John Calvin Commentary Habakkuk 2:6

"Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with pledges!" — Habakkuk 2:6 (ASV)

Finally, the Prophet denounces punishment on the Babylonian king and the Chaldeans, for the Lord would make them a laughingstock for all. Some think that a punishment is also expressed in the preceding verse, such as awaits violent robbers who devour the whole world. But I, on the contrary, think that the Prophet spoke previously of proud cruelty, and simply showed what a destructive evil it is, being an insatiable cupidity.

And now, as I have stated, he comes to its punishment. He says first that all the people who had been collected, as it were, into a heap, would take up a parable or a taunt to scoff at the king of Babylon. Therefore, when the Chaldeans would possess the empire of almost the whole world and subject all their neighboring nations to their power, all these would finally take up parables and taunts against them. And what would be said everywhere would be this: Woe to him who increases and enriches himself by things not his own! How long? That is, is this to be perpetual? All then who thus increase themselves heap on themselves thick clay, by which they will finally be overthrown.

With regard to the words, משל, meshil, is a short saying or a pithy sentence, worthy to be remembered, as we have noticed elsewhere. Some translate it as “parable.” As for the word מליצה, melitse, it probably signifies a scoff or a taunt by which anyone is reproved, for it comes from לוף, luts, which means to laugh at or deride someone.

It is indeed true that the Hebrews call a rhetorician or an interpreter מליף, melits; and hence some translate מליצה, melitse, as “interpretation.” But this is not suitable to this passage, for the Prophet speaks here of taunts that would be cast against the king of Babylon. For as he had, as with an open mouth, swallowed up all, so also all would eagerly prick him with their goads and disdainfully deride him.

The word he adds afterwards, חידות, chidut, is to be read, I have no doubt, in the genitive case. I therefore do not approve of adding a copulative, as many do, and reading thus: “a taunt and an enigma.” This word comes from the verb חוד, chud, which means to speak enigmatically; hence חידות, chidut, are enigmas, metaphors, or obscure sentences.

We know that when we wish to touch someone to the quick, there is more sharpness when we use an obscure word that contains a metaphor, ambiguity, or something of this kind. It is not, therefore, without reason that the Prophet calls taunts enigmas (חידות, chidut)—that is, obscure words, which bite or prick people sharply, as it were, with goads. Hence, in all scoffs, figurative language ought to be used. Unless the expression is ambiguous or alliterative, or, in short, contains such metaphors as it is not necessary to list here, there would be no beauty or aptness in it. Therefore, when people wish to form biting taunts, they obscure what might be plainly said by some indirect metaphor. This is the reason why the Prophet speaks here of an enigmatical taunt, for on that account it is more severe.

And he shall say. There is a change of number in this verb, but it does not obscure the sense. The particle הוי may be translated as “woe,” or it may be an exclamation, as when one is attracted by some particular sight, like caca or sus. It is often understood this way by the Hebrews, and the context seems to favor this meaning, for “woe” would be frigid. When the Prophets pronounce a curse on the wicked, it is undoubtedly a dreadful threat. But what is found here is a taunt, by which the whole world would deride those haughty tyrants who thought that they ought to have been worshipped as gods. “Ha!” they say, “where is he who multiplies himself by what belongs to another? And then, How long is this to be? Even such accumulate on themselves thick clay!” That is, they sink themselves in deep caverns and heap on themselves mountains, by which they become overwhelmed. We now understand the meaning of the Prophet’s words.

That this seems to be the singing of triumph before the victory is no cause for wonder. For our faith, as is well known, does not depend on the judgment of the flesh, nor does it regard what is openly evident. Instead, it is a vision of hidden things, as it is called in Hebrews 11:1, and the substance of things not seen.

Since, then, the firmness of faith is the same, though what it apprehends is remote, and since faith does not cease to see hidden things—for through the mirror of God’s word it ascends above heaven and earth and penetrates into the spiritual kingdom of God—since faith, then, possesses such a distant view, it is not surprising that the Prophet here boldly triumphs over the Babylonians. He now prescribes a derisive song for all nations, so that the proud, who had previously exalted themselves with such cruelty, might be scoffed at and derided.

But if anyone were to ask whether it is right to assail even the wicked with scoffs and raillery, the question is unsuitable here. For the Prophet does not refer here to what is lawful for the faithful to do, but speaks only of what is commonly done by people. And we know that it is almost natural to people that when those whom they had feared and dared not blame while they were in power are overthrown, they break forth against them not only with many complaints and accusations but also with wanton rudeness.

Since, then, it usually happens that all triumph over fallen tyrants, hurl their taunts, and all seek in this way to bite, the Prophet describes this regular course of things. However, it is not to be doubted that he composed this song according to the nature of the case when he says that they were people who multiplied their own possessions with what belonged to others—that is, that they gathered the wealth of others.

It is indeed true that many things are commonly spread abroad for which there is no reason or justice. But since some principles of equity and justice remain in human hearts, the consent of all nations is, as it were, the voice of nature, or the testimony of that equity which is engraved on human hearts and which they can never obliterate. Such is the reason for this saying.

For Habakkuk, by introducing the people as the speakers, propounded, as it were, the common law of nature, with which all agree. And that is: that whoever enriches himself with another’s wealth will eventually fall, and that when one accumulates great riches, these will become like a heap to cover and overwhelm him. And if any one of us consults his own mind, he will find that this is engraved on his very nature.

