5. Isa. 31:8–9 10. Zeph. 2:13–15
Study Notes
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:1 oracle. The prophecy is a message of doom. Nahum was only the messenger of this divine oracle of judgment on Nineveh.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:2–15 The destruction of Nineveh was announced.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:2–8 Nahum, defining God's power in general, establishes the fact that he is omnipotent, a holy and jealous God who will punish the wicked and avenge his own.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:2 jealous. This attribute, often used of God's burning zeal for his wife, Israel, emphasizes his passionate reaction against anyone guilty of spiritual adultery. Possibly the captivity of the 10 northern tribes (722 B.C.) or the invasion of Sennacherib (701 B.C.) is in view here.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:3 slow to anger. The jealousy of v. 2 should not suggest that God is quick to anger; rather he is longsuffering (cf. Ex. 34:6; Num. 14:18). God had extended his forbearance to Nineveh at least a century earlier in response to their repentance at Jonah's preaching (cf. Jonah 3:10; 4:2). But although patient, his justice will eventually punish the wicked. whirlwind . . . storm . . . clouds. These figures frequently describe the Lord's appearances (theophanies), often in judgment (cf. Ex. 19:9, 16; Ps. 83:15; Isa. 29:6; Joel 2:2; 1 Thess. 4:17). Nature is the theater in which his power and majesty are showcased.
God's Judgment Against Assyria/Neneveh
God's Judgment Against Assyria/Nineveh IN RETROSPECT—Fulfilled 1. Jer. 50:17–18 2. Ezek. 32:22–23 IN PROSPECT—Prophesied 1. Isa. 10:5 6. Mic. 5:5–6 2. Isa. 10:24–27 7. Nah. 1:1 3. Isa. 14:24–25 8. Nah. 2:8 4. Isa. 30:31–33 9. Nah. 3:7, 18 5. Isa. 31:8–9 10. Zeph. 2:13–15
©1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:4 His mighty power is revealed when he rebukes the sea, as in the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:15–25) and when he withholds his rain from the fertile valleys and coastal highlands. Bashan . . . Carmel . . . Lebanon. Bashan, located below Mount Hermon, east of the Jordan was known for her lush pastures (Mic. 7:14). Carmel, along the coast of Canaan, became synonymous with fruitfulness (Song 7:5). Lebanon was renowned for her beautiful cedars (1 Kings 5:14–18). Yet, they too would wither before the infinite strength of the omnipotent Judge.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:5 The violent shaking of the earth provides another evidence of the Lord's awesome power, as even that which seems to be most stable trembles.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:6 This series of rhetorical questions summarizes vv. 2–5; his power and resolve to spew his wrath on Nineveh is irresistible, melting all opposition before it.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:7 In contrast to v. 6, Nahum eased the fury by adding that God was compassionate, a stronghold or fortress (cf. Ps. 46:1) to those who put their hope in him (cf. Isa. 33:2–4; 37:3–7, 29–38). The verse foreshadowed the vindication of Judah in Nah. 1:12b–13, 15; 2:2.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:8 flood . . . darkness. Nahum described Nineveh's judgment metaphorically as an engulfing flood and darkness from which none can escape.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:9–15 Having established God's power and sovereign right to judge generally, Nahum announced specifically God's judgment upon Nineveh, interweaving expressions of blessing and hope for Israel within the oracles of doom upon the wicked nation. The sovereign Judge not only punishes (vv. 9– 12a, 14) but also saves (vv. 12b–13, 15).
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:9 What do you plot. All Assyrian attempts to foil God's judgment would end in futility (cf. Ps. 2). Their affliction of his people would not be allowed to occur again (cf. Nah. 1:12). Their end was determined.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:11 worthless counselor. The phrase, lit., "counselor of
Belial," suggests satanic influence on the leadership, identified as the king of Assyria (cf. 3:18). Specific reference could be to Ashurbanipal (669–633 B.C.) or more likely to Sennacherib (705–681 B.C.), who invaded Judah in 701 B.C. and of whom Isaiah speaks in similar language (Isa. 10:7).
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:12 Thus says the Lord. Used as a common prophetic formula introducing God's unequivocal message, it occurs only here in the book. Verse 12a is related in the third person, denoting the enemy, while in v. 12b the chosen people of God are spoken of in the second person. The safety of a walled city and massive numbers ("many") would not be a sufficient defense. "Though" harkens back to vv. 7–10.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:12b–13 I will afflict you no more. Judah was to be no longer afflicted by Assyria.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:14 Three judgments were pronounced. First, the king of Assyria, representing the nation, would become destitute of descendants. Second, the gods by which they received their authority would be destroyed. Third, the king would be put to death (cf. the fall of Nineveh in 612 B.C.).
NAHUM—NOTE ON 1:15 mountains . . . feet. The verse echoes Isa. 52:7, where it refers to those who announced deliverance from Babylon. The theme of good tidings and peace reverberates throughout the message of the NT (cf. Luke 2:10; Isa. 61:1 with Luke 4:16–21; Rom. 10:15; Eph. 2:14–18). feasts. During a siege, people were prevented from going up to Jerusalem to celebrate her annual feasts (cf. Num. 28–29). With the destruction of Assyria, Judah was called upon to celebrate her feasts and to pay the vows made while under siege (cf. Ps. 116:14, 17–18).
