Habakuk 2:1

Biblia Karoli Gaspar

Õrhelyemre állok, és megállok a bástyán, és vigyázok, hogy lássam, mit szól hozzám, és mit feleljek én panaszom dolgában.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

stand: Psalms 73:16, Psalms 73:17, Isaiah 21:8, Isaiah 21:11, Isaiah 21:12

tower: Heb. fenced place, 2 Samuel 18:24, 2 Kings 9:17, 2 Kings 17:9, Isaiah 21:5, Isaiah 62:6

and will: Habakkuk 1:12-17, Psalms 85:8

unto me: or, in me, 2 Corinthians 13:3, Galatians 1:16

when I am reproved: or, when I am argued with, Heb. upon my reproof, or arguing, Job 23:5-7, Job 31:35, Job 31:37, Jeremiah 12:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:27 - to the Joshua 7:8 - what shall Isaiah 21:6 - Go Jeremiah 6:17 - I Jeremiah 25:12 - that I Ezekiel 3:17 - hear Ezekiel 10:1 - I looked John 13:7 - What

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I will stand upon my watch,.... These are the words of the prophet: so the Targum introduces them,

"the prophet said;''

and this he said in character as a watchman, as all the prophets were: as a watchman takes the proper place he watches in and looks out, especially in time of danger and distress, if he can spy anyone bringing tidings, that he may receive it, and notify it to the people that have appointed him a watchman; so the prophet retired from the world, and gave himself up to meditation and prayer, and put himself in a waiting posture; looking up to the Lord, and expecting an answer to his expostulations with him, concerning the success of the enemies of God's people, and the calamities that were like to come upon them, that he might report it to them; see Isaiah 21:8:

and set me upon the tower; a place of eminence, from which he could behold an object at a distance: it signifies a strait place, in which he was as one besieged; and may be an emblem of the straits and difficulties he was in, which he wanted to be extricated out of: the thoughts of his heart troubled him; he had a great many objections that rose up in his mind against the providences that were like to attend his people; he was beset with the temptations of Satan, and surrounded with objectors to what he had delivered, concerning the Chaldeans being raised up by God to the destruction of the Jewish nation; and, amidst these difficulties, he sets himself to reading the word of God, and meditation on it, to pray to God for instruction and information in this matter; as Asaph, in a like case, went into the sanctuary of the Lord, where he got satisfaction, Psalms 73:2 as well as it may be expressive of the confidence he had in God, in his covenant and promises, which were as a fortress and strong tower to him; in short, he kept his place, he was found in the way of his duty, in the performance of his office, and was humbly and patiently waiting on God, to know more of his mind and will, and acquaint the people with it.

And will watch to see what he will say unto me; or "in me" n; that is, what the Lord would say unto him, either outwardly by an audible voice; or inwardly by impressing things upon his mind; or in a vision by the Spirit of prophecy, as Kimchi; so David, "the Spirit of the Lord spoke by me", or "in me", 2 Samuel 23:2 he was determined to wait patiently for an answer, and to continue in the present posture, and constantly attend to every motion and dictate of the Spirit of God, and take particular notice of what should be suggested to him:

and what I shall answer when I am reproved; either by the Lord, for using so much freedom and boldness in expostulations and reasonings with him, who is under no obligation to give an account of his matters unto the children of men; or by others, how he should be able to satisfy his own mind, and remove the scruples, doubts, and objections, that arose there against the providence of God, in prospering the wicked, and afflicting the righteous, and repel the temptation he was under to quarrel with God, and arraign his proceedings; and how he should answer the objections that his people made, both against his prophecies, and the providence of God, for which they reproved him; or, however, he expected they would. The Targum is,

"and what will be returned to my request.''

n בי "in me", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Tarnovius, Van Till, Burkius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I will stand - , i. e. I would stand now, as a servant awaiting his master,

