John Calvin Commentary Habakkuk 1:17

"Shall he therefore empty his net, and spare not to slay the nations continually?" — Habakkuk 1:17 (ASV)

This is an affirmative question, “Shall they therefore?” which, however, requires a negative answer. Then all interpreters are mistaken, for they think that the Prophet here complains that he immediately extends his net after having made a capture.

But he rather means, “Is he ever to extend his net?”—that is, “How long, O Lord, will you permit the Assyrians to proceed to new plunders, so as to be like the hunter who, after having taken a boar or a stag, is more eager and immediately renews his hunting; or like the fisherman who, having filled his little ship, with more eagerness pursues his occupation?”

“Will you, Lord,” he says, “suffer the Assyrians to become more persistent in their work of destruction?” And he shows how unworthy they were of God’s forbearance, for they slew the nations. “I do not speak here,” he says, “either of fish or of any other animal, nor do I speak of this or that man, but I speak of many nations. As these slaughters are thus carried on through the whole world, how long, Lord, will they be unpunished? For they will never cease.”

We now see the meaning of the Prophet’s complaint, but we shall find in the next lecture how he recovers himself.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as it is inevitable that, due to the weakness of our flesh, we must be shaken and tossed here and there by the many turbulent commotions of this world—O grant, that our faith may be sustained by this support: that you are the governor of the world, and that humankind was not only once created by you, but is also preserved by your hand, and that you are also a just judge, so that we may properly restrain ourselves. And though we must often have to bear many insults, let us still never fail, until our faith becomes victorious over all trials, and until we, having passed through a continued succession of contests, at last reach that celestial rest, which Christ your Son has obtained for us. Amen.