Habakkuk 2:8

8 You've plundered nation after nation. Now you'll get a taste of your own medicine. All the survivors are out to plunder you, a payback for all your murders and massacres.

Habakkuk 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

Habakkuk 2:8

Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of
the people shall spoil thee
Those that survived the persecutions of the Roman emperors; those that were left of the great numbers put to death by them; those under Constantine rose up, and by just retaliation spoiled them of all their power and wealth: because of men's blood;
the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus, of those under the altar, whose blood cried for vengeance, ( Revelation 6:9 Revelation 6:10 ) , which was shed under the ten bloody persecutions: or, "because of the blood of a man": of Adam F6, as it may be rendered; the blood of Christ the second Adam, which, though shed at the instance of the Jews, yet by the order of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor: and [for] the violence of the land, and of the city, and of all that
dwell therein:
that is, for the violence and injuries done to the land of Israel and city of Jerusalem, and the inhabitants thereof, as the Targum, and so Jarchi; and which were done by the Romans to those places and people, under Titus Vespasian, when he invaded the country of Judea, and made it desolate; besieged and took Jerusalem, and burnt it with fire; destroyed great numbers of its inhabitants, and carried them captive, and sent great multitudes of them to the mines; as well as for what were done to the Christians in every country and city where they dwelt; and to the city of the living God, the church, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the citizens of it, who were used by them in a very cruel and inhuman manner, and for which vengeance would be, and was, taken upon them.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 (Mda ymdm) "propter sanguinem hominis", i. e. "Christi, qui est secundus Adam", Cocceius, Van Till.

Habakkuk 2:8 In-Context

6 Don't give people like this a second thought. Soon the whole world will be taunting them: "'Who do you think you are - getting rich by stealing and extortion? How long do you think you can get away with this?'
7 Indeed, how long before your victims wake up, stand up and make you the victim?
8 You've plundered nation after nation. Now you'll get a taste of your own medicine. All the survivors are out to plunder you, a payback for all your murders and massacres.
9 "Who do you think you are - recklessly grabbing and looting, Living it up, acting like king of the mountain, acting above it all, above trials and troubles?
10 You've engineered the ruin of your own house. In ruining others you've ruined yourself. You've undermined your foundations, rotted out your own soul.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.