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:1–13 Nineveh's fall in 612 B.C. at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, though still future in Nahum's day, is described vividly in present tense terms.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:1 scatterer. Assyria had made a practice of dispersing captives to many nations; now she would receive similar judgment. Man . . . watch . . . strength. The prophet, with irony and satire, ordered the Assyrians to prepare for the coming invasion from Babylon.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:2 majesty of Jacob . . . Israel. This is not a reference to the southern and northern tribes, since the northern tribes had been overrun by
Assyria almost a century earlier; but these are titles of honor for Judah, remembering the day when Jacob received God's blessing at Peniel (Gen. 32:27– 28) and had his name changed to Israel. Together, they signify the nation's restoration to the promised position. plunderers have plundered them. Assyria had repeatedly "plundered" the land, destroying its fruitful vineyards and economic lifeblood.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:3 shield . . . is red. Shields were either overlaid with copper, whose reflections of sunshine would make the army appear larger and strike terror in the enemy, or they were covered with hide that was dyed red, so as to extinguish fiery arrows and to minimize the sight of blood. "Scarlet" clothing would have similar benefits. spears are brandished. Warriors, denoting their eagerness and readiness for battle, would wave their weapons.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:4 Confusion reigned in Nineveh, where battle preparations were hurriedly made.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:5 they hasten to the wall. This may continue the thought of v. 4, depicting Nineveh's royalty and military leaders dashing to one of her many defense towers which, according to the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, numbered 1,500 and reached a height of 200 feet. It is also possible that the latter part of the verse is a description of the attackers preparing to erect a "siege tower," a small fortress type box in which soldiers rode for protection as they advanced to the wall.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:6 river gates. Nineveh, lying at the confluence of three rivers (the Tigris and two smaller rivers), constructed dams to minimize the damage of seasonal flooding to her walls. The latter part of v. 6 suggests that these dam gates were opened, causing the walls to be dissolved and the palace to be taken (cf. Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes; 1:8).
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:7 she is carried off. The goddess of Nineveh, probably Ishtar, was taken by her attackers to demonstrate the superiority of their gods (cf. 1 Sam. 4:1–11). The temple prostitutes ("slave girls") mourned the fate of their goddess.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:8 pool. Though Nineveh was like an oasis in the desert that attracted many people, they fled from the devastation.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:9 Plunder. Spoils abounded in Nineveh, but it was her turn
to be plundered.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:10 Hearts melt. The great city of Nineveh, lying in ruin, evoked fear and terror in those who observed it (cf. Dan. 5:6).
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:11–13 Where is . . . ? Archeologists have found a carving from a palace showing an Assyrian king on a lion hunt. Nahum rhetorically asks where Nineveh has gone. No longer describing Nineveh's fall, the prophet taunted her, ridiculing her fall from power and glory. Like a pride of lions, with plenty to eat and in fear of no enemy, Nineveh ruthlessly "tore" her prey. She herself will become prey for another nation, under the sovereign direction of God. "I am against you" should be the most feared words a nation could receive from God.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 2:13 burn your chariots. Nineveh, known for burning the captured cities, would receive the same fate. your messengers. The voice of the messengers who carried the edicts of the mighty king of Assyria to the captured nations would become mute.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:1–19 The prophet Nahum, asserting that the destruction of Nineveh was justly deserved, makes three charges against her (vv. 1, 4, 8–10), followed by the consequences (vv. 2–3, 5–7, 11–19).
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:1 bloody city. The first accusation was a charge well documented in history. Assyria proved to be an unusually cruel, bloodthirsty nation. lies. Assyria employed falsehood and treachery to subdue her enemies (cf. 2 Kings 18:28–32). plunder. See 2:11–12. Preying upon her victims, she filled her cities with the goods of other nations.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:2–3 These verses reach back to the scene portrayed in 2:3–5. Assyria was so overrun that she is filled with corpses, causing the defenders to stumble over them.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:4 The second charge against Nineveh was spiritual and moral harlotry. The nation was likened to a beautiful prostitute who seduced the nations with her illicit enticements.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:5–6 Nineveh would be publicly exposed, resulting in shame and humiliation.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:7 Wasted is Nineveh. Instead of mourning, there would be rejoicing at her fall. None would be found to comfort her; she would bear her misery alone.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:8–10 Nahum sets forth the third and final charge against Nineveh: they hadn't learned from Thebes. Also known as No-amon, Thebes was the great capital of southern Egypt, 400 miles south of Cairo. One of the most magnificent ancient civilizations of the world, it was renowned for its 100 gates, a temple measuring 330 feet long and 170 feet wide, and its network of canals. It fell to Ashurbanipal of Assyria in 663 B.C. Like Thebes by the Nile, Nineveh was situated by the Tigris River, enjoying the security of conquered nations around her. However, her end would be like that of Thebes.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:9 Cush . . . Egypt . . . Put . . . Libyans. Thebes was well protected on all sides, nestled between lower Egypt on the north and Cush on the south. The location of Put is best identified in the general vicinity of North Africa. Josephus says that Put, the third son of Ham (Gen. 10:6), was the founder of Libya.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:11 drunken. As predicted (cf. 1:10), Nineveh would be made to drink of God's wrath, making her drunk and defenseless to his judgment.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:12–13 Nahum employed a series of metaphors to emphasize that Nineveh's strong defenses would be easily overrun. Their walls would be like ripe fruit that falls at the slightest shaking and their battle forces like weak women.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:14–15 The prophet taunted the people with sarcasm, urging them to prepare for battle, to fortify the city's defenses, only to be destroyed. As the locust leaves nothing, stripping all the foliage, so there would be nothing left of Nineveh (cf. Amos 7:1).
