'I will stand upon my watch... and will look out to see what He will speak by me' — 'Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that a man may read it swiftly; for the vision is yet for the appointed time... though it tarry, wait for it'; 'the righteous shall live by his faith'; five woes upon the plunderer — 'for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Hashem, as the waters cover the sea... Hashem is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.'
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I will stand upon my watch, And set me upon the tower, And will look out to see what He will speak by me, And what I shall answer when I am reproved.
verse value 4560
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "and·what" (וּמָ֥ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·my·watch" (עַל־מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֣י, 8 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "upon·my·watch" (עַל־מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֣י), "let·me·stand" (אֶֽעֱמֹ֔דָה), "and·I·will·station·myself" (וְאֶֽתְיַצְּבָ֖ה). The root על appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root עמד ("let·me·stand") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·tower', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: עַל־מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֣י [upon·my·watch] (1090) + אֶֽעֱמֹ֔דָה [let·me·stand] (120) + וְאֶֽתְיַצְּבָ֖ה [and·I·will·station·myself] (514) + עַל־מָצ֑וֹר [upon·the·tower] (436) + וַאֲצַפֶּ֗ה [and·I·will·look·forward] (182) + לִרְאוֹת֙ [to·see] (637) + מַה־יְדַבֶּר־בִּ֔י [what·He·will·speak·in·me] (273) + וּמָ֥ה [and·what] (51) + אָשִׁ֖יב [I·will·answer] (313) + עַל־תּוֹכַחְתִּֽי [upon·my·reproof] (944) = 4560.
Rashi
“Upon my watch I will stand.” Habakkuk drew a circle and stood within it and said: I will not budge from here until I hear what He will speak to me concerning this question of mine — why does He look on and behold the success of the wicked?:
And what shall I answer those who come to argue before me?
“Concerning my reproof.” That they reprove me to my face, [prompting me] to raise questions about the Attribute of Justice. “Tochachat” (reproof) — monestement in Old French:
Radak
“Upon My watch I will stand.” The prophet said: Regarding this perplexity in which I find myself, I am keeping watch and waiting to see how the Holy One, blessed be He, will answer me concerning the success of the wicked.
“What will He speak to me?” — Through the spirit of prophecy, just as it is written, “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me.” And what he said, “And what shall I answer?” means: What shall I answer to those who question me? For I am not alone perplexed by this matter. And what he said, “And I am stationed upon a fortress,” means: A fortress is like a person upon whom enemies close in and from whom there is no escape; so too, I have no escape from this perplexity. Why? Because the way of the wicked has prospered. And the Targum renders it: “He is destined to serve upon my stronghold, and I am besieged.” And our Rabbis explained what he said, “Upon a fortress,” that he drew a circle and stood within it, saying, “I will not move from here until You tell me why You have prolonged the days of the wicked.”
Metzudat David
“Upon my watch I will stand.” I stood upon my watch and took my post at the siege. That is: just as a watchman during his watch does not budge from his place, and just as those besieging a fortified city to capture it do not move from it, so I did not cease from my complaint:
“And I will watch.” I looked to see what the LORD would speak to me, and what I would answer to myself concerning my argument — should anyone come and argue with me to pose his question:
Metzudat Zion
"My watch." A matter that is incumbent upon many people to perform, each one at his appointed time, is termed by the word "watch" (mishmeret). Similarly, we speak of the watches of the priesthood and the Levites.