Upon my watch - or, keep (Isaiah 21:8. משׁמר in the same sense Jeremiah 51:12), and “set me (plant myself firmly) upon the tower” (literally, fenced place, but also one straitened and narrowly hemmed in), “and will watch” (it is a title of the prophets , as spying by God’s enabling, things beyond human ken); I will spy out, to see a long way off, to see with the inward eye, what He will say unto me (literally, Jerome: in me); first revealing Himself in the prophets “within to the inner man;” then, through them. And what I shall answer when I am reproved , or, upon my complaint literally upon my reproof or arguing; which might mean, either that others argued against him, or that he had argued, pleaded in the name of others, and now listened to hear what God would answer in him (See Numbers 12:6, and at Zechariah 1:19), and so he, as taught by God should answer to his own plea. But he had so pleaded with God, repeatedly, why is this? He has given no hint, that any complained of or reproved him.

Theodotion: “By an image from those who, in war and siege, have the ward of the wall distributed to them, he says, I will stand upon my watch.” Cyril: “It was the custom of the saints, when they wished to learn the things of God, and to receive the knowledge of things to come through His voice in their mind and heart, to raise it on high above distractions and anxieties and all worldly care, holding and keeping it unoccupied and peaceful, rising as to an eminence to look around and contemplate what the God of all knowledge should make clear to them. For He hateth the earth-bound and abject mind, and seeks hearts which can soar aloft, raised above earthly things and temporal desires.” The prophet takes his stand, apart from people and the thoughts and cares of this world, on his lonely watch, as Moses on the rock, keeping himself and kept by God, and planted firm, so that nothing should move him, fenced around thought straitened in , as in a besieged camp committed to his ward, looking out from his lofty place what answer God would give as to times long distant, and what answer He should give first to himself, and to those to whom his office lay, God’s people.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER II

The prophet, waiting for a return to his expostulation, is

answered by God that the time for the destruction of the Jewish

polity by the Chaldeans is not only fixed in the Divine

counsel, but is awfully near; and he is therefore commanded to

write down the vision relative to this appalling subject in the

most legible characters, and in the plainest language, that all

who read it with attention (those just persons who exercise an

unwavering faith in the declaration of God respecting the

violent irruption of the merciless Babylonians) may flee from

the impending vengeance, 1-4.

The fall of the Chaldeans, and of their ambitious monarch is

then predicted, 5-10;

and, by a strong and bold personification, the very stone and

wood of those magnificent buildings, which the Babylonish king

had raised by oppression and bloodshed, pronounce his wo, and

in responsive taunts upbraid him, 11, 12.

The prophet then beautifully sets forth the absolute impotence

of every effort, however well conducted, which is not in

concert with the Divine counsel: for though the wicked rage,

and threaten the utter extermination of the people of God; yet

when the SET time to favour Zion is come, the destroyers of

God's heritage shall themselves be destroyed, and "the earth

shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God, as the

waters cover the sea," 13, 14.

See Psalms 102:13-16.

For the cup of idolatry which Babylon has given to many

nations, she will receive of the Lord's hand the cup of fury by

the insurrection of mighty enemies (the Medes and Persians)

rushing like wild beasts to destroy her, 15.

In the midst of this distress the prophet very opportunely asks

in what the Babylonians had profited by their idols, exposes

the absurdity of trusting in them, and calls upon the whole

world to stand in awe of the everlasting Jehovah, 16-19.

NOTES ON CHAP. II

Verse Habakkuk 2:1. I will stand upon my watch — The prophets are always represented as watchmen, watching constantly for the comfort, safety, and welfare of the people; and watching also to receive information from the Lord: for the prophetic influence was not always with them, but was granted only at particular times, according to the will of God. When, in doubtful cases, they wished to know what God was about to do with the country, they retired from society and gave themselves to meditation and prayer, waiting thus upon God to hear what he would say IN them.

What he will say unto me — בי bi, IN me - in my understanding and heart.

And what I shall answer when I am reproved. — What I shall say to God in behalf of the people; and what the Lord shall command me to say to the people. Some translate, "And what he will answer for my conviction." Or, "what shall be answered to my pleading."