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:16 increased your merchants. Nineveh had increased her traders, or merchants, bringing immense wealth, which is just more to destroy.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:17 locusts. Not only was Nineveh's commercial strength gone (v. 16), but her governing resources disappeared as well. After camping for the night within the massive walls of this great citadel, the locusts, depicting Assyria's leadership, flew away with the first rays of warm sunshine in search of
food.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:18–19 The destiny of Nineveh was certain. She had received the death blow; she would not recover. And all who hear of it would rejoice. Assyria had devastated the nations with her atrocities and cruelties; the news of her downfall brought happiness and mirth among the nations.
NAHUM—NOTE ON 3:18 asleep . . . slumber. The Assyrian leaders and army, described in terms of exhaustion and sleep, were dead; the people were scattered. There were none left to help against the invasion of the Babylonians, to whom they fell in 612 B.C.
Habakkuk
Habakkuk 1 • Habakkuk 2 • Habakkuk 3 Introduction to Habakkuk
Title Author and Date Background and Setting Historical and Theological Themes Interpretive Challenges Outline Footnotes Study Notes
Introduction to Habakkuk
Title
This prophetic book takes its name from its author and possibly means "one who embraces" (1:1; 3:1). By the end of the prophecy, this name becomes appropriate as the prophet clings to God regardless of his confusion about God's plans for his people.
Author and Date
As with many of the Minor Prophets, nothing is known about the prophet except what can be inferred from the book. In the case of Habakkuk, internal information is virtually nonexistent, making conclusions about his identity and life conjectural. His simple introduction as "Habakkuk the prophet" may imply that he needed no introduction since he was a well-known prophet of his day. It is certain that he was a contemporary of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zephaniah.
The mention of the Chaldeans (1:6) suggests a late seventh-century-B.C. date, shortly before Nebuchadnezzar commenced his military march through Nineveh (612 B.C.), Haran (609 B.C.), and Carchemish (605 B.C.), on his way to Jerusalem (605 B.C.). Habakkuk's bitter lament (1:2–4) may reflect a time period shortly after the death of Josiah (609 B.C.), days in which the godly king's reforms (cf. 2 Kings 23) were quickly overturned by his successor, Jehoiakim (Jer. 22:13–19).
Background and Setting
Habakkuk prophesied during the final days of the Assyrian Empire and the beginning of Babylon world rulership under Nabopolassar and his son Nebuchadnezzar. When Nabopolassar ascended to power in 626 B.C., he immediately began to expand his influence to the north and west. Under the leadership of his son, the Babylonian army overthrew Nineveh in 612 B.C., forcing the Assyrian nobility to take refuge first in Haran and then Carchemish. Nebuchadnezzar pursued them, overrunning Haran in 609 B.C. and Carchemish in 605 B.C.
The Egyptian king Neco, traveling through Judah in 609 B.C. to assist the fleeing Assyrian king, was opposed by King Josiah at Megiddo (2 Chron. 35:20–24). Josiah was killed in the ensuing battle, leaving his throne to a succession of three sons and a grandson. Earlier, as a result of discovering the Book of the Law in the temple (622 B.C.), Josiah had instituted significant spiritual reforms in Judah (2 Kings 22–23), abolishing many of the idolatrous practices of his father Amon (2 Kings 21:20–22) and grandfather Manasseh (2 Kings 21:11–13). Upon his death, however, the nation quickly reverted to her evil ways (cf. Jer. 22:13–19), causing Habakkuk to question God's silence and apparent lack of punitive action (Hab. 1:2–4) to purge his covenant people.
Historical and Theological Themes
The opening verses reveal a historical situation similar to the days of Amos and Micah. Justice had essentially disappeared from the land; violence and wickedness were pervasive, existing unchecked. In the midst of these dark days, the prophet cried out for divine intervention (1:2–4). God's response, that he was sending the Chaldeans to judge Judah (1:5–11), creates an even greater theological dilemma for Habakkuk: Why didn't God purge his people and restore their righteousness? How could God use the Chaldeans to judge a people more righteous than they (1:12–2:1)? God's answer that he would judge the Chaldeans also (2:2–20), did not fully satisfy the prophet's theological quandary; in fact, it only intensified it. In Habakkuk's mind, the issue crying for resolution is no longer God's righteous response toward evil (or lack thereof), but the vindication of God's character and covenant with his people (1:13). As did Job, the prophet argued with God, and through that experience he achieved a deeper understanding of God's sovereign character and a firmer faith in him (cf. Job 42:5–6; Isa. 55:8–9). Ultimately, Habakkuk realized that God was not to be worshiped merely because of the temporal blessings he bestowed, but for his own sake (Hab. 3:17–19).
