The overthrow of all those B. C. 710. 7 CHAPTER III. с things wherein they trusted. B. C. 710. A. M. 3291. place is not known where they are. || 19 There is no healing of thy A. M. 3294. 18 Thy shepherds slumber, O bruise; thy wound is grievous: dall aking of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the|| that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands dust: thy people is scattered upon the moun- over thee for upon whom hath not thy wicktains, and no man gathereth them. edness passed continually? b z Exodus xv. 16; Psa. lxxvi. 6.—a Jer. 1. 18; Ezek. xxxi. 3. 7 Or, valiant ones.b 1 Kings xxii. 17. 8 Heb. wrinkling.- e Mic. i. 9.-d Lam. ii. 15; Zeph. ii. 15; Isaiah xiv. 8. chart that there were two Ninevehs, and by Sir John Marshman that there were three; the Syrian, upon the river Euphrates; the Assyrian, upon the river Tigris; and a third, built afterward upon the Tigris by the Persians, who succeeded the Parthians in the empire of the East in the third century, and were subdued by the Saracens in the seventh century after Christ: but whether this latter Nineveh was built in the same place as old Nineveh is a question that cannot be decided. Lucian, who flourished in the second century after Christ, affirms, that Nineveh was utterly perished, and there was no footstep of it remaining, nor could one tell where once it was situated. And the greater regard is to be paid to his testimony, as he was a native of Samosata, a city upon the river Euphrates; and, coming from a neighbouring country, he must have known whether there had been any remains of Nineveh or not. "Even the ruins," says Bishop Newton, "of old Nineveh have been, as I may say, ruined and destroyed; such an utter end hath been made of it, and such is the truth of the divine predictions! This, perhaps, may strike us the more strongly, by supposing only a parallel instance: let us, then, sup Verses 18, 19. Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria-Thy rulers and counsellors are remiss,|| heartless, or dead. Thy nobles-Or valiant ones, shall dwell in the dust-These words are not in the Hebrew, but are supplied by our translators. The strict rendering of the Hebrew would rather be, Have lain down, as Grotius renders it; that is, have indulged themselves in ease, and not concerned themselves about the public affairs. The Vulgate, however, renders this former part of the verse, Thy shepherds have slept, thy princes shall be buried: understanding it, probably, of their being slain in battle, or having died through famine or pestilence during the siege. Thy people is scattered upon the mountains -Thy people, or common soldiers, for want of commanders, are scattered about, and there is no chief officer, or head commander, to collect them together. There is no healing of thy bruise—Or binding up of thy wound. Thy destruction is inevitable. The state of thy affairs is so bad, that there is no hope of recovering them. All that hear the bruit of thee-That is, the report of thee; (as the obsolete word bruit signifies;) all to whom the account of thy fall shall come; shall clap the hands over theeNamely, for joy. For upon whom hath not thy wick-pose that a person should come in the name of a edness, &c.—To whom hast thou not been injurious? Thus it is evident, upon the whole of this prophecy of Nahum, that the entire desolation and complete destruction of Nineveh were most expressly and particularly foretold therein: yet one can hardly imagine any event more improbable than this was, at the time when Nahum predicted it. Surely there was no probability that the capital of a great kingdom, a city which was sixty miles in compass, a city which contained so many myriads of inhabitants, which had walls one hundred feet high, and so thick that three chariots could go abreast upon them, and which had one thousand five hundred towers of two hundred feet in height; surely there was no probability that such a city should ever be totally destroyed; and yet so totally was it destroyed, that authors are not agreed about its situation. From the general suffrage, indeed, of ancient historians and geographers, it seems to have been situated upon the Tigris; but yet no less authors than Ctesias and Diodorus Siculus represent it as situated upon the river Euphrates. Nay, authors differ, not only from one another, but also from themselves. For the learned Bochart hath shown, that Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, and Ammianus Marcellinus, all three speak differently of it, sometimes as if it was situated upon the river Tigris, and sometimes as if upon the river Euphrates. So that, to reconcile these authors with themselves and with others, it is supposed by Bo case. prophet preaching repentance to the people of this kingdom, or otherwise denouncing the destruction of the capital city within a few years. I presume we should look upon such a prophet as a madman, and show no further attention to his message than to deride and despise it: and yet such an event would not be