How, then, does it happen that many still labor to get for themselves the wealth of others, and strive for nothing else throughout their whole lives but to plunder others so that they may enrich themselves? It therefore appears that people’s minds are deprived of reason by sottishness whenever they thus addict themselves to unjust gain, or when they give themselves free rein to commit frauds, robberies, and plunders. And thus we perceive that the Prophet had not without reason represented all the proud and the cruel as drunken.

Then follow the words, עד-מתי, od-mati, How long? This also is the dictate of nature: that is, that there will sometime be an end to unjust plundering, though God may not immediately check plunderers and wicked people, who proceed and achieve their purposes by force and slaughter, frauds, and evil deeds.

In the meantime, the Prophet also intimates that tyrants and their cruelty cannot be endured without great weariness and sorrow. For indignation on account of evil deeds kindles within the hearts of all, so that they become weary when they see that wicked people are not soon restrained. Hence, almost the whole world cries out these words, “How long? How long?”

When anyone disturbs the whole world by his ambition and avarice, or everywhere commits plunder, or oppresses miserable nations—when he distresses the innocent—all cry out, “How long?” And this cry, proceeding as it does from the feeling of nature and the dictate of justice, is finally heard by the Lord.

For how does it happen that all, being touched with weariness, cry out, “How long?” except that they know that this confusion of order and justice is not to be endured? And this feeling, is it not implanted in us by the Lord? It is then the same as though God heard himself when he hears the cries and groanings of those who cannot bear injustice.

But let us, in the meantime, ensure that no one of us should have to say to himself the same thing that he brings forward against others. For when any avaricious person proceeds by right or wrong, as they say, when an ambitious person, by unfair means, advances himself, we instantly cry, “How long?” And when any tyrant violently oppresses helpless people, we always say, “How long?”

Though everyone says this about others, yet no one says it about himself. Let us therefore take care that, when we reprove injustice in others, we turn without delay to ourselves and be impartial judges. Self-love so blinds us that we seek to absolve ourselves from the same fault that we freely condemn in others.

In general things, people are always more correct in their judgment—that is, in matters in which they themselves are not concerned. But as soon as they consider themselves, they become blind, and all rectitude vanishes, and all judgment is gone.

Let us then know that this song is set forth here by the Prophet, drawn, as it were, from the common feeling of nature, so that every one of us may put a restraint on himself when he discharges the office of a judge in condemning others. And so that he may also condemn himself and restrain his desires when he finds them advancing beyond just bounds.

We must also observe what he adds: that the avaricious accumulate on themselves thick clay. This at first may appear incredible, but the subject itself plainly shows what the Prophet teaches here, provided our minds are not so blinded as not to see plain things. Indeed, hardly an avaricious person can be found who is not a burden to himself, and to whom his wealth is not a source of trouble.

Everyone who has accumulated much, when he comes to old age, is afraid to use what he has acquired, being ever solicitous lest he should lose anything. And then, as he thinks nothing is sufficient, the more he possesses, the more grasping he becomes. And “frugality” is the name given to that sordid and, so to speak, servile restraint within which the rich confine themselves.

In short, when anyone forms a judgment about all the avaricious people of this world, and is himself free from all avarice, having a free and unbiased mind, he will easily apprehend what the Prophet says here: that all the wealth of this world is nothing but a heap of clay, as when anyone willingly puts himself under a great heap that he had collected.

Some refer this to the walls of Babylon, which were built of baked bricks, as is well known; but this is too far-fetched. Others think that the Prophet speaks of the final end of us all, for those who possess the greatest riches, being finally thrown into the grave, are covered with earth. But this also is not suitable here.

Nor is it any more suitable when they apply it to Nebuchadnezzar—that is, to that sottishness by which he had intoxicated himself almost throughout his whole life—or when others apply it to Belshazzar, his grandson, because when he drank from the sacred vessels of the temple, he uttered slanders and blasphemies against God. These explanations are by no means suitable. For the Prophet does not speak here of the person of the king alone; but, as has been said, he, on the contrary, summons to judgment the whole nation, which had given itself up to plundering, frauds, and other evil deeds.

Then a general truth is to be drawn from this expression: that all the avaricious, the more they heap together, the more they lade themselves and, as it were, bury themselves under a great load. Why is this? Because riches, acquired by frauds and plundering, are nothing but a heavy and cumbersome lump of earth, for God returns on the heads of those who thus seek to enrich themselves whatever they have plundered from others.

Had they been contented with some moderate portion, they might have lived cheerfully and happily, as we see to be the case with all the godly. Though they possess but little, they are yet cheerful, for they live in hope, know that their supplies are in God’s hand, and expect everything from his blessing. Hence, then, their cheerfulness, because they have no anxious fears.

But those who intoxicate themselves with riches find that they carry a useless burden, under which they lie down, as it were, sunk and buried.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as you deign so far to condescend as to sustain the care of this life, and to supply us with whatever is necessary for our pilgrimage—O grant that we may learn to rely on you, and so to trust in your blessing, as to abstain not only from all plunder and other evil deeds, but also from every unlawful coveting; and to continue in your fear, and so to learn also to bear our poverty on the earth, that being content with those spiritual riches which you offer to us in your gospel, and of which you now make us partakers, we may ever cheerfully aspire to that fullness of all blessings which we shall enjoy when we finally reach the celestial kingdom, and be perfectly united to you, through Christ our Lord. Amen.