Interpretive Challenges
The queries of the prophet represent some of the most fundamental questions in all of life, with the answers providing crucial foundation stones on which to build a proper understanding of God's character and his sovereign ways in history. The core of his message lies in the call to trust God (2:4), "the righteous shall live by his faith." The NT references ascribe unusual importance
theologically to Habakkuk. The writer of Hebrews quotes Hab. 2:4 to amplify the believer's need to remain strong and faithful in the midst of affliction and trials (Heb. 10:38). The apostle Paul, on the other hand, employs the verse twice (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11) to accentuate the doctrine of justification by faith. There need not be any interpretive conflict, however, for the emphasis in both Habakkuk and the NT references goes beyond the act of faith to include the continuity of faith. Faith is not a one-time act, but a way of life. The true believer, declared righteous by God, will habitually persevere in faith throughout all his life (cf. Col. 1:22–23; Heb. 3:12–14). He will trust the sovereign God, who only does what is right.
Outline
I. Superscription (1:1) II. The Prophet's Perplexities (1:2–2:20)
A. His First Complaint (1:2–4)
B. God's First Response (1:5–11) C. His Second Complaint (1:12–2:1) D. God's Second Response (2:2–20) III. The Prophet's Prayer (3:1–19)
A. Petition for God's Mercy (3:1–2)
B. Praise of God's Power (3:3–15) C. Promise of God's Sufficiency (3:16–19)
Habakkuk
HABAKKUK 1 †The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.
Habakkuk's Complaint
2‡‡†O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!"
and you will not save? 3Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4†So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
The LORD's Answer
5‡†"Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6‡For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their
own. 7They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 8†Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar;
they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 9They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. 10†At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress,
for they pile up earth and take it. 11†Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!"
Habakkuk's Second Complaint
12‡†Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have
established them for reproof. 13†You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors
and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more
righteous than he? 14‡You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler. 15He brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet;
so he rejoices and is glad. 16†Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, [1] and his food is rich. 17†Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?
HABAKKUK 2 †I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on
the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer
concerning my complaint.
The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith
2‡‡†And the LORD answered me: "Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay. 4†"Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. [1] 5†"Moreover, wine [2] is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest. [3] His greed is as wide as Sheol;
like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations
and collects as his own all peoples."
Woe to the Chaldeans
6‡‡†Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, "Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?—
and loads himself with pledges!" 7†Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them. 8Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. 9‡†"Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! 10†You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life.
11For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond. 12‡"Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! 13Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing? 14†For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 15‡"Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! 16†You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you,
and utter shame will come upon your glory! 17†The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. 18‡"What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! 19†Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. 20†But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him."
Habakkuk's Prayer
HABAKKUK 3 ‡†A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
2†O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it;
in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. 3‡‡†God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His splendor covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise. Selah 4His brightness was like the
light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. 5†Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. [1] 6‡He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low.
His were the everlasting ways. 7†I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8‡†Was your wrath against the rivers, O LORD? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses,
on your chariot of salvation? 9†You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. [2] Selah You split the earth with rivers. 10The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice;
it lifted its hands on high. 11†The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. 12†You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. 13†You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from
thigh to neck. [3] Selah 14†You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.
15†You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters. 16‡†I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones;
my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who
invade us.
Habakkuk Rejoices in the LORD
17‡Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls, 18yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19†GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed [4] instruments.
Footnotes
Footnotes for Habakkuk, Chapter 1
[1] 1:16 Hebrew his portion is fat
Footnotes for Habakkuk, Chapter 2
[1] 2:4 Or faithfulness
[2] 2:5 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll wealth
[3] 2:5 The meaning of the Hebrew of these two lines is uncertain
Footnotes for Habakkuk, Chapter 3
[1] 3:5 Hebrew feet
[2] 3:9 The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain [3] 3:13 The meaning of the
Hebrew line is uncertain [4] 3:19 Hebrew my stringed
Study Notes
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:1 oracle. A weighty oracle of judgment (cf. 1:5–11; 2:2– 20) is often depicted by this term when employed by the prophets to announce God's wrath against sin (e.g., Isa. 13:1; 15:1; 17:1; 19:1; Nah. 1:1; Zech. 9:1; 12:1; Mal. 1:1). saw. God's message to Habakkuk took the form of a vision.