Metsor. Likewise, it is called a fortified city because it cannot be captured except by means of a siege. And "atzpah": the meaning is "looking," like "tzafah" in Nahum 2:
My reproof. The word is from the root of "reproof":
Malbim
“Upon my watch I will stand.” After he had offered his prayer and the argumentation he had arranged concerning the success of these wicked ones, the people of Babylon, he stood guard, awaiting the response of the Lord that would come to him regarding this matter. There is a difference between a “watch” (mishmeret) and a “siege” (matzor): a watch is established to serve as protection for that which is being guarded, such as the guards of the king’s palace watch, the watch of the house; whereas a siege is established to conquer the thing upon which one is laying siege. That is to say, in his words spoken in the previous verse, there were two matters: a) what he prayed for Israel, to remove the evil from upon them, and b) what he argued concerning the success of wicked Babylon. The “gates” mentioned in the verse correspond to “Upon my watch I will stand,” and he looked to see what the Lord would speak to him. Regarding what he prayed for the salvation of Israel, He could not speak in the manner of argumentation, for he knew that Israel had incurred punishment through their evil deeds; rather, he came in the manner of prayer and stood on watch to see what the Lord would say to him, to inform him when the end of the wrath and the time of salvation would be. And “I will stand upon the siege” to see what I shall answer to my argumentation. Regarding what he contended concerning the tranquility of Babylon and their success, in this he argued in the manner of argumentation: “Why have the ways of the wicked prospered? Why do You look upon traitors? Why do You look upon oppression?” And in this he stood upon the siege like a warrior, desiring to conquer and triumph in his argumentation, and he looked to see what would be answered to his argumentation and contention. And he said, “What shall I answer?” For his complaints were not against the Lord, but rather he recounted the complaints of the generation, who bring suit and dispute concerning the ways of Divine Providence (as it is written, “He shall bring suit and dispute”), and he desired to know the answer: what would be answered to the argumentation he is making concerning this matter.
And Hashem answered me, and said: ‘Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, That a man may read it swiftly.
verse value 2541
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·it" (בֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·tables" (עַל־הַלֻּח֑וֹת, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "and·answered·me" (וַיַּעֲנֵ֤נִי), "inscribe" (כְּתֹ֣ב), "and·well" (וּבָאֵ֖ר). 11 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root אמר ("and·said") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·tables', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיַּעֲנֵ֤נִי [and·answered·me] (196) + יְהֹוָה֙ [Hashem] (26) + וַיֹּ֔אמֶר [and·said] (257) + כְּתֹ֣ב [inscribe] (422) + חָז֔וֹן [vision] (71) + וּבָאֵ֖ר [and·well] (209) + עַל־הַלֻּח֑וֹת [upon·the·tables] (549) + לְמַ֥עַן [purpose] (190) + יָר֖וּץ [he·runs] (306) + ק֥וֹרֵא [the·reader] (307) + בֽוֹ [in·it] (8) = 2541.
Rashi
“And the LORD answered me and said: Write the vision.” Write for yourself the vision that is revealed to you, and make it plain upon the tablets, well [enough] that the reader may run in reading it quickly and not stumble; and this is the vision that you shall write:
Radak
“And He answered me,” [the verse states]: “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets.” Behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him that the ease of this wicked man, concerning whom he had marveled, would not endure; and likewise, his folly, in which he had boasted against the Holy One, blessed be He, would not endure. He said this to him by allusion, and He told him that this would be after a time, not immediately. And this we see written in the Book of Daniel, for the Holy One, blessed be He, did deeds to refute his deficient understanding, by which he attributed power to himself or to his god. First, the dream that He showed him, and he found no interpreter for it, neither through his wise men nor through his idolatrous priests, but only through Daniel, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed that hidden dream. And Daniel told him the dream and its interpretation in the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. And thereby he returned from his deficient understanding and attributed power and ability to the Holy One, blessed be He. Likewise, in the words of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, he acknowledged to God the power and ability. Furthermore, in his own words, in which he had boasted about his palace, suddenly his mind departed from him, and he returned like the beasts of the field, dwelling with them for twelve months. And the recompense for his evil deeds which he had done to Israel, He did not exact from him personally, for He had already given the kingdom to him, to his son, and to his grandson. But from Belshazzar, his grandson, He took vengeance through an event, in which he had boasted against the Holy One, blessed be He, and drank from the vessels of the Temple, he and all his household, great and small. And it is written concerning him: “In that night was Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, slain.” And the Chaldeans were killed, and Babylon was destroyed by Cyrus and Darius. And the righteous among them, who are Israel, were saved within it. And Cyrus proclaimed to them that they should return to their land. And behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him concerning the success of this wicked man. And the one who ponders will ponder on the rest, and will see that the judgments of the Holy One, blessed be He, are upright. And what the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him concerning the time of the wicked man’s vengeance, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will take His vengeance from him—when will it be? It is by allusion. Rather, the prophet understood from the vision when his appointed time and end would be. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: “Write the vision for an appointed time,” etc., meaning that he should write this vision in a book by allusion, as it is.
"For there is yet a vision for the appointed time." This means that the appointed time has not yet been revealed, and He said to him, "Yet," and [said to] explain [it] upon the tablets that the vision would be explained in detail on the tablets, not in a book.
