Habacuc 2

1 Sobre mi guarda estaré, y sobre la fortaleza afirmaré el pie, y atalayaré para ver qué hablará en mí, y qué he de responder a mi pregunta

2 Y el SEÑOR me respondió, y dijo: Escribe la visión, y declárala en tablas, para que corra el que leyere en ella

3 Aunque la visión es aún para un tiempo señalado, mas al fin hablará, y no mentirá; aunque se tardare, espéralo, que sin duda vendrá; espéralo

4 He aquí, se enorgullece aquel cuya alma no es derecha en él; mas el justo en su fe vivirá

5 Cuanto más que el dado al vino, transpasador, hombre soberbio no permanecerá. Que ensanchó como el Seol su alma, y es como la muerte, que no se llenará; antes reunió a sí todos los gentiles, y amontonó a sí todos los pueblos

6 ¿No han de levantar todos éstos sobre él enigma, y sarcasmos contra él? Y dirán: ¡Ay del que multiplicó lo que no era suyo! ¿Y hasta cuándo había de amontonar sobre sí espeso lodo

7 ¿No se levantarán de repente los que te han de morder, y se despertarán los que te han de quitar de tu lugar, y serás a ellos por rapiña

8 Porque tú has despojado a muchas naciones, todos los otros pueblos te despojarán; a causa de la sangre humana, y robos de la tierra, de las ciudades y de todos los que moraban en ellas

9 ¡Ay del que codicia ganancia mal habida por violencia para su casa, por poner en alto su nido, por escaparse del poder del mal

10 Tomaste consejo vergonzoso para tu casa, asolaste muchos pueblos, y has pecado contra tu vida

11 Porque la piedra clamará desde el muro, y la tabla del enmaderado le responderá

12 ¡Ay del que edifica la ciudad con sangre, y del que funda la villa con iniquidad

13 ¿No es esto del SEÑOR de los ejércitos? Los pueblos, pues, trabajarán para el fuego, y los gentiles se fatigarán en vano

14 Porque la tierra será llena del conocimiento de la gloria del SEÑOR, como las aguas cubren el mar

15 ¡Ay del que da de beber a sus compañeros, que les acercas tu odre y les embriagas, para mirar después sus desnudeces

16 Te has llenado de deshonra en vez de honra; bebe tú también, y tu prepucio será descubierto; el cáliz de la mano derecha del SEÑOR volverá sobre ti, y vómito de afrenta caerá sobre tu gloria

17 Porque la rapiña del Líbano caerá sobre ti, y la destrucción de las fieras lo quebrantará; a causa de la sangre humana, y del robo de la tierra, de las ciudades, y de todos los que en ellas moraban

18 ¿De qué sirve la escultura que esculpió el que la hizo? ¿La estatua de fundición, que enseña mentira, para que haciendo imágenes mudas confíe el hacedor en su obra

19 ¡Ay del que dice al palo: Despiértate; y a la piedra muda: Levántate! ¿Podrá él enseñar? He aquí él está cubierto de oro y plata, y no hay dentro de él aliento

20 Mas el SEÑOR está en su santo Templo: calle delante de él toda la tierra

Habacuc 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

Habakkuk must wait in faith. (1-4) Judgments upon the Chaldeans. (5-14) Also upon drunkenness and idolatry. (15-20)

Verses 1-4 When tossed and perplexed with doubts about the methods of Providence, we must watch against temptations to be impatient. When we have poured out complaints and requests before God, we must observe the answers God gives by his word, his Spirit, and providences; what the Lord will say to our case. God will not disappoint the believing expectations of those who wait to hear what he will say unto them. All are concerned in the truths of God's word. Though the promised favour be deferred long, it will come at last, and abundantly recompense us for waiting. The humble, broken-hearted, repenting sinner, alone seeks to obtain an interest in this salvation. He will rest his soul on the promise, and on Christ, in and through whom it is given. Thus he walks and works, as well as lives by faith, perseveres to the end, and is exalted to glory; while those who distrust or despise God's all-sufficiency will not walk uprightly with him. The just shall live by faith in these precious promises, while the performance of them is deferred. Only those made just by faith, shall live, shall be happy here and for ever.

Verses 5-14 The prophet reads the doom of all proud and oppressive powers that bear hard upon God's people. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, are the entangling snares of men; and we find him that led Israel captive, himself led captive by each of these. No more of what we have is to be reckoned ours, than what we come honestly by. Riches are but clay, thick clay; what are gold and silver but white and yellow earth? Those who travel through thick clay, are hindered and dirtied in their journey; so are those who go through the world in the midst of abundance of wealth. And what fools are those that burden themselves with continual care about it; with a great deal of guilt in getting, saving, and spending it, and with a heavy account which they must give another day! They overload themselves with this thick clay, and so sink themselves down into destruction and perdition. See what will be the end hereof; what is gotten by violence from others, others shall take away by violence. Covetousness brings disquiet and uneasiness into a family; he that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; what is worse, it brings the curse of God upon all the affairs of it. There is a lawful gain, which, by the blessing of God, may be a comfort to a house; but what is got by fraud and injustice, will bring poverty and ruin upon a family. Yet that is not the worst; Thou hast sinned against thine own soul, hast endangered it. Those who wrong their neighbours, do much greater wrong to their own souls. If the sinner thinks he has managed his frauds and violence with art and contrivance, the riches and possessions he heaped together will witness against him. There are not greater drudges in the world than those who are slaves to mere wordly pursuits. And what comes of it? They find themselves disappointed of it, and disappointed in it; they will own it is worse than vanity, it is vexation of spirit. By staining and sinking earthly glory, God manifests and magnifies his own glory, and fills the earth with the knowledge of it, as plentifully as waters cover the sea, which are deep, and spread far and wide.

Verses 15-20 A severe woe is pronounced against drunkenness; it is very fearful against all who are guilty of drunkenness at any time, and in any place, from the stately palace to the paltry ale-house. To give one drink who is in want, who is thirsty and poor, or a weary traveller, or ready to perish, is charity; but to give a neighbour drink, that he may expose himself, may disclose secret concerns, or be drawn into a bad bargain, or for any such purpose, this is wickedness. To be guilty of this sin, to take pleasure in it, is to do what we can towards the murder both of soul and body. There is woe to him, and punishment answering to the sin. The folly of worshipping idols is exposed. The Lord is in his holy temple in heaven, where we have access to him in the way he has appointed. May we welcome his salvation, and worship him in his earthly temples, through Christ Jesus, and by the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO HABAKKUK 2

This chapter contains an answer from the Lord to the expostulations, pleadings, and reasonings of the prophet, in the name of the people. The preparation of the prophet to receive this answer is described, Hab 2:1 then follows the answer itself, in which he is bid to write and make plain the vision he had, that it might be easily read, Hab 2:2 and a promise is made, that vision should still be continued to the appointed time, at which time the Messiah would come; and this the righteous man, in opposition to the vain and proud man, is encouraged to live in the faith of, Hab 2:3,4 and then the destruction of the enemies of the people of God is threatened for their pride, ambition, covetousness, oppression, and murder, Hab 2:5-12 which would be unavoidable, Hab 2:13 and issue in the spread of the knowledge of the glory of God in the world, Hab 2:14 and also the ruin of other enemies is threatened, for drawing men into apostasy, and for their violence and idolatry, Hab 2:15-19 upon which would follow an universal silence in the earth, Hab 2:20.