Nazarene Commentary 2000©
21st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures©
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21st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures©
[NCMM]
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THE PROPHET HABAKKUK
CHAPTER TWO:
RIGHTEOUS SURVIVE BY FAITH
Habakkuk 2:1-4 – Keep Living by Faith
HA2:1 I will continue to stand on my watchtower,
and will remain stationed upon the fortress. So I will keep watching to see
– what will He say to me, and what will be my reply when I am rebuked.
| 36 | I will continue to stand on my watchtower: Or, BAS: I will take my position and be on watch. Compare Isaiah 8:17 and Micah 7:7. |
| 37 | So I will keep watching to see: Or, BAS: looking out to see what he will say to me; LXX: watch to see what he will say by me. The LXX Greek
is APOSCOPEUSO TOU IDEIN [English = idea]. |
| 38 | What will be my reply when I am rebuked: Or, BAS: what answer
he will give to my protest; JPS: what I shall answer when I am reproved; LXX: what I shall answer when I am reproved. Humility will always cause the disciple to expect God’s rebuke. [Job 23:5] |
HA2:2 Then
YeHoWaH answered me and said: “Write down the vision, yes make it clear on tablets,
that the reader my do so quickly.
| 39 | Write down the vision, yes make it clear on tablets: Or, BAS: Put the vision in writing and make it clear on stones; LXX: Write [GRAPSON]
the vision, and that plainly on a tablet. |
| 40 | The reader my do so quickly: Or, BAS: so that the reader may
go quickly; LXX: that he that reads it may run. God’s servants are readers. [Nehemiah 8:8] |
HA2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time,
and it keeps pressing toward the end.
It will not prove false.
If it seems to delay keep waiting for it.
For he
will surely arrive and not be too late.
[Hebrews 10:37]
| 41 | For the vision is yet for an appointed time: Or, BAS: the vision is still for the fixed time; LXX: the vision is yet for a time
[KAIRON]. The time occurs first in the finale of Jerusalem between 29-73 AD. [Daniel 8:19; 10:14] |
| 42 | Keeps pressing
toward the end: Or, NJB: hastens towards it end; LXX: it shall shoot forth at the end. |
| 43 | It will not prove false:
Or, LXX: not in vain. |
| 44 | If it seems to delay keep waiting for it: Or` NJB: may take some time; LXX: though he should tarry; JPS: it will surely come; BAS: even if it is slow in coming; JPS: though it tarry; LXX: though he should tarry, wait for him. |
| 46 | He will surely arrive: Or, LXX: surely come [ERCHOMENOS]. Paul places this in the context of the Christian promise. [Hebrews 10:37] |
| 47 | He will surely arrive and not be too late: Some would apply the idea to the Return of Christ. |
HA2:4 If a person shrinks back
My soul will not be pleased.
[Hebrews 10:38]
But the law-abiding person
will keep living by faith in Me.
[Romans 1:17]| 48 | Shrinks back: Or, NJB: whose heart is not upright will succumb; JPS: puffed up; LXX: draw back. Paul quotes the verse at
Hebrews 10:38 where he parallels shrinking back with destruction and the faithful with those who will preserve their souls. However, the opposite – a person who shrink backs in doubt and lack of faith will never have God’s favor. |
| 49 | Law-abiding person: Or, righteous one. This is the person who observes and obeys God’s law. |
| 50 | Keep living by faith in Me: The phrase is quoted by Paul at Romans 1:17 where he writes that God’s righteousness is being revealed through faith;
and Galatians 3:11 where he uses the phrase in Habakkuk to establish that justification comes not by the Law of Moses but faith. Galatians 3:12 states that the Law is not based on faith but observance. |
Habakkuk 2:5-8 – Curses on the Greedy
HA2:5 “Also, he becomes arrogant when wine betrays and does not remain standing,
because of making his soul swell
like Hades.
And just like death he is never satisfied. And he continues to gather all the non-Jews
and collecting to himself all the people.
| 51 | He becomes arrogant when wine betrays and does not remain standing: That is, the king of Babylon. Or, BAS: A curse on the cruel and false one; JPS: wine is a treacherous dealer; LXX: the arrogant man and the scorner. [Proverbs 20:1; 21:24] |
| 52 | Soul swell: Or, BAS: makes his desires wide; JPS: enlargeth his desire; LXX: enlarged his desire [PSYCHEN]. The Hebrew uses NEPHESH [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #5315]. |
| 53 | Hades: Or, Sheol; KJV: hell; BAS: underworld; JPS: netherworld; LXX: Hades. |
| 54 | Gather all the non-Jews: Or, BAS: he makes all nations come to him; LXX: gather [EPISYNAGEI] to himself all the nations [ETHNE]. |
HA2:6 Will not all of these opposing him take up a taunt, a mocking poem, suggestive words?
