shall spread All over the Land, so many shall they be, and so active, and all strong, and hale as some think the word implyeth. themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far As far from liking your customs, pittying your persons, or understanding your Language, as they are far remote from your Country; Men that will make you pay the charge of their long and tedious Journey., they shall fly Least you should dream of escape by flight, your enemies (O miserable Iewes) shall be so swift, you'l think they flew on wings, on Eagles wings, the swiftest of flight, and quickest in espying her prey. as the eagle that hasteth Hunger makes her flight the quicker, and her siezure of the prey more bold and daring, Iob 9.26. Ezek. 17.3. so shall your enemies be to you. to eat.

They Chaldeans, and in particular these fierce and swift Horsemen; shall come all o for violence: their faces Either thus, their very countenances shall be as blasting, pestiferous and dangerous, as is the East wind in those countreys, or thus, all they can sup up, or lay hold on, they will carry Eastward· Or thus, when you are devoured they shall set their faces Eastward to devour others in those Coasts. shall sup up as the east-wind, and they shall gather the captivity Prisoners or Captives, called here the Captivity, to express the extremity thereof. as the sand Both for easiness of gathering, and the multitudes of captives gathered.. With one purpose, on the same design, to enrich themselves by making a prey of all.

And they Both the King of Babylon and his Souldiers. shall scoff Deride and contemn. at the kings Which either confederated with the Iewes, or else opposed the designs of the Chaldeans, as the Kings of Egypt, of Tyre, &c. Or the Kings of the Iewes, as Iehoiachin and Zedekiah., and the princes Governours, Councellours, valiant Commanders and Officers. shall be a scorn unto them To the whole Army of the Chaldeans.: they shall deride every strong hold, for they shall heap dust and take it By mighty Mounts cast up, or by filling up the Trenches about your Cities and Fortresses, shall master them..

Then It notes both the time and cause of what happened; extraordinary successes, and a continued series of them, attending the designs and attempts of the Chaldean Kings, at last made them so haughty and proud, as to trample on Kings, verse 10. and when their pride was at this height, it stops not here. shall his mind The Spirit or Wind, as Heb. and so some think the Prophet does foretel the change of his prosperous Gales, his downfal; but 'tis more natural to understand it of the change of mind in the prosperous Chaldean, he will think other thoughts of himself, his affairs, and of other men. change, and he shall pass over Break over the bounds of all sober and modest sentiments, exceed in his value of himself, and of his atchievments, as Sennacherib first did, 2 Chron. 32.17, 18, 19. and next Nebuchadnezzar, Sirnamed the Great, Dan. 4.29, 30., and offend c, imputing this his power The strength by which he had done all his great exploits, or the might and power to which he had advanced himself. unto his god This at first seems a little tolerable, it seems to savour somewhat of Religion, yet 'tis a great offence thus to ascribe his grandeur to a dumb Idol, but 'tis worse to reckon his strength to be his God, as the words will express it in the Heb. Vid. Dan. 4.29, 30.. This pride was a great sin, and highly provoked God; for the insolent Tyrant Idolized himself.

¶ Art thou not from everlasting In Being, thou art that God who art not like the gods of the Nations, upstart, and Novel; but before the Mountains were brought forth, thou wast God; thou hast permitted, born with, restrain'd, overthrown and punisht such proud, bloody and sacrilegious wretches. In thy works of old, before this proud Chaldean Monarch was thought of, thou wert as now, wonderfull, just and good, and thy Saints found support in the remembrance thereof, Psal. 74.12. and 77.6, 12. and 143.5. Isa. 45.21. In Covenant with thine Israel, which Covenant is not of late years, it is an anti nt Covenant, and as it has, it still shall be kept for our good., O LORD The Sovereign Lord and Ruler of the World, who only art Iehovah. my God Judge and Vindex by Office; as Judge, engaged to defend, rescue and avenge the oppressed; and my God or Judge, whether the Prophet speaks only in his own, or in his peoples name, he has a respect to that peculiar relation he or they had to God, much like that, Isa. 63.19. He refers to the antient Covenant relation which God had taken them into, and implyes his hope and expectation of help from God, their Judge and Vindex., mine holy one? we Who are thine, and opprest, threatened and exposed to the avarice and cruelty of the Chaldean. shall not dye Be utterly cut off, and destroyed, for the death of a Nation is the destruction or desolation of it; Thou who hast made us thine by an Everlasting Covenant of Mercy; wilt show us such Mercy that we shall outlive the rage of our enemies.: O LORD With humble veneration he does look towards God, and discerneth what quieteth his Spirit, and confirms his Faith and Patience. thou hast ordained Set up, maintained and designed. them The Chaldean Kingdom, as verse 6. for judgment To execute this Judgment, which is ever attempered with Mercy, which ever betters, never destroys thy people, Vid. Isa. 10.5. &c. Babylon as Assyria was rod of God's Indignation, &c., and O mighty God y, thou hast established Strengthened and Fortified. them for correction To chastise and discipline, not to destroy.. Holy in thy Nature, Law and Government, in thy Mercies, and in thy Judgments, who dost intend to make thy Holiness appear in due time by saving us, though thou seem to forget, or at least to delay the work, yet thou art the Holy One in the midst of us, Isa. 12.6. and we wait for thee. This he repeats for confirmation and illustration, and intimateth God to be his peoples Rock and Refuge.