more strange and incredible than the destruction and devastation of Nineveh. For Nineveh was much the larger, and much the stronger and older city of the two; and the Assyrian empire had subsisted and flourished more ages than any form of government in this country; so that we cannot object the instability of the eastern monarchies in this Let us, then, since this event would not be more improbable and extraordinary than the other, suppose again, that things should succeed according to the prediction, the floods should arise, and the enemy should come, the city should be overflowed and broken down, be taken and pillaged, and destroyed so totally, that even the learned could not agree about the place where it was situated. What would be said or thought in such a case? Whoever of posterity should read and compare the prophecy and event together, must they not, by such an illustrious instance, be thoroughly convinced of the providence of God, and of the truth of this prophet, and be ready to acknowledge, Verily this is the word that the Lord hath spoken! Verily there is a God who judgeth in the earth!" THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK. ARGUMENT. THE Prophet Habakkuk is said to have been of the tribe of Simeon, and a native of Beth-zaker. As he makes no mention of the Assyrians in his prophecy, and speaks of the invasions of the Chaldeans as near at hand, it is probable he prophesied after the destruction of Nineveh, and the overthrow of the Assyrian empire, and not long before the kingdom of Judah was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. It seems he was cotemporary with Jeremiah, and prophesied in the reign of Josiah, probably toward the close of his reign, and in the beginning of Jehoiakim's. The subject of his prophecy is the same with that of Jeremiah, and upon the same occasion; namely, the destruc tion of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, for their idolatries and other heinous sins and provo cations. This destruction he foretels in the first chapter, as also that of the adjacent countries. In the second, he predicts the overthrow of the Chaldeans, for their unprovoked invasion of other nations, and their various acts of violence, oppression, and bloodshed, and he encourages the Jews patiently to wait for it. Thus, as the preceding prophet, Nahum, foretold the destruction of the Assyrians, who carried the ten tribes captive; so Habakkuk foretels the judgments that should come upon the Chaldeans, who completed the captivity of the two remaining tribes. In the third chapter, he, in a most lofty manner, celebrates God's former appearances for Israel, in bringing them through the Red sea; in giving his law to them; and in casting out the Canaanites before them he professes his terrible apprehension of the Chaldean invasion; begs the Lord would at least mitigate the stroke; and concludes, rejoicing in God his Saviour. Habakkuk is repeatedly quoted as an inspired writer in the New Testament, as the reader will see if he will compare chap. i. 5, with Acts xiii. 40, 41; and ii. 3, 4, with Rom. i. 17; Gal. iii. 11; Heb. x. 37, 38: and "his predictions of the devastations" that should be made by the Chaldeans, and of the judgments that would be inflicted on them, are considered by many as foretelling also "the temporary success and final ruin of the oppressors and corrupters of the Christian Church, and the final and universal prevalence of true religion throughout the earth."-Scott. "The Prophet Habakkuk," says Archbishop Newcome, "stands high in the class of the Hebrew poets. The beautiful connection between the parts of his prophecy, its diction, imagery, spirit, and sublimity, cannot be too much admired." Bishop Lowth bears a similar testimony, observing, "The style of Habakkuk is poetical, especially in his ode, chap. iii., which may deservedly be accounted among the most perfect speci mens of that class." See his 21st Prelection. CHAPTER I. In this chapter, (1,) The prophet complains to God of the injustice and violence practised among the Jews, and of the suf ferings hereby brought upon the righteous, 1-4. (2) God by him foretels the punishment of this abuse of poncer by the sword of war, and the desolations which the army of the Chaldeans should make among them, 5–11. (3,) The prophet complains of the mischief done by the Chaldeans, and prays for his own people and against their enemies, 12–17. A. M. 3378. THE burden which Habakkuk || 2 O LORD, how long shall I B. 626. the prophet did see. NOTES ON CHAPTER I. a B. C. 626. cry, A. M. 3378 and thou wilt not hear! even cry a Lam. iii. 8. Verse 1. The burden-The grievous calamities, or heavy judgments; which Habakkuk did see That is, foresee, and was commissioned to foretel. Habakkuk, was against the Chaldeans as well as the I rofligacy of the Jews, CHAPTER I. and their punishment. A. M. 3378. out unto thee of violence, and thou || a work in your days, which ye will not A. M. 3378. wilt not save! believe though it be told you. B. C. 626. 