Other Psalms
Other Psalms 1. "The Song of Deliverance" Exodus 15:1–18 2. "The Song of Moses" Deuteronomy 32:1–43 3. "The Song of Deborah" Judges 5:1–31 4. "The Song of Hannah" 1 Samuel 2:1–10 5. "The Song of the Women" 1 Samuel 18:6–7 6. "The Song of David" 2 Samuel 22:1–51 7. "The Song of Hezekiah" Isaiah 38:9–20 8. "The Song of Jonah" Jonah 2:1–9 9. "The Song of Habakkuk" Habakkuk 3:1–19 10. "The Song of Mary" Luke 1:46–55 ©1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:2–4 In Habakkuk's first complaint, he perceived that God appeared indifferent to Judah's sin. Jealous for his righteousness and knowing that a breach of the covenant required judgment (cf. Deut. 28), Habakkuk questioned God's wisdom, expressing bewilderment at his seeming inactivity in the face of blatant violation of his law. The Jews had sinned by violence and injustice and should have been punished by the same.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:2 how long shall I cry. The phrase, reflecting the prophet's impatience, is frequently used by the psalmist to express similar thoughts of perplexity (cf. Ps. 13:1–2; 62:3; Jer. 14:9; Matt. 27:46).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:2–3 Violence . . . iniquity . . . wrong . . . Destruction. Judah's society is defined with four terms denoting malicious wickedness by which one morally and ethically oppresses his neighbor, resulting in contention
and strife.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:2 you will not save. The prophet wanted a cleansing, purging, chastening, and revival among the people that would return them to righteousness.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:4 law is paralyzed. Lit., the "law is chilled, numbed" (cf. Gen. 45:26; Ps. 77:2). It had no respect, was given no authority. As hands rendered useless by cold, the impact and effectiveness of the law was paralyzed by the corruption of Judah's leaders (cf. Eccles. 8:11).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:5–11 In response to Habakkuk's perplexity and pleading, God broke his silence, informing him that he was not indifferent to Judah's sin; but rather than revival, he was sending the "dreaded and fearsome" judgment (v. 7).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:5 Look . . . see . . . be astounded. The series of commands is plural, indicating that the wider community of Judah and Jerusalem was to take note of this imminent invasion. Paul quotes this text in Acts 13:41.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:6–8 The Chaldeans (Babylonians) would come at the behest of the divine Commander. He is the Sovereign who brings this people of ruthless character and conduct to invade Judah. The Chaldeans are described as self-assured, self-sufficient, self-deified, and deadly (cf. Jer. 51:20).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:8 evening wolves. These were wolves who had suffered hunger all day long and were forced to prowl into the night for food. Like wolves, Babylon's army displayed extraordinary stamina and an undaunted eagerness to attack for the purpose of devouring the spoils of victory.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:10 Whether it be royal authority or physical obstacles, the Babylonian army marched forward with nothing but scorn for those in their path. pile up earth. Rubble and dirt piled up against the fortress or city wall as a ramp to gain entry.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:11 might is their god! Though the Chaldeans were God's instruments of judgment, their self-sufficiency and self-adulation planted the seeds for their own destruction (described in 2:2–20), as they stood guilty of idolatry and blasphemy before the sovereign Lord.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:12–2:1 Habakkuk, in his reaction to the perplexing revelation (1:5–11), declared his confidence in the Lord (v. 12), then unveiled his second complaint, namely, how could the Lord use a wicked nation (the Chaldeans) to judge a nation (Judah) more righteous than they (vv. 13–17)? The prophet ended by expressing his determination to wait for an answer (2:1).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:12 O Lord my God, my Holy One? Although the prophet could not fully comprehend the sovereign workings of his righteous God, he expressed his complete faith and trust. As he rehearsed the unchangeable character of God as eternal, sovereign, and holy, he became assured that Judah would not be completely destroyed (cf. Jer. 31:35–40; 33:23– 26). Under the faithful hand of God, he realized that the Chaldeans were coming to correct, not annihilate. O Rock. A title for God that expresses his immovable and unshakeable character (cf. Ps. 18:2, 31, 46; 31:2–3; 62:2, 6–7; 78:16, 20, 35).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:13 purer eyes. In spite of the prophet's expressions of faith and trust, he found himself in even further perplexity. The essence of Habakkuk's next quandary is expressed in this verse: If God is too pure to behold evil, then how can he use the wicked to devour a person more righteous than they? Would not God's use of the Chaldeans result in even greater damage to his righteous character?
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:14–17 Lest God had forgotten just how wicked the Chaldeans were, Habakkuk drew attention to their evil character and behavior. Life was cheap to the Chaldeans. In the face of their ruthless tactics of war, other societies were "like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler." In light of their reputation (vv. 6–10), how could God have unleashed this ruthless force upon another helpless people?
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:16 sacrifices . . . makes offerings to his dragnet. If that is not enough, the prophet added that they attributed their gain to their own military might rather than to the true God.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 1:17 emptying his net. How long will the aggressor (the Chaldeans) be permitted to pursue injustice and engage in such wickedness? Can God tolerate it indefinitely?