“so that a reader may run with it.” This refers to those of his generation who will read it, so that they may run to read it and understand it, so that they will not be confused by the success of this wicked man. But in secret he will write it in an allusive manner, for what is written in a book will endure for many days, and when the vision comes, the people of that generation will understand it, namely, the vengeance of that wicked man alluded to in the book. And similarly, it was said to the prophet Isaiah: “Write it on a tablet for them, and inscribe it on a scroll, that it may be for the time to come, for the distant future” (Isaiah 30:8).
Metzudat David
“Write a vision.” Write the prophecy that I speak to you, and make it plain upon the tablets — explicit and not in riddles — so that a reader may run through it; that is, so the reader can read it quickly, with little effort of comprehension:
Metzudat Zion
And explain it. Interpret:
The tablets. They were like planks, made to be written upon.
"Yerots." The word is derived from the root meaning "running" and "pursuing," and it is stated figuratively:
Malbim
“And the LORD answered me: Write the vision.” The LORD answered him and informed him of the fall of Babylon and that their end would be to be cut off; but He did not inform him of the fixed time set for this, for another prophet — Jeremiah, who came after him — was designated for that. He only showed him the downfall in a vision, and commanded him to write the vision upon the tablets and to explain it, so that every person would understand it. There is a difference between something written in a book, which not everyone reads, and something written on tablets, which everyone handles. Likewise He commanded him to explain the matters, so that there would be nothing obscure in his prophecy, “that a reader may run through it” — that all would know its interpretation:
For the vision is yet for the appointed time, And it declares of the end, and does not lie; Though it tarry, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not delay.’
verse value 1637
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 54 letters. Notable word values: "will·go·in" (יָבֹ֖א) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "though·it·tarries" (אִם־יִתְמַהְמָהּ֙, 8 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "yet" (ע֤וֹד), "to·the·meeting" (לַמּוֹעֵ֔ד), "and·it·declares" (וְיָפֵ֥חַ). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lies', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 6 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + ע֤וֹד [yet] (80) + חָזוֹן֙ [vision] (71) + לַמּוֹעֵ֔ד [to·the·meeting] (150) + וְיָפֵ֥חַ [and·it·declares] (104) + לַקֵּ֖ץ [to·the·end] (220) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + יְכַזֵּ֑ב [lies] (39) + אִם־יִתְמַהְמָהּ֙ [though·it·tarries] (541) + חַכֵּה־ל֔וֹ [wait·for·it] (69) + כִּי־בֹ֥א [for·surely] (33) + יָבֹ֖א [will·go·in] (13) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + יְאַחֵֽר [he·will·delay] (219) = 1637.
Rashi
"For yet there is a vision for the appointed time." Yet it is destined that a prophet will arise at the end of days, to whom a vision will be revealed regarding when the appointed time for the downfall of Babylon and the redemption of Israel will occur.
“And it speaks of the end.” And [the vision] spoke, telling him of the end of Babylon — that upon the completion of seventy years for Babylon [it will come], and it will not prove false:
"If he tarry" – to come, so that He will extend that appointed time for you; wait for Him, for He will not delay beyond the seventy [years] in the least. And there is another interpretation: "If the prophet tarry" to come, and he was Jeremiah. And the Targum renders it: "The written prophecy is explained in the Book of the Torah." It translates "written" as "already hinted at," namely, "Then the land shall make up for its sabbaths" – seventy sabbatical years did Israel violate and not observe, and in correspondence to them they were exiled from it for seventy years. And so it states (in Chronicles, at the end of II): "Until the land had made up for its sabbaths, all the days of its desolation, to fulfill seventy years." And so you find (in Ezekiel 4:5): "And I have assigned to you their years of iniquity, three hundred and ninety days; a day for a year I have assigned to you." And it says, "And you, lie on your left side," etc. Thus you conclude that Israel provoked [God] for three hundred and ninety years until the Ten Tribes were exiled. And the tribe of Judah violated [the law] for forty [years]. From the exile of the Ten Tribes until the destruction of Jerusalem: these are twenty-two years of Manasseh, and the remainder of his years were in repentance, for it is said of him (in II Kings 21:2): "And he did evil according to all that Ahab had done," corresponding to the number of Ahab's years, and he reigned twenty-two years. Two years of his son Amon, eleven years of Jehoiakim, and eleven years of Zedekiah – this makes forty-six years. And this prophecy was spoken to Ezekiel in the fifth year of Zedekiah. In any case, the days of their violation amounted to four hundred and thirty-six years. Of these, six years were added after this prophecy; four hundred years constitute eight Jubilees. And each Jubilee comprises seven Sabbatical years – this makes fifty-six Sabbatical years. And the eight years consecrated to the Jubilee – this makes sixty-four. And in the thirty-six years there are five Sabbatical years – this makes sixty-nine consecrated years. And this last Jubilee year is also counted among the number of their iniquity, though it was not completed. And here too, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Habakkuk: "The vision is already written in the Torah, but it is obscure. You have added and clarified it on the tablets, for the vision will yet be revealed at its appointed time."
