A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to cast away stones - as out of a garden or vineyard (Isaiah 5:2): as not one stone was left upon another of the great buildings of the temple, when it had ceased to be the true house of God.
A time to gather then followed-for building; figuratively, the Gentiles, once cast-away stones, were in due time made parts of the spiritual building (Ephesians 2:19-20), and children of Abraham (Matthew 3:9); so the restored Jews hereafter (Psalms 102:13-14; Zechariah 9:16).
A time to embrace, and ... to refrain from embracing - (Joel 2:16; 1 Corinthians 7:5-6.) God has His time for embracing His people, and for rejecting them (Song of Solomon 2:6; Song of Solomon 8:3). Contrast Proverbs 5:20. Habakkuk means hearty embrace. Compare the image of a girdle round the loins, to express how God "caused the whole house of Israel to cleave unto Him" (Jeremiah 13:11).