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:1 stand at my watchpost. Comparing himself to a
watchman (cf. Ezek. 3; 33), standing as a sentinel upon the city walls, Habakkuk prepared to wait for God's answer and to ponder his reply.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:2–20 In response to Habakkuk's second complaint (1:12–2:1), the Lord announced that he would judge the Chaldeans as well for their wickedness. His reply included: 1) the instructions to write it down, as a reminder that it would surely occur (2:2–3); 2) a description of the character of the wicked in comparison to the righteous (vv. 4–5); and 3) the pronouncement of five woes describing the Chaldeans' demise (vv. 6–20).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:2–3 Write the vision. Habakkuk was to record the vision to preserve it for posterity, so that all who read it would know of the certainty of its fulfillment (cf. similar language in Dan. 12:4, 9). The prophecy had lasting relevance and thus had to be preserved. Although a period of time would occur before its fulfillment, all were to know that it would occur at God's "appointed time" (cf. Isa. 13; Jer. 50; 51). Babylon would fall to the MedoPersian kingdom of Cyrus c. 539 B.C. (cf. Dan. 5).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:2 so he may run who reads it. Perhaps referring 1) to clarity of form, so even the one who runs by it may easily absorb its meaning, or 2) to clarity of content, so that the courier could easily transmit the message to others.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:4 his soul is puffed up. While the context makes this an obvious reference to the Chaldeans, the passage introduces the marks that distinguish all wicked from all righteous, regardless of ethnic origin. Two opposing characteristics are here contrasted. The proud trusts in himself; the just lives by his faith. the righteous shall live by his faith. In contrast to the proud, the righteous will be truly preserved through his faithfulness to God. This is the core of God's message to/through Habakkuk. Both the aspect of justification by faith, as noted by Paul's usage in Rom. 1:17 and Gal. 3:11, as well as the aspect of sanctification by faith, as employed by the writer of Hebrews (Heb. 10:38), reflect the essence of Habakkuk; no conflict exists. The emphasis in both Habakkuk and the NT references goes beyond the act of faith to include the continuity of faith. Faith is not a one-time act, but a way of life. The true believer, declared righteous by God, will persevere in faith as the pattern of his life (cf. Col. 1:22–23; Heb. 3:12–14).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:5 The diatribe against the Chaldeans served as the basis
for the denunciations described in vv. 6–20. They were proud and greedy. Like Sheol and death (cf. Prov. 1:12; 27:20; 30:15–16), they were never satisfied but always wanted more.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:6–20 Five woes, in the form of a taunt song, were pronounced upon the Chaldeans in anticipation of their eventual judgment. Presented in five stanzas of three verses each, the five woes were directed at five different classes of evildoers.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:6–8 The first woe charged extortion, i.e., plundering nations under threat of great bodily harm for the purpose of making themselves rich. As a result, they were to become plunder for those nations who remained.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:6 all these. A reference to all the nations who suffered at the hands of the Babylonians. Woe. An interjection often used in prophetic literature to introduce a judicial indictment or a sentence of judgment (Isa. 5:8, 11, 18, 20–22; Jer. 22:13; 23:1; Amos 5:18; 6:1). pledges! The Babylonians exacted heavy taxation of conquered nations. Such action often accompanied loans with excessive interest made to the poor (cf. Deut. 24:10–13; 2 Kings 4:1– 7; Neh. 5:1–13).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:7 your debtors. The survivor nations, from whom taxation was extorted (cf. v. 8).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:9–11 The second charge, of premeditated exploitation borne out of covetousness, was a continuation of vv. 6–8. The walls of their houses, built with stones and timbers taken from others, testified against them (v. 11).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:9 set his nest on high. Wanting to protect themselves from any recriminations their enemies might seek to shower upon them, the Chaldeans had sought to make their cities impregnable and inaccessible to the enemy (cf. Isa. 14:13–14).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:10 You have devised shame. The Chaldean leaders, by counseling to kill, shamed themselves and harmed their souls.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:12–14 The third woe accuses them of being ruthless despots, building luxurious palaces by means of bloodshed and forced labor. Like a fire that burns everything given to it, their labors would all be futile,
having no lasting value (v. 13; cf. Mic. 3:10).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:14 filled. In contrast to the self-exaltation of the Chaldeans, whose efforts come to naught, God promised that the whole earth would recognize his glory at the establishment of his millennial kingdom (cf. Num. 14:21; Ps. 72:19; Isa. 6:3; 11:9).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:15–17 The fourth charge is debauchery, wherein Babylon forced others to become intoxicated and poisoned, making them behave shamefully and become easy prey. As a result, they too would be forced to drink the cup of God's wrath and exposed to public shame (cf. Jer. 49:12).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:16 uncircumcision. This word refers to "foreskin," expressing in Hebrew thought the greatest contempt, the sign of being an alien from God. See note on Jer. 4:4. cup in the Lord's right hand. A metaphor referring to divine retribution, served up by his powerful right hand (cf. Ps. 21:8). What the Chaldeans did to others would also be done to them (Hab. 2:7– 8). utter shame will come upon your glory. Carrying out the metaphor of drunkenness, here is a reference to the humiliation of "shameful spewing." The very thing in which they gloried would become the object of their shame. While the Lord's glory would be "as the waters cover the sea" (v. 14), Babylon's glory would be covered with shame.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:17 violence. The reference may be to the ruthless exploitation of trees and animals, providing building materials, firewood, and food, which often accompanied military campaigns. Lebanon's beautiful cedars were plundered for selfish purposes (cf. Isa. 14:7–8; 37:24). It also includes the slaughter of men. Habakkuk 2:17b suggests that it may symbolize Israel and her inhabitants, whom Nebuchadnezzar conquered (cf. 2 Kings 14:9; Jer. 22:6, 23; Ezek. 17:3).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:18–20 The fifth accusation is idolatry, exposing the folly of following other gods (cf. Isa. 41:24; 44:9). The destruction of the Chaldeans would demonstrate the superiority of the Lord over all gods.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:19 Awake . . . Arise! Compare the sarcasm with that of Elijah's words to the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:27; cf. Jer. 2:27).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 2:20 holy temple. A reference to heaven, from where the