And He breathed: “Breathed” is a term denoting speech, and there are many such instances in the Book of Proverbs. Since speech is nothing but breath issuing from the mouth, it is called “breath” (pech) and it is called “spirit” (ruach), as it is said, “By the breath of His mouth all their hosts” (Psalms 33:6).
Radak
"For there is yet a vision for the appointed time." This is the answer that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave: "This vision will not be from now on, but rather it will be for the appointed time that I have designated."
“And it speaks of the end.” And this vision speaks toward the end — meaning, it did not speak of the present time, but of that end destined to come, which is seventy years from the destruction of Jerusalem:
“And it shall not lie [fail].” Like “whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58:11) — for in any event it will come to pass:
"If he tarry, wait for him; if the end of these days be delayed, wait for it." This was said in reference to those who were exiled from Jerusalem and prolonged their days until they emerged from the Babylonian exile.
He shall not delay. Explanation: He shall not delay beyond the appointed time set for him, for in any case he will be there on his day. And so did Jonathan translate: "in its times," meaning that it will not be delayed. And my master and father, of blessed memory, explained that "he shall not delay" is like "he shall not cease," meaning it will not be cut off so as not to come to pass, as in the explanation of "they shall not cease from their seed," where "acharit" means "end."
Metzudat David
"For yet there is a vision for the appointed time." For besides the vision of the downfall of Babylon and the cutting off of its seed, there is yet another vision for a fixed time, and this vision speaks of the end of the redemption, after which there will be no further servitude. That vision will not fail, even if it tarry for a long time; nevertheless, you, O Israel, wait for it and do not despair of it, for surely it will come at the appointed time and will not delay beyond the fixed time. And as it says, "Therefore I have commanded you," to explain the prophecy of the downfall of Babylon, so that when it comes to pass, they may know that it was done by the Lord, and thereby they will believe in the future redemption.
Metzudat Zion
למועד. To a fixed time, as in "He passed the appointed time" (Jeremiah 46).
And He breathed. The matter is one of speech, as it is said: "He who breathes forth faith" (Proverbs 12).
"יתמהמה" – the matter of delay, as in "I hastened and did not delay" (Psalms 119:60).
Hakha. The meaning of "tikvah" (hope) is like "v'chikati la'Hashem" (and I waited for the Lord) (Isaiah 8):
יִאֲחַר. A verb meaning delay and waiting:
Malbim
“Yet there is a vision for the appointed time”: He informed him that to him [Habakkuk] the appointed time and the specific moment when the fall of Babylon would occur would not be revealed. Regarding this, another specific vision would come through Jeremiah, who saw the vision of the appointed time, namely that it would be when the seventy years of Babylon were completed, which were fulfilled in the third year of Belshazzar. He also informed him that the appointed time of the fall of Babylon is not the End, meaning that it would be only a redemption and not the End of wonders, for after Israel is redeemed from Babylon, they will be exiled a second time, and the End, which is the final redemption, will not be then; there is still a gap until the End. Another prophet will arise, who will speak and prophesy concerning the End, which will not be false or interrupted. For the appointed time will be false, meaning that it will be interrupted afterward, for they will be exiled again. But the End will not be false, for there will be no exile after it. And Daniel is the one who will breathe life into the End, which will not be false, but will be an eternal salvation. If it tarry, even though the final End may tarry, in all this wait for it, for it will come and will not delay. Meaning that there is a difference between “tarrying” and “delaying”: one who delays delays the fixed and limited time. And if a matter has a time of a thousand years, even though it tarries, nevertheless, if it comes at the fixed time at the end of the thousand years, it has not delayed the fixed time. Now, the final redemption has two times: if they merit, I will hasten it; if they do not merit, at its appointed time. And even though when they do not merit it will tarry, for the fixed End at its appointed time is limited to a very distant time, nevertheless, when the limited time arrives, it will not delay it, and the End will come in any case.
Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; But the righteous shall live by his faith.
verse value 1983
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "in·him" (בּ֑וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·His·faithfulness" (בֶּאֱמוּנָת֥וֹ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "was·lifted·up" (עֻפְּלָ֔ה), "not·is·upright" (לֹא־יָשְׁרָ֥ה), "and·just" (וְצַדִּ֖יק). 8 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root נפש ("his·soul") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: הִנֵּ֣ה [they] (60) + עֻפְּלָ֔ה [was·lifted·up] (185) + לֹא־יָשְׁרָ֥ה [not·is·upright] (546) + נַפְשׁ֖וֹ [his·soul] (436) + בּ֑וֹ [in·him] (8) + וְצַדִּ֖יק [and·just] (210) + בֶּאֱמוּנָת֥וֹ [in·His·faithfulness] (505) + יִֽחְיֶֽה [shall·live] (33) = 1983.
Rashi
Behold, “ufelah.” His soul is always in anger and craving, striving to devour and never sated. “Ufelah” is an expression of insolence, as in (Numbers 14:44) “and they presumed to go up,” and likewise “ofel and bachan” (Isaiah 32:14):
“His soul shall not rest upon it.” This means that his spirit is not appeased with him, saying, “Enough is what I have already acquired.” Therefore, calamity comes upon him.
“But the righteous shall live by his faith.” [This refers to] Jeconiah the king, whom this one [Nebuchadnezzar] is destined to exile — his righteousness will stand for him; and on the day that this one [Nebuchadnezzar] is cast out of his grave, Evil-Merodach will lift up the head of Jehoiachin and set his throne above the thrones of the [other] kings:
Radak
Behold, the proud one — his soul is not upright within him. He said: One whose soul is not upright within himself, and who has no trust in God, blessed be He, his spirit becomes haughty and exalted, and he does not fear that evil will come. Such was the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar, and such was the spirit of Belshazzar, his grandson, who became arrogant against God, blessed be He.
And [the verse states] "and the righteous." But the righteous is not so, for his soul is humble and he is always in awe of God, blessed be He; therefore, he will live by his faith in God, blessed be He, and he will be saved from the evil that will come upon the wicked. And these are the Israelites who were exiled to Babylon with Zedekiah, who were subdued in exile and did not serve idolatry, and they believed in God, blessed be He. And when Cyrus conquered Babylon and the Chaldeans were killed, the Israelites who were righteous were in their faith in God, blessed be He, and they were saved from the sword of the Persians, and they went out from the Babylonian exile.
“Efpelah.” The matter concerns haughtiness of heart and arrogance; similarly, “And they climbed up to the top of the mountain” (Numbers 14:44). my brother, Rabbi Moshe, of blessed memory, explained: “Behold, ‘efpele’ is from ‘u’fal’ and ‘bachan,’ which means a high fortress. It says: One who does not rest his soul upon Him—‘efpele’—meaning, he sets himself in a fortress and stronghold to take refuge there from the enemy, and he does not return to God, nor does he seek from Him to save him. But the righteous person will not need to take refuge in a fortress, for by his faith he shall live.
Metzudat David
“Behold, Ophlah.” Now he comes to explain the vision concerning the fall of Babylon and the cutting off of its seed, and he says: “Behold, anyone who strengthens himself and boasts has no uprightness in his soul, which is within him; and even if he is righteous, it is because he believes in God, considering that everything comes from Him according to His will, and he does not attribute the matter to his own merit or the strength of his arm.”
Metzudat Zion
Ophelah. The matter of strengthening, and similarly, "And they strengthened themselves to go up" (Numbers 14).