3 Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and vio- || lence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. b d B. C. 626. 6 For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling-places that are not theirs. 3 4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment 7 They are terrible and dreadful: *their doth never go forth for the wicked doth com- || judgment and their dignity shall proceed of pass about the righteous; therefore wrong themselves. judgment proceedeth. с 1 8 Their horses also are swifter than the 5 ¶ Behold ye among the heathen, and re- || leopards, and are more fierce than the * evengard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work b Job xxi. 7; Psa. xciv. 3, &c.; Jer. xii. 1.- 1 Or, wrested. c Isa. xxix. 14; Acts xiii. 41.- d Deut. xxviii. 49, 50; Jer. v. 15.2 Fulfilled, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 6. ing wolves: and their horsemen shall spread Heb. breadths. -4 Or, from them shall proceed the judgment of these, and the captivity of these. Heb. sharp.- Jer. v. 6; Zeph. iii. 3. the desolations which the Chaldeans would make incredible. For I will work a work, &c., which ye Judea and the neighbouring countries, as the minis- will not believe-The judgment shall be such, as you ters of divine vengeance: and, 2d, Upon the pro- despisers of God's word will not believe to be coming phet's falling into an expostulation with God about upon you. These words are referred to, and indeed these proceedings, moved thereto probably by his quoted, by St. Paul, Acts xiii. 41; not, however, accompassion for his own people, God shows him the cording to the Hebrew text, but the translation of judgments which he would execute upon the Chal- the LXX., who, instead of 17, begoim, among deans. the heathen, seem to have read 11, begadim, despisers, or perfidious persons. This reading of the LXX. is preferred by Grotius, because, he ob serves, “God addresses the Jews who were despisers of his deity." Verses 2-4. O Lord, how long shall I cry, &c.— How long shall I complain unto thee of might overcoming right, and thou wilt not save or prevent it? The prophet here proposes the common objection || against Providence, taken from the prosperity of the wicked, and their oppression of the righteous, which has often been a stumbling-block even to good men: see Jer. xii. 1; Job xii. 6; and xxi. 7; Psa. xxxvii., || lxxiii. Why dost thou show me iniquity?-Why hast thou caused me to live in such times of iniquity? for I see nothing but scenes of rapine, and the most unjust oppression. And there are that raise up strife, &c.-Or, there is strife, and contention carries it. There is much cause for complaining, but those best skilled in the arts of contention carry the cause. Therefore the law is slacked-The divine law, given us for the regulation of our conduct, hath lost its force. And judgment doth never go forthCauses remain undetermined, and justice is not duly administered. For the wicked, &c.-For the wicked, by their deceitful arts, prevail against the righteous, and overpower them; therefore [rather, moreover] wrong judgment proceedeth-Not only judgment is delayed, but, what is still worse, unjust judgment is given, and causes are evidently decided in a manner quite contrary to what is equitable and just. Ye Verse 5. Behold, &c.—For a punishment of such exorbitant practices, behold, God is about to make the heathen the instruments of his vengeance. among the heathen, and regard-Consider and weigh it well, in its nature and consequences; for it is intended as a warning to you, and assures you that judgment will overtake you also. And wonder marvellously-As astonished at judgments too great to be described, and so strange that they will appear to many, even of God's professing people, to be in Verse 6. For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans-This is spoken of as a matter of great wonder and astonishment, because the Chaldeans, in the times of Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Josiah, were allies of the Jewish nation, and seemed linked to them in the greatest friendship; so that they had no fear on that side, but all their fear was from the Egyptians. Therefore the coming of the Chaldeans into the country is spoken of here as a thing entirely new, and as if that people had been called into existence for the very purpose of punishing the Jewish nation. There is a prophecy similar to this in Isaiah, with regard to the Assyrians, in whom the Jewish nation then placed their chief confidence, and thought of nothing less than of the evils which Isaiah threatened should be brought upon them by that nation: so weak and short-sighted often is human policy! see Isa. vii. That bitter and hasty nation-That people cruel in their disposition, quick in executing their purposes, and hasty in their marches, Isa. v. 26, 27; Jer. v. 16, 17. Which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess, &c.