Wesley Corpus

Wide open - Either through fear or treachery. Thy bars - With which the gates were shut and strengthened. Draw thee waters - Fill all thy cisterns, and draw the waters into the ditches. Tread the mortar - Set thy brick - makers on work to prepare store of materials for thy fortifications. There - In the very fortresses. Eat thee - As easily as the canker - worm eats the green herb. Many - They are innumerable; be thou so if thou canst; all will be to no purpose. The canker - worm spoileth - So these are like the canker - worms, which spoil wherever they come, and when no more is to be gotten, flee away. Thy crowned - Thy confederate kings and princes. Captains - Commanders and officers are for number, like locusts and grasshoppers; but 'tis all for shew, not for help. In the cool day - While the season suits them. The sun - When trouble, war, and danger, like the parching sun, scald them. Is not known - Thou shalt never know where to find them. Thy shepherds - Thy rulers and counsellors. Slumber - Are remiss, heartless, or dead. No man gathereth - No one will concern himself to preserve thy dispersed ones. Shall clap the hands - Insulting and rejoicing. Thy wickedness - Thy tyranny, pride, oppression and cruelty; treading down and trampling upon them. It is probable, Habakkuk lived and prophesied in the reign of king Manasseh. His book is a mixture of the prophet's addresses to God in the peoples name, and to the people in God's name. The whole, particularly, refers to the invasion of the land of Judah by the Chaldeans: but it is of general use especially to those who are tempted, concerning the prosperity of bad, and troubles of good men.