And someone will say: “Woe to the one increasing the possessions of others!
How long will he burden himself with heavy debts?
| 55 | A taunt, a mocking poem, suggestive words: Or, BAS: Will not all these take up a word of shame against him and a bitter saying against
him; JPS: Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting riddle against him; LXX: all these take up a parable [PARABOLEN] against him? and a proverb to tell against him. When world powers fall their former victims create songs or sayings
about their overthrow. [Isaiah 14:4; Micah 2:4] |
| 56 | Woe to the one increasing the possessions of others: Or, BAS:
A curse on him who goes on taking what is not his; JPS: increaseth that which is not his; LXX: Woe to him that multiplies to himself the possessions which are not his. That is, as the Babylonians do. [Proverbs 22:16; James 5:4] |
| 57 | How long will he burden himself with heavy debts: Or, BAS: is weighted down with the property of debtors; JPS: many pledges; LXX: who heavily
loads his yoke. The principles may be applied to any materialist or greedy person. |
HA2:7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly?
Will not those violently shaking you respond suddenly?
Then you will become looted.
| 58 | Will not your creditors rise up suddenly: Or, BAS: Will not your creditors suddenly be moved against you; JPS: Shall they not rise up
suddenly that shall exact interest of thee; LXX: For suddenly there shall arise up those that bite him. |
| 59 | Will not
those violently shaking you respond suddenly: Or, BAS: your troublers get up from their sleep; JPS: awake that shall violently shake thee; LXX: they that plot against thee shall awake. |
| 60 | Then you will become looted: Or, BAS: you will be to them like goods taken in war; JPS: all the remnant of the peoples shall spoil thee. [Isaiah 13:19; 33:1; Jeremiah 27:7] |
HA2:8 Because you looted many non-Jews the people left over will plunder you – because of
spilling the blood of humanity,
[Revelation 18:24] as well as treating violently land, town and inhabitants.| 61 | Spilling the blood of humanity: Or, BAS: men’s blood
and violent acts; JPS: violence done to the land; LXX: the sins of the land and city. [2 Chronicles 36:17; Psalm 137:8] Compare Revelation 6:10. |
Habakkuk 2:9-11 – Woe to the Extortionist
HA2:9 Woe to the person who extorts unlawful gain for his house,
just so he can set his nest on high, thinking to escape calamity.
| 62 | Woe to the person who extorts unlawful gain for his house: Or, BAS: A curse on him who gets evil profits for his family; JPS: Woe to
him that gaineth evil gains for his house, that he may set his nest on high; LXX: Woe to him that covets an evil covetousness to his house; NJB: amasses ill-gotten gains; RHM: an extortion of wrong. See a Biblical example at 1 Kings 21:2. [Jeremiah 22:13] Compare the Nazarene’s words on covetousness at Luke 12:15 and the word “extort[ion]” in the NCMM. The Bible is filled with warnings regarding materialism. |
| 63 | Thinking to escape calamity: Or, NJB: and so evade the reach of misfortune. The wealthy worry most about future security and in the process demonstrate that they have no trust in God. [Matthew 6:33] |
HA2:10 You have conspired bringing shame on your house
– causing many people to be cut off, and so your soul is sinning.
| 64 | You have conspired bringing shame on your house: Or, BAS: You have been a cause of shame to your house; NJB: you have conspired to bring
shame on your house. |
| 65 | Causing many people to be cut off, and so your soul is sinning: Or, BAS: by cutting off
a number of peoples, and sinning against your soul. |
HA2:11 For a stone in your wall will give a strong outcry, and a rafter among the woodwork will give an answer. | 66 | For a stone in your wall will give a strong outcry, and a rafter among the woodwork will give an answer: Or, BAS: For the stone will give a cry out of the wall, and it will be answered by the board out of the woodwork; LXX: the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beetle out of the timber shall speak. [James 5:4] |
Habakkuk 2:12-14 – Woe to Bloodguilty
HA2:12 Woe to the one building a town with blood,
and establishing a city with lawlessness.
| 67 | Woe to the one building a town with blood: Or, BAS: A curse on him who is building a place with blood; LXX: Woe to him that builds a
city with blood. |
| 68 | And establishing a city with lawlessness: Or, BAS: basing a town on evil-doing; LXX: establishes
a city by unrighteousness. [Jeremiah 22:13; Ezekiel 24:9; Nahum 3:1] |
HA2:13 Behold, is it not from YeHoWaH of Hosts – people who toil for fire, and non-Jews weary themselves for nothing.
