Habakkuk 3:3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

God came from Teman— The prophet, having offered up his petition for shortening the captivity, proceeds in the next place, from Habakkuk 3:3-16 to recount the wonderful works which Jehovah had formerly wrought, to deliver his people from Egyptian slavery, and to put them in possession of the land of Canaan; intimating by this, that he would, in his good time, shew himself equally powerful in delivering them from the Babylonish captivity, and restoring them to their own land. In recounting these wonderful works Habakkuk first exhibits a description of Jehovah, as king and commander of the ten thousands of Israel, marching at their head in a pillar of a cloud, to conduct them and put them in possession of the promised land. When Jehovah sets out from Teman and Paran, so great is the majesty and glory with which he is arrayed, that the heaven and the earth are too little to contain them, Habakkuk 3:3. His brightness, like that of the meridian sun, is insupportable, and his power irresistible; Habakkuk 3:4 the pestilence and devouring fire attending him, to do execution upon the enemy at his command; Habakkuk 3:5. As soon as he enters the land of Canaan, Habakkuk 3:6 he takes possession of it as rightful Lord; and the seven nations, conscious that they had forfeited it by their wickedness, fly at the sight of him. The mountains of the land disperse to make way for him; the hills bow to pay him obeisance; and the highways own him for their Lord; and so great is the dread of him, that the neighbouring nations tremble while he passes by: Habakkuk 3:7. See Green: who, instead of, The earth was full of his praise, reads, And his glory filled the earth. Bishop Lowth observes, that this chapter affords us a remarkable instance of that sublimity which is peculiar to the ode; and which is principally owing to a bold and yet easy digression or transition. The prophet foreseeing the judgments of God, the calamities which were to be brought upon his countrymen by the Chaldeans, and then the punishments which awaited the Chaldeans themselves; partly struck with terror, partly revived with hope and confidence in the divine mercy, he prays God that he would hasten the redemption and deliverance of his people, Habakkuk 3:3. Now, here immediately occurs to every one's mind a similitude between the Babylonish and Egyptian captivity; that it was possible that an equal deliverance might be procured by the help of God; and how aptly the prophet might have so continued his prayer, that God, who had wrought so many miracles in ancient days for the sake of his people, would likewise continue his providential regard towards them; and how much it would contribute to confirm and strengthen the minds of the good, who should remember that the God who formerly had manifested his infinite power in rescuing the Israelites out of such great calamities, was able to do the same, by avenging their posterity likewise. But the prophet has omitted all these topics, for this very reason, because they so readily occur to the mind; and, instead of expatiating in so large a field, he bursts forth with an unexpected impetuosity, God came from Teman, &c. Throughout the whole passage he preserves the same magnificence with which he begins; cheering the noblest images that so copious a subject could afford, and illustrating them with the most splendid colours, images, figures, and the most elevated style. What crowns the sublimity of this piece, is, the singular elegance of the close; and were it not that antiquity has here and there thrown its veil of obscurity over it, there could not be conceived a more perfect and masterly poem of the kind. See the 28th Prelection.