Commentary on Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai

1On my watch-tower will I stand, And set myself on a citadel; And I will watch to see what he may say to me, And what I may answer to the reproof given me.

2Then answer me did Jehovah and said, Write the vision, and make it plain on tables, That run may he who reads it;

3For yet the vision shall be for an appointed time, And will speak at the end, and will not deceive: If it tarry, wait for it; (66) for coming it will come, and will not delay.

4Behold the elated! not right is his soul within him; But the just, by his faith, shall he live.” (72)

5Yea, truly! as by wine, transgress does the proud man, And he will not rest; (87) For he enlarges as the grave his soul, And is like to death, and is not satisfied; Yea, he collects to himself all nations, And heaps together for himself all the people.

6Shall not all these take up against him a parable, And against him an enigmatical taunt, and say,—“Ho! he multiplies what is not his own! how long! And he accumulates on himself thick clay!

7Shall they not suddenly rise up who shall bite thee, And awake, who shall torment thee? And shalt not thou become tramplings to them?

8As thou has spoiled many nations, Spoil thee shall all the remnant of the people, On account of men’s blood, and of violence To the land, to the city and to all its inhabitants.

9Ho! he covets an evil covetousness to his house, In order to set on high his nest, That he may keep himself from the hand of evil!

10Thou hast provided shame for thine own house, By cutting off many nations, And thou hast sinned against thine own soul.”

11For the stone from the wall shall cry, ¹⁵⁴ And the wood from the chamber shall answer it,—

12“Ho! he builds a town by blood, And sets up a city by iniquity!”

13Behold, shall nothing be from Jehovah of hosts? Hence labour shall the people in the fire, And weary themselves in vain;

14For filled shall be earth with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, As the waters cover the sea.

15Woe to him who gives his friend drink!—Uniting thy heat, thou makes them also to drink, That thou mayest look on their nakedness. (112)

16Thou art filled with shame for the sake of glory; Drink thou also, and be thou uncovered: Poured forth to thee shall be the cup of Jehovah’s right hand, And shameful spewing shall be on thy glory:

17For overwhelm thee shall the violence done to Lebanon, And the spoiling of beasts, which terrified them; On account of men’s blood, and of violence To the land, to the city, and to all its inhabitants.

18What avails the graven image? For graven it hath its framer, Even the molten image and the teacher of falsehood; For trust does the framer in his own work, when he makes dumb idols. (122)

19Woe to him who saith to wood, “Awake;” And “Arise,” to a dumb stone;—it will teach: Behold, it is covered with gold and silver; And there is no spirit in the midst of it. (124) But Jehovah is in his holy Temple: Silent at his presence let the whole earth be.