| 69 | People who toil for fire, and non-Jews weary themselves for nothing: Or, BAS: the peoples are working for the fire and using themselves
up for nothing. [Isaiah 50:11; Jeremiah 51:58] |
HA2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge
of YeHoWaH’s glory as the waters cover the sea.| 70 | The earth will be filled with the knowledge: Come
notes on Isaiah 11:9. |
Habakkuk 2:15-18 – Woe to Those who Make Others Drunk
HA2:15 Woe to the person who makes his neighbor drink,
making him drunk from the cup of your insecurity,
with your purpose of looking on their shameful parts.
| 71 | Woe to the person who makes his neighbor drink: Or, BAS: A curse on him who gives his neighbour the wine of his wrath. The idea of the
whole phrase is to deliberately cause a neighbor to get drunk so as to take advantage of him/her. |
| 72 | Making him drunk
from the cup of your insecurity: Or, RHM: from the goblet of thy fury. |
| 73 | With your purpose of looking on their
shameful parts: Or, BAS: so that you may be a witness of their shame; JPS: look on their nakedness; LXX: that he may look upon their secret parts. Likely what happened to Noah. [Genesis 9:22] |
HA2:16 You
will be glutted with more contempt that glory.
You drink also and expose yourself.
The cup of YeHoWaH’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will replace your glory.
| 74 | You will be glutted with more contempt that glory: Or, BAS: You are full of shame in place of glory; JPS: Thou art filled with shame
instead of glory. That is, because of the hidden deceit to get a neighbor drunk. This would not be stated if such evil was not going on. |
| 75 |
You drink also and expose yourself: Or, BAS: take your part in the drinking, and let your shame be uncovered; KJV: let thy foreskin be uncovered; NJB: show your foreskin. That is, as a non-Jew. |
| 76 | The cup of YeHoWaH’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will replace your glory: Or, BAS: the cup of the Lord’s right hand will come round to you and your glory will be covered with shame; JPS: filthiness shall be upon thy glory; LXX: dishonour has gathered upon thy glory. [Jeremiah 25:28] |
HA2:17 For the violence upon Lebanon’s trees will cover you, and the bloodlust of beasts will cause them horror
– because of shedding human blood, and violence down to the land, town and inhabitants.
| 77 | For the violence upon Lebanon’s trees will cover you, and the bloodlust of beasts will cause them horror: Or, BAS: For the violent
acts against Lebanon will come on you, and the destruction of the cattle will be a cause of fear to you; JPS: and the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; LXX: the ungodliness [ASEBEIA] of Libanus. |
| 78 | Because of shedding human blood, and violence down to the land, town and inhabitants: Or, BAS: because of men’s blood and the violent acts against the land and the town and all who are living in it; LXX: the sins of the land and city, and of all that dwell in it. |
HA2:18 What profit was there in a carved image,
even though an artisan carved it? A molten image and a teacher of falsehood
– even though the artisan trusted in what he fashioned? Though men should make worthless gods!| 79 | What profit was there in a carved image:
That is, how does idolatry benefit one? Or, BAS: What profit is the pictured image to its maker. Compare these words as directed to the king of Assyria. [Isaiah 37:38] |
| 80 | A molten image and a teacher of falsehood: Or, BAS: the false teacher; JPS: teacher of lies. [Jonah 2:8; Zechariah 10:2. Compare notes on Romans 1:21. |
Habakkuk 2:19, 20 – Woe to Idolaters
HA2:19 “Woe to the one
telling the wood, ‘Wake up!’ And to speechless rock, ‘Arouse yourself and teach!’ Though overlaid with gold and silver, there is no breath
within it.
| 81 | Woe to the one: That is, the idol worshipper. |
| 82 | No breath: The Hebrew is from RU’WACH [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #1307] and the LXX Greek is PNEUMA. |
HA2:20 But YeHoWaH
is in His Holy Temple!
Silence in His presence, all the earth!” | 83 | YeHoWaH is in His Holy Temple: Or, sanctuary, divine habitat. TAN: in His Holy Abode. The LXX Greek is NAO HAGIO. For details on the Greek NAO [NAOS] see Revelation 7:15. |
| 84 | Silence in His presence, all the earth: Or, BAS: let all the earth be quiet before him; JPS: let all the earth keep silence before Him; LXX:
let all the earth fear before him [PROSOPOU AUTOU]. |
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Nazarene Commentary 2000©
Mark Heber Miller
©2000 All Rights Reserved
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