Habakkuk 2:2 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Lord said, Write the vision Write down what I am going to say. Every divine communication, by whatever means made, is often spoken of in the prophetic writings under the title of a vision. When the prophets were commanded to write any thing, it denoted the great importance of it, and that the fulfilling of it was at some distance. Make it plain upon tables Write it in legible characters; that he may run that readeth That it may be read with ease. For the vision is yet for an appointed time What I am now about to reveal to thee will not be fulfilled till a certain time which God hath appointed, but which is yet at a distance. As this vision undoubtedly related to the destruction of the Babylonish monarchy, which is plainly foretold from Hab 2:5 to the end of the chapter, so that event was not to take place till about one hundred years from this time. But at the end it shall speak When the period appointed by God shall come, it shall be accomplished, and not disappoint your expectation. The Hebrew is, At the end it shall break forth, namely, as the morning light, which the word יפח, here used, properly and emphatically expresses: that is, the event spoken of shall break forth, or appear, with great clearness and evidence, and then this prophecy shall be proved a true one. Though it tarry, wait for it Although it may be long deferred, and much time may intervene before it be accomplished; yet, nevertheless, continue confidently to expect it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry Hebrew, לא יאחר, It will not be prolonged, or go beyond, namely, the appointed time; that is, it will certainly be fulfilled at the time that is appointed. The word here used is not the same with that rendered tarry in the former clause. All this is addressed to the Jewish nation in answer to their complaints, represented in the foregoing chapter, respecting the success and prosperity of the Chaldeans, notwithstanding their crimes; in reply to which, God, by a prophetic vision, informs the prophet, that the Chaldean nation should not go unpunished at the appointed time, namely, when they had filled up the measure of their iniquity, but they should be involved in a much greater destruction than the nations which they had conquered; that most of these nations would survive to see the entire overthrow and final ruin of the Chaldeans. Though God may defer the execution of his promises and threatenings a long time, according to our computation, yet they are no less sure than if they were immediately accomplished; and indeed it is only long with respect to our finite and narrow capacities; for with God, the Scriptures tell us, a thousand years are but as one day.