Yasharah. From the word yashar:
Malbim
Behold, the soul of one who is not upright within him will become agitated and strengthened to calculate the end and to hasten the end. It was made known to him that many will stumble and will strive to ascend by force and might to bring the end, as it is said, “And the impudent among your people will strive to establish a vision, and they will stumble.” That is to say, many false prophets will arise and cause many evils to Israel. And many will arise who strive to establish a vision and to calculate the end, and when it does not come at the time they have calculated, they will leave the faith. But “the righteous shall live by his faith.” The righteous person, in whom his soul is upright, his soul will not become agitated to calculate the end or to establish a vision. Rather, he will live by his faith and believe that there is a day for the Lord, and he will be silent before the Lord, and it will be accomplished for him.
Indeed, moreover, wine is a treacherous dealer; The haughty man abides not; He who enlarges his desire as the nether-world, And is as death, and cannot be satisfied, But gathers to him all nations, And heaps to him all peoples.
verse value 3949
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 90 letters. Notable word values: "and·he" (וְה֤וּא) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "and·moreover" (וְאַף֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·the·nations" (כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 225: proud, has·made·room. 12 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "for·the·wine" (כִּֽי־הַיַּ֣יִן), "treacherous" (בֹּגֵ֔ד), "man" (גֶּ֥בֶר). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root אף ("and·moreover") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·beautify', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 14 words.
Rashi
“Yea, moreover, wine is treacherous.” And also when Belshazzar, the grandson of this one [Nebuchadnezzar], comes — his wine will betray him, [as it says] “before the thousand he drank wine” (Daniel 5:1):
A proud man. He is:
“And he shall not abide.” His dwelling and habitation shall not endure — for he became arrogant, and while tasting the wine commanded to bring the vessels of the Temple and drank from them; and this will cause him to be slain and his offspring to perish. “For a haughty man, a scoffer, shall not abide” — he and his habitation shall not endure:
"Asher harachiv." Nebuchadnezzar, whose desire expands like Sheol (the grave), in order to attain all his desires with a broad heart.
And he is like the Angel of Death, who is never satiated with killing; so too, this one is never satiated with all his possessions.
Radak
And even though wine is a betrayer. “He who drinks wine” and “a mocker is wine” means that he who drinks wine rejoices their hearts, as if they had drunk wine. That is to say, every wicked person shall receive from God his due recompense, whether soon or later. All the more so does this wicked one, who drinks wine—namely Nebuchadnezzar, who used to drink wine excessively and become intoxicated. Therefore, he was hasty in his deeds and did not consider what he was doing. He would kill without mercy, and he would betray those who were at peace with him. And “a proud man” means an arrogant spirit.
“And he shall not dwell.” Therefore his kingdom shall not endure in the dwelling-place of his kingdom for many days; rather, after seventy years his kingdom will come to an end. Or “and he shall not dwell” refers to Nebuchadnezzar himself, that he went out from his dwelling and from his palace when he was driven from among men and lived with the beasts of the field:
“Which has enlarged itself like Sheol” – just as it says, “Sheol has enlarged its soul,” and this is akin to Sheol and Death, which receive the dead abundantly and are never satisfied, as it says, “These three are never satisfied.”
Metzudat David
And even though wine is a betrayer. And all the more so is a man of wine, who betrays through his drunkenness, and he is an arrogant and haughty man, and he does not sit in his dwelling to maintain what is his, but rather goes to acquire additional dwellings that are not his.
"Which has expanded, etc." This means that it desires to conquer the entire world under its dominion, like the grave, which swallows all living creatures, and it is akin to death that comes upon the living, and it is never satiated like it.
"And he gathered together..." — that they should all be submissive to him and under his dominion. And it is as if saying: Surely, anyone who exalts himself and boasts, even though he is righteous, still has no uprightness in his soul; and all the more so, one who does all these things — how can he be acquitted from the due retribution?
Metzudat Zion
“And how much more.” Its meaning is like “all the more so” and “a fortiori,” as in “how much more when the fire has devoured it” (Ezekiel 15:5).
“The wine.” [It means] “a man of wine” [a drunkard]; and likewise “wine is a mocker” (Proverbs 20:1).
A traitor. A matter of wickedness:
Gever. Ish:
“Yahir.” Haughty of spirit, like “zed yahir” (a proud, insolent man) (Proverbs 21:24).
“Yinveh.” From the word “naveh” (a dwelling) and abode; and similarly, “a banished habitation” (Isaiah 57).