Thou O Lord who hast rais'd, and increased the Chaldean Kingdom. art of purer Of Infinite Purity and Holiness. eyes Ascrib'd unto God to express his knowledge; so his eyes run to and fro, and his eye is upon the righteous. then to behold His Omniscience does behold all things, and so David expresseth it, Thou beho dest mischief and spite to requite it, Psal. 10.14, But he does not, will not, cannot, see with delight, with approbation. evil Of sin and violence., and canst not look The same thing repeated to confirm us. All this the Prophet does lay down as most undoubtedly true, and on which he stays himself; (though he be amazed with the darkness of Providences) and by this he will repress all undue murmurings, when he debates with God about his Providences, most Just and Holy! But why thus or thus? on iniquity: wherefore lookest Seest all the violence done, and bearest with them that do it, why does not thy hand remove, and avenge what thine eye is offended at, and thy heart abhorreth? thou upon them that deal treacherously The Chaldeans who were a perfidious Nation, and ruin'd many by their Treacheries; Fraud and Force were both alike to them. And 'tis likely they dealt very falsly with the Iews., and holdest thy tongue Seemest unconcerned in such a degree as to be silent and say nothing., when Or whilest, it might seem a fit season to speak, when the violent are about their violence, when the Prey is between the Teeth and not swallowed. the wicked The Chaldean, an oppressor, bloody and treacherous against men, an Atheist, or Idolater against God. devoureth Swalloweth down whole, as the word imports, Num. 16.30. and Psal. 124.3. the man The Iew, or almost every one of us, as the phrase imports. that is more righteous Though the Iewes were a very corrupt Nation, yet, compared with the Chaldeans, they were the better, and of the two the Iew was the less evil. Now this Riddle he desired might be unfolded, why is the juster opprest by the unjuster? then he?

And makest Not infusing cruel, ravenous, and unsatiable Appetites, but permitting them to act according to such appetite which was already in them. men Who should be just to all, and wrong none, who were once fram'd for mutual help in civil Societies, and whose life should be Beneficence. as the fishes Of which the greater live on the lesser, and do greedily and all the day long feed on the smaller fry. of the sea Where the devourers are more for number, of greater bulk, and swallow greater numbers of the lesser.? as the creeping things Which in the waters are food for the lesser fry; so the world, like the sea, is wholly oppression. that have no ruler None to defend the weak, to restrain the mighty and to give law to all. over them.

They Either more generally oppressors every where, or else particularly the Chaldeans. take Draw them out slily, and craftily when they are taken by his bait. up all Without distinction, all alike good or bad. of them with the angle It may refer to the delight these oppressors took in these courses, or to the more private way of destroying.: they catch them in their net Another method of the Chaldean Rapine, like catching of Fish, not singly and one by one but destroying many together., and gather As if they could never have enough, these Chaldeans do, fisher-like, drive men into their nets and snares. them in their drag This is a third way of destroying Fish. The Chaldeans would use all wayes to devour the Iewes.; therefore they The greedy and cruel Chaldeans. rejoice Both in their own gain, and in the Iews Ruine. and are glad 'Tis doubled to show the certainty of the thing, and probably to intimate the double joy they took in their prosperous oppression..

Therefore Because they prosper and thrive, in which they should see and acknowledge thy wife, and mighty Providence. they sacrifice Idolize and pay divine honours; ascribe the praise of his Victories and acquired glory. unto their net To his own contrivances, diligence, and power, as if the Fisher-man should make his Net his God, and offer Sacrifice for a good draught of Fishes taken, to the Net that took them., and burn incense Another part of Divine honour, and mostly used in giving thanks and Praises. to their drag To their Policy and Power their own Counsel, conduct and Arms, exprest in the Metaphor of a Fishermans drag.: because by them their portion State, condition, or interest. is fat The great and flourishing., and their meat The Revenues of the Kingdom in general, and the Revenues of particular subjects, especially of the Commanders, and Military Officers; those who help to spread, draw, and empty the Net. Heb. at. plenteous Abundant, that it might seem a sufficient provision, as well as a pleasant mess, sufficient for quantity as sweet in quality. It is like these self admirers did not only eat the fat of the land they wasted, but laid up in store for themselves..

Shall they The Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar and his Armies. therefore Shall former success be pledge of future, they have prosper'd, and they think they shall; wilt thou confirm this to them? empty their net As Fishermen empty the full Net to fill it again, and cast out what they had taken to take in more, shall these proud and cruel Chaldaeans do so still?, and not spare Shall they, as endlessly as mercilesly waste. continually to slay Murtherer-like, kill. the nations Not single persons, but whole Kingdoms, and people at once: wilt thou, O most just, and mighty God, and Judge! Suffer these things always? the Prophet by the question intimates to us that God most certainly will not suffer it always. The Lord will in fit time arise and break the oppressors arm, and save the oppressed Church and People of God.?