Lord rules (Ps. 11:4) and answers the prayers of those who seek him (1 Kings 8:28–30; Ps. 73:17). keep silence. In contrast to the silence of the idols (Hab. 2:19), the living, Sovereign Ruler of the universe calls all the earth to be silent before him. None can assert his independence from him; all the earth must worship in humble submission (cf. Ps. 46:10; Isa. 52:15).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:1–19 The reference to "Habakkuk the prophet" (cf. 1:1) marks a transition. The argumentative tone of the previous chapters, in which he cried for divine interference, is transformed into a plea for God's mercy (3:2), a review of God's power (vv. 3–15), and a chorus of praise for God's sustaining grace and sufficiency (vv. 16–19). But while the tone changes, a strong, thematic connection remains. Having been informed of God's plan of judgment, Habakkuk returns to the matter of Judah's judgment, pleading for mercy.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:1 Shigionoth. The precise meaning is unknown (its singular form occurs in the heading to Ps. 7). In light of the musical notation at the end of Hab. 3, it is thought that it has a musical-liturgical significance, and that this chapter was sung.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:2 the report of you. A reference back to 1:5–11 and 2:2–20, where the Lord informed Habakkuk of his plans for judging Judah and the Chaldeans. revive it. Knowledge of the severity of God's judgment struck Hab. with fear. As though God's power had not been used in a long time, the prophet asked the Lord to "revive" (lit., "to quicken"), to repeat his mighty saving works on behalf of his people, Israel. in the midst of the years. In the midst of his punishment of Judah at the hand of the Chaldeans, the prophet begged that God would remember mercy.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:3–15 Employing figures from God's past intervention on Israel's behalf, taken from the deliverance of his people from Egypt and the conquest of Canaan, Habakkuk painted a picture of their future redemption. The exodus from Egypt is often used as an analogy of the future redemption of Israel at the beginning of the millennium (cf. Isa. 11:16).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:3 Teman . . . Mount Paran. Teman, named after a grandson of Esau, was an Edomite city (Amos 1:12; Obad. 9). Mount Paran was located in the Sinai peninsula. Both allude to the theater in which God displayed great power when he brought Israel into the land of Canaan (cf. Deut. 33:2; Judg. 5:4).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:3–4 The Shekinah glory, which protected and led Israel from Egypt through the wilderness (cf. Ex. 40:34–38), was the physical manifestation of his presence. Like the sun, he spread his radiance throughout the heavens and the earth.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:5 pestilence . . . plague. Recalling the judgment attending Israel's disobedience to the covenant given at Sinai (Ex. 5:3; Num. 14:12; Deut. 28:21–22; 32:24), Habakkuk accentuated the sovereign agency of God's judgments. Both were a part of the divine entourage.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:6–7 The entire universe responds in fear at the approach of Almighty God (cf. Ex. 15:14). As at the creation (Isa. 40:12), the earth and its inhabitants are at his disposal.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:7 Cushan . . . Midian. Probably referring to one people living in the Sinai peninsula region (cf. Ex. 2:16–22; 18:1–5; Num. 12:1, where Moses' wife was identified as being both Midianite and Cushite).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:8–15 With rhetorical vividness, Habakkuk addressed the Lord directly, rehearsing his judicial actions against anything that opposes his will.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:8 your horses . . . your chariot. Symbolic descriptions of God defeating the enemy (cf. 3:11, 15).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:9 calling for many arrows. The Lord's arrows were commissioned under divine oaths (cf. Jer. 47:6–7).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:11 sun and moon stood still in their place. As prominent symbols of God's created order, the sun and moon are subservient to his beckoning. The imagery is reminiscent of Israel's victory over the Amorites at Gibeon (Josh. 10:12–14).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:12 threshed. The term is often used to depict military invasions and the execution of judgment (cf. Judg. 8:7; 2 Kings 13:7; Isa. 21:10; 25:10; Dan. 7:23; Amos 1:3).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:13 salvation of your anointed. Both the parallelism with v. 13a ("your people") and the numerous contextual allusions to the exodus make this a likely reference to Moses and the chosen people of Israel, who, as
God's anointed, achieved victory over Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt (cf. Ps. 105:15). Ultimately, it foreshadows a subsequent, future deliverance in anticipation of the Messiah (cf. Ps. 132:10–12) promised in the Davidic Covenant (cf. 2 Sam. 7:11–16). crushed the head of the house of the wicked. Possible reference to either the pharaoh of the exodus, whose firstborn was slain, or to the king of the Chaldeans, whose house was built by unjust gain (Hab. 2:9– 11).
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:14 came like a whirlwind to scatter. A possible reference to the pursuit of fleeing Israel at the Red Sea by Pharaoh's army (Ex. 14:5–9). Like the poor, Israel appeared to be easy prey for the pursuing Egyptians.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:15 You trampled the sea. Another reference to God's miraculous, protective intervention on behalf of Israel at the Red Sea. The historical event demonstrates his sovereign rulership of the universe and provides assurance to the troubled prophet that the Lord could be counted on to save his people once more.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:16–19 Habakkuk ended the prophecy with renewed commitment and affirmation of faith, expressing unwavering confidence in God.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:16 quietly wait. The Lord had answered his prayer (v. 1); the Lord would vindicate his righteousness and ultimately restore a truly repentant people (cf. 2:4). While the answer satisfied Habakkuk, the thought of a Chaldean invasion of his people has also left him physically exhausted and overwhelmed (cf. Jer. 4:19). Nevertheless, the prophet could "quietly wait for the day of trouble" because he knew the Lord would judge righteously.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:17–18 I will rejoice in the Lord. If everything that was normal and predictable collapsed, the prophet would still rejoice. Obedience to the covenant was a requisite element to the enjoyment of agricultural and pastoral prosperity (Deut. 28:1–14). Though disobedience would initiate the covenant curses (Deut. 28:31–34, 49–51), the prophet affirmed his commitment to the Lord; his longing and joyful desire was for God himself.