Malbim
And even now, he began to inform him of the vision concerning the downfall of Babylon. Although he did not inform him of the specific time, he informed him of the manner in which it would occur. It is known that in the third year of Belshazzar, he prepared a great feast and invited a thousand of his nobles to drink wine. At this banquet of wine, he commanded that the vessels of the Temple be brought before him, and he and his nobles and his wives drank wine from them. They praised their idols, claiming that their hand had prevailed over the God of Israel, for He had no power to remove His holy vessels from their grasp (for at that time he calculated the appointed time from the words of Jeremiah and reckoned that the time had passed). Then the Lord sent His angel, who wrote on the wall: "Mene, Mene, Tekel, uPharsin." Daniel interpreted this for him, stating that because he had profaned the Holy One, blessed be He, and because he attributed power and strength to the idols of silver and gold, his kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians. On that very night, Belshazzar was slain, and the end came to the kingdom of Babylon.
After he had alluded to this above in his words, "Then a spirit passed over and went by, and he became guilty, ascribing this his power to his god"—which recounted the success of the king of Babylon, and his wickedness at that time when the spirit of Belshazzar entered him, leading him to attribute power to the gods of gold and silver—he paused in his prayer and dispute up to this point. Now the vision arrived and explained the matter in detail. He says: "Even though" aside from the fact that a spirit of arrogance passed over him, the wine betrayed the proud man. The wine he drank caused him to lose his senses, so much so that he deliberately profaned the Temple vessels and drank from them. Therefore, "he shall not dwell," meaning he will no longer remain in his dwelling and palace, for immediately he was killed and cast out of his palace.
Now he will explain the matter in detail, for "he has enlarged his soul like Sheol." He expanded his soul of desire like Sheol, which is never satisfied, to receive the dead, as it is stated, "Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied." And he himself is similar to it and likewise will not be satisfied. This means that the metaphor compares death, which is the agent of Sheol, to the fact that Sheol and Abaddon, crying out "Give, give," send forth death to kill souls and bring them to Sheol (as you will find in the metaphor of Isaiah 28:15; see there). According to this, the metaphor will state that his soul of desire to eat and drink and to amass wealth and pleasures, which is like Sheol, will send forth him, who is like death, to kill many souls and to destroy mighty nations and peoples. His desire will never be satisfied, and likewise, he will not be satisfied with killing souls. Consequently, "and he gathered to him all the nations that he conquered in his wars."
Shall not all these take up a parable against him, And a taunting riddle against him, And say: ‘Woe to him that increases that which is not his! How long? and that lades himself with many pledges! ’
verse value 3035
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 71 letters. Notable word values: "against·him" (ל֑וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "against·him" (ל֑וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·these" (הֲלוֹא־אֵ֣לֶּה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 116: against·him, upon·him. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "not·these" (הֲלוֹא־אֵ֣לֶּה), "all·of·them" (כֻלָּ֗ם), "parable" (מָשָׁ֣ל). The root על appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root הוי ("ah!") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'against·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 8 words.
Rashi
"Are not these the ones whom he gathered to himself to serve him?"
They shall all bear a parable concerning him, and they shall bear a riddle in their mouths, in the language of riddles, for his sake; "for him" is like "concerning him."
And he said. One who speaks the riddle:
“Woe to him who increases [his wealth], for it is not for him.” This is the saying: “Alas for him who increases wealth and dominion, yet it is not for him; for the kings of Media will come and take all.”
Until when? Will he keep going and increasing [his sins]? He does nothing but load upon himself a burden of iniquity like thick clay. “Ev” is an expression of a heavy beam, as we find (Ezekiel 41:26): “the side-chambers of the house and the thick beams,” and “a thick beam of wood” (ibid.):
Radak
“Are not these all?”—These are the nations that he [Nebuchadnezzar] gathered to himself. When his destruction comes, they will rejoice in his downfall and will all raise against Him parables and riddles, and some say that the riddles and parables are for Him, and he said this parable and riddle that each one of them will say about Him. Hence, “Woe to him who increases what is not his — woe to this one who was increasing many possessions from what was not his, for he was plundering many nations.”
"Until when?" Did he perhaps think that it would stand in his hand and in the hand of his offspring forever?
And “av-tit” weighs heavily upon him. Great wealth was weighing heavily upon him, which was upon him like thick mud