Habakuk 3:15

15 Du betratest das Meer mit deinen Rossen, den Schwall großer Wasser. -

Habakuk 3:15 Meaning and Commentary

Habakkuk 3:15

Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses
And as thou didst of old, so do again; as Jehovah walked through the Red sea in a pillar of cloud and fire, which were his horses and chariots, and destroyed the Egyptians; so may he walk through another sea by his instruments, and destroy the enemies of his church and people; (See Gill on Habakkuk 3:8). The "sea" here signifies the world, compared to it for the multitude of its people; the noise, fluctuation, and uncertainty of all things in it; and particularly the Roman empire, the sea out of which the antichristian beast arose, ( Revelation 13:1 ) . The "horses" are the angels or Christian princes, with whom the Lord will walk in majesty, and in the greatness of his strength, pouring out the vials of his wrath on the antichristian states: through the heap of many waters;
or "the clay", or "mud of many waters" F23; that lies at the bottom of them; which being walked through and trampled on by horses, is raised up, and "troubles" them, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it: these "many waters" are those on which the whore of Rome is said to sit; and which are interpreted of people, multitudes, nations, and tongues, ( Revelation 17:1 Revelation 17:15 ) and the "mud" of them is expressive of their pollution and corruption, with her false doctrines, idolatry, superstition, and immoralities; and of their disturbed state and condition, through the judgments of God upon them, signified by his horses walking through them; trampling upon them in fury; treating them with the utmost contempt; treading them like mire and clay, and bringing upon them utter ruin and destruction.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (Mybr Mym rmx) "in luto aquarum multarum", Tigurine version; "calcasti lutum aquarum multarum", Cocceius, Van Till; "lutum, aquae multae", Burkius.

Habakuk 3:15 In-Context

13 Du zogest aus zum Heile deines Volkes, zum Heile deines Gesalbten: du zerschmettertest das Haupt vom Hause des Gesetzlosen, entblößend den Grund bis zum Halse. (Sela.)
14 Du durchbohrtest mit seinen eigenen Spießen die Häupter seiner Scharen, welche heranstürmten, mich zu zerstäuben, deren Frohlocken war, den Elenden im Verborgenen zu verschlingen.
15 Du betratest das Meer mit deinen Rossen, den Schwall großer Wasser. -
16 Ich vernahm es, und es zitterte mein Leib; bei der Stimme bebten meine Lippen; Morschheit drang in meine Gebeine, und wo ich stand, erzitterte ich: der ich ruhen werde am Tage der Drangsal, wenn derjenige gegen das Volk heranzieht, der es angreifen wird.
17 Denn der Feigenbaum wird nicht blühen, und kein Ertrag wird an den Reben sein; und es trügt die Frucht des Olivenbaumes, und die Getreidefelder tragen keine Speise; aus der Hürde ist verschwunden das Kleinvieh, und kein Rind ist in den Ställen. -
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