HABAKKUK—NOTE ON 3:19 God, the Lord, is my strength. God's response to Habakkuk's perplexities not only promised divine wrath but also provided assurance of divine favor and hope. Security and hope were not based on
temporal blessings but on the Lord Himself. This is the essence of 2:4: "the righteous shall live by his faith." feet like the deer's. As the sure-footed hind, or deer, scaled the precipitous mountain heights without slipping, so Habakkuk's faith in the Lord enabled him to endure the hardships of the imminent invasion, and all of his perplexing questions. To the choirmaster. Habakkuk 3 possibly served as a psalm for temple worship (cf. 3:1).
Zephaniah
Zephaniah 1 • Zephaniah 2 • Zephaniah 3 Introduction to Zephaniah
Title Author and Date Background and Setting Historical and Theological Themes Interpretive Challenges Outline Footnotes Study Notes
Introduction to Zephaniah
Title
As with each of the 12 Minor Prophets, the prophecy bears the name of its author, which is generally thought to mean "the Lord hides" (cf. 2:3).
Author and Date
Little is known about the author, Zephaniah. Three other OT individuals share his name. He traces his genealogy back four generations to King Hezekiah (c. 715–686 B.C.), standing alone among the prophets in being descended from royal blood (1:1). Royal genealogy would have given him the ear of Judah's king, Josiah, during whose reign he preached.
The prophet himself dates his message during the reign of Josiah (640–609 B.C.). The moral and spiritual conditions detailed in the book (cf. 1:4–6; 3:1–7) seem to place the prophecy prior to Josiah's reforms, when Judah was still languishing in idolatry and wickedness. It was in 628 B.C. that Josiah tore down all the altars to Baal, burned the bones of false prophets, and broke the carved idols (2 Chron. 34:3–7); and in 622 B.C. the Book of the Law was found (2 Chron. 34:8–35:19). Consequently, Zephaniah most likely prophesied from 635–625 B.C., and was a contemporary of Jeremiah.
Background and Setting
Politically, the imminent transfer of Assyrian world power to the Babylonians weakened Nineveh's hold on Judah, bringing an element of independence to Judah for the first time in 50 years. King Josiah's desire to retain this newfound freedom from taxation and subservience undoubtedly led him to interfere later with Egypt's attempt to interdict the fleeing king of Nineveh in 609 B.C. (cf. 2 Chron. 35:20–27). Spiritually, the reigns of Hezekiah's son Manasseh (c. 695– 642 B.C.), extending over four decades, and his grandson Amon (c. 642–640
B.C.), lasting only two years, were marked by wickedness and apostasy (2 Kings 21; 2 Chron. 33). The early years of Josiah's reign were also characterized by the evil from his father (2 Kings 23:4). In 622 B.C., however, while repairing the
house of the Lord, Hilkiah the high priest found the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22:8). Upon reading it, Josiah initiated extensive reforms (2 Kings 23). It was during the early years of Josiah's reign, prior to the great revival, that this eleventh-hour prophet, Zephaniah, prophesied and no doubt had an influence on the sweeping reforms Josiah brought to the nation. But the evil kings before Josiah (55 years) had had such an effect on Judah that it never recovered. Josiah's reforms were too late and didn't outlast his life.
Historical and Theological Themes
Zephaniah's message on the day of the Lord warned Judah that the final days were near, through divine judgment at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, c. 605–586
B.C. (1:4–13). Yet, it also looks beyond to the far fulfillment in the judgments of Daniel's seventieth week (1:18; 3:8). The expression "day of the Lord" is described as a day that is near (1:7), and as a day of wrath, trouble, distress, devastation, desolation, darkness, gloominess, clouds, thick darkness, trumpet, and alarm (1:15–16, 18). Yet even within these oracles of divine wrath, the prophet exhorted the people to seek the Lord, offering a shelter in the midst of judgment (2:3), and proclaiming the promise of eventual salvation for his believing remnant (2:7; 3:9–20).
Interpretive Challenges
The book presents an unambiguous denunciation of sin and warning of imminent judgment on Judah. Some have referred the phrase "I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech" (3:9) to the restoration of a universal language, similar to the days prior to confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1–9). They point out that the same Hebrew word translated "speech" is also used in Gen. 11:7. It is better, however, to understand the passage as pointing to a purification of heart and life. This is confirmed by the context (cf. Zeph. 3:13) and corroborated by the fact that the word "language" is most commonly translated "lip." When combined with "pure," the reference to speech speaks of inward cleansing from sin (Isa. 6:5) manifested in speech (cf. Matt. 12:34), including the removal of the names of false gods from their lips (Hos. 2:17). It does not imply a one-world language.
Outline