[1] The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
The burden — The prophet seems to speak of these grievous things, as a burden which he himself groaned under.
Verse 4
[4] Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
Therefore — Because the wicked go on with impunity.
The law — The whole law, moral, ceremonial, and judicial.
Is slacked — Is slighted, and not observed.
Go forth — From magistrates, judges, and public officers.
Doth compass about — As it were besieges, with design to oppress and ruin.
Verse 5
[5] Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
Behold ye — Here God begins to answer the prophet.
Among the heathen — See what judgments have been executed upon the heathen for like sins.
Verse 6
[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 dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
Bitter — Cruel, and without mercy.
Hasty — Speedy in executing their merciless purposes.
Verse 7
[7] They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
Their judgment — The law they observe, is their own will.
Their dignity — Their authority is all from themselves, without respect to any other law or rule whatever.
Verse 8
[8] Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
The evening wolves — Which with fasting in the day, came out in the evening, fierce and ravenous.
Shall spread — All over the land.
Verse 9
[9] They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
For violence — To enrich themselves by making a prey of all.
Their faces — Their very countenances shall be as blasting as the east-wind.
Verse 10
[10] And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
At the kings — Which opposed their designs.
And take it — By mighty mounts cast up.
Verse 12
[12] Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
Shall not die — Be utterly destroyed.
Ordained — Set up, and designed.
Them — The Chaldean kingdom.
For judgment — To execute this judgment, which is tempered with mercy.
For correction — To chastise, not to destroy.
Verse 14
[14] And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
And makest — Not infusing cruel appetites, but permitting them to act according to such appetite which was already in them.
As the fishes — Of which the greater greedily devour the smaller.
Creeping things — Which in the waters are food for the lesser fry; so the world, like the sea, is wholly oppression.
No ruler — None to defend the weak, or restrain the mighty.
Verse 15
[15] They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
They — The Chaldeans draw out all alike, good or bad.
In their net — Destroying many together.
And gather — As if they could never have enough, they drive men into their nets.
Verse 16
[16] Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
They sacrifice — Ascribe the praise of their victories.
Their net — To their own contrivances, diligence, and power.
Verse 17
[17] Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
Empty their net — As fisher-men empty the full net to fill it again.
Habakkuk 1 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 1
[1] The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
The burden — The prophet seems to speak of these grievous things, as a burden which he himself groaned under.
Verse 4
[4] Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
Therefore — Because the wicked go on with impunity.
The law — The whole law, moral, ceremonial, and judicial.
Is slacked — Is slighted, and not observed.
Go forth — From magistrates, judges, and public officers.
Doth compass about — As it were besieges, with design to oppress and ruin.
Verse 5
[5] Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
Behold ye — Here God begins to answer the prophet.
Among the heathen — See what judgments have been executed upon the heathen for like sins.
Verse 6
[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 dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
Bitter — Cruel, and without mercy.
Hasty — Speedy in executing their merciless purposes.
Verse 7
[7] They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
Their judgment — The law they observe, is their own will.
Their dignity — Their authority is all from themselves, without respect to any other law or rule whatever.
Verse 8
[8] Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
The evening wolves — Which with fasting in the day, came out in the evening, fierce and ravenous.
Shall spread — All over the land.
Verse 9
[9] They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
For violence — To enrich themselves by making a prey of all.
Their faces — Their very countenances shall be as blasting as the east-wind.
Verse 10
[10] And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
At the kings — Which opposed their designs.
And take it — By mighty mounts cast up.
Verse 12
[12] Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
Shall not die — Be utterly destroyed.
Ordained — Set up, and designed.
Them — The Chaldean kingdom.
For judgment — To execute this judgment, which is tempered with mercy.
For correction — To chastise, not to destroy.
Verse 14
[14] And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
And makest — Not infusing cruel appetites, but permitting them to act according to such appetite which was already in them.
As the fishes — Of which the greater greedily devour the smaller.
Creeping things — Which in the waters are food for the lesser fry; so the world, like the sea, is wholly oppression.
No ruler — None to defend the weak, or restrain the mighty.
Verse 15
[15] They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
They — The Chaldeans draw out all alike, good or bad.
In their net — Destroying many together.
And gather — As if they could never have enough, they drive men into their nets.
Verse 16
[16] Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
They sacrifice — Ascribe the praise of their victories.
Their net — To their own contrivances, diligence, and power.
Verse 17
[17] Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
Empty their net — As fisher-men empty the full net to fill it again.