—This is spoken of the Chaldeans extending their conquests to a vast distance from the original seat of their empire. Verses 7-9. Their judgment, &c., shall proceed of themselves-They will judge themselves of what they shall do, without paying regard to any thing but their own will, and shall have power to put in execution whatever they resolve upon. Their horses also are swifter than the leopards—“Leopards tamed and taught to hunt are, it is said, made use of [in Palestine] for hunting, and seize the prey with surprising agility. When the leopard leaps, he throws himself seventeen or eighteen feet at a time." ---Harmer, ii. 438. And are more fierce than the evening wolves--Which, having fasted in the day, were wont to come forth in the evening fierce and ravenous. And their horsemen shall spread themselves--Namely, all over the land; that is, they shall be very numerous. They shall come all for violence --To enrich themselves by making a prey of all. Their faces shall sup up as the east wind-They shall destroy every thing where they march, as the east wind blasts the fruits of the earth. And they shall gather the captivity [or, captives] as the sand -Not only in Judea, but in all the neighbouring countries which they conquer. Houbigant renders the clause, A burning wind goes before them, and gathers captives as the sand. They shall carry desolation, destruction, and fire, everywhere before them. The winds which blew from Arabia the Desert were extremely hot, and very dangerous, not only on account of their own heat, but on account of the dust and sand which they brought with them. Verses 10, 11. And they shall scoff at the kings, &c.-The Hebrew use the singular number here, (He shall scoff, &c.,) as well as in the following verse, and it is to be understood of the king of Babylon, who treated the kings he conquered with scorn and contempt: so he used Zedekiah and his princes. They shall deride every strong hold-They shall contemn, or count as nothing, the most strongly fortified places. They shall heap dust and take it ---They shall cast up mounds against them, and so take them. Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over—Rather, And shall pass over, (without the personal pronoun he,) that is, his mind shall change, and pass beyond the bounds of moderation. By this and the next clause, imputing this his power unto his god, was foretold that the king of Babylon should be made arrogant by his victories, and should impute them to the power of the false gods he worshipped. This was remarkably true of Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's successor, who, with his thousand lords, when he was drinking wine in the golden and sitver vessels taken out of God's temple, and was thereby triumphing over Jehovah and his people, praised the gods of gold and silver, &c., as the successes to their idols. B. C. 626. 11 Then shall his mind change, A. M. 3378. and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god. g i 12 h Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. 8 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on 10 iniquity: where 1 Lam. v. 19. 2 Kings xix. 25; Psa. xvii. 13; Isa. x. 5, 7 ; authors of their successes and victories. It was also remarkably verified in Nebuchadnezzar himself, who, as we find from Dan. iii., cast three otherwise innocent persons, and faithful to him, into a furnace of fire, because they would not fall down before the idol which he had set up. But Grotius, and many others, interpret the latter part of the verse thus: Saying this his strength is his god; that is, imputing all his success to his own skill and prowess; a sense of the words which answers remarkably to the character of Nebuchadnezzar, as given in the book of Daniel: see chapter iii. 17, and iv. 30, and v. 20. Probably the extraordinary insanity which befell Nebuchadnezzar, as the punishment of his pride and arrogance, might be also here intended in the first clause of this verse, which in the Hebrew is, Then shall his spirit change and pass over, &c. Here, then, is a remarkable proof of what the psalmist says, namely, that God understandeth our thoughts afar off: for here the alteration that should in after times be made in Nebuchadnezzar's mind by his prosperity is expressly foretold, together with the punishment that should follow upon it. Verse 12. Art thou not, &c.-Here the prophet, upon being made sensible that the king of Babylon should attribute all his victories to some false or fictitious deity, or to his own abilities, breaks out into a passionate exclamation to Jehovah, Art thos not from everlasting, O Lord my God?—Art not thou he, who only hath been from everlasting; while all others that are called gods have had a beginning, and there was a time when neither they nor the men that set them up had any being? Thou, therefore, art infinitely superior, both to the most powerful men, and to all that are called gods. We shall not die--We shall not utterly perish by the Chaldeans, though we shall suffer severely from them. Or, as Secker renders it, Let us not die. Thou hast ordained them for judgment—Thou hast appointed the Chaldeans to execute thy judgments on sinners. And, O mighty God-Whose sovereignty is unquestionable, and power irresistible; || thou hast established them for correction-The Hebrew is, thou hast founded them as a rock for correction, namely, of the Jewish people. | The prophet waits on B. C. 626. B. C. 626. A. M. 3378. fore lookest thou upon them that deal || they catch them in their net, and A. M. 3378. treacherously, and holdest thy tongue gather them in their 12 drag: therewhen the wicked devoureth the man that is fore they rejoice and are glad. more righteous than he? 14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the "creeping things, that have no rule over them? m n 16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat 13 plenteous.14 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not 15 They take up all of them with the angle, spare continually to slay the nations? 11 Or, moving. m Jeremiah xvi. 16; Amos iv. 2.- -12 Or, n Deut. viii. 17; Isaiah x. 13; xxxvii. 24, 25.13 Or, dainty. 14 Heb. fat. prove of wickedness: it must ever be an abomination take; that is, the Chaldeans rejoice in taking a great to thee. Thou canst not look upon iniquity—Except number of captives, and gathering rich spoils, as with infinite abhorrence. Wherefore lookest thou fishermen rejoice when they catch a great number upon them-Seemest to connive at, or dost not show of fishes. Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, any particular dislike at the violence of those idola- &c.-They impute all their victories to their own trous Chaldeans? And makest men as the fishes of strength and skill, or to idols of their own making, the sea, &c.—By delivering them to Nebuchadnezzar, and render no acknowledgments to God for their who takes them in his net, as a fisherman takes success. Because by them their portion is fat, &c.— fishes; which creatures suffer themselves to be taken Because by means of their victories they get abunwithout resistance, because they have no power to dance of rich spoil. Shall they therefore empty defend themselves. As the creeping things that have || their net-Carry away the riches and spoils of their no ruler, &c.-No chief to conduct or guard them. conquests, (see 2 Kings xxiv. 13,) in order to underThe Hebrews give the common name of reptiles to || take more; just as fishermen empty their nets to fill all fishes. They take up all of them with the angle || them again. But the words may be properly ren-The prophet, having in the preceding verse com- dered, Shall he therefore spread his net? in which pared men to fishes, continues here, by way of sense the Vulgate, as also the Greek and Chaldee, metaphor, to describe the advantages which the here interpret the Hebrew verb pi', a word often Chaldeans gained over other nations, by the several || used of drawing or unsheathing a sword or spear. ways used by fishermen in taking fishes, as by And not spare continually to slay the nations-Wilt catching them with the angle, enclosing them in nets, thou suffer them to go on to make havoc continually and gathering them in drags. Therefore they re- of all other nations? Shall they never be stopped ioice and are glad-On account of the prey they in their career? CHAPTER II. Here, (1,) God answers the complaints of the prophet made in the foregoing chapter, telling him that in due time, after he has sufficiently tried the faith of his people, and distinguished hypocrites from saints, he will reckon with the proud Chaldeans, and bring them to ruin for their oppressions and murders, 1–8. (2,) He denounces fearful curses against them and their associates in wickedness; as being greedy of wealth and honour, 9-11; injurious and oppressive raisers of estates by injustice, rapine, and robbery, 12, 13, 17; promoters of drunkenness, and destroyers of others, 15-17; and worshippers of idols, 18, 19. (3,) He promises that by these judgments he would spread the knowledge and fear of himself among the nations, 14-20. A. M. 3378. 1 b 4 B. C. 626. I WILL stand upon my watch, and what I shall answer 3 when I A. M. 3378. and set me upon the 1 tower, and am reproved. will watch to see what he will say 2 unto me, a Isaiah xxi. 8, 11. 2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Heb. fenced place.——b Psalm lxxxv. 8. Or, when I am argued with.- - Hebrew, upon my reproof, 2 Or, in me. NOTES ON CHAPTER II. Verse 1. I will stand upon my watch-The Hebrews often express one thing by a multiplicity of words, as here several expressions are used to signify the same thing, namely, watching. As the prophets were considered as watchmen, and as the watchmen were placed on high towers, and it was or, arguing. their duty to look around very diligently to see what messengers or enemies, or what dangers or deliverances were approaching, and to continue steadfast in their posts; so here the prophet declares that he would as diligently watch and wait for God's answer to what he had complained of in the foregoing chapter, namely, the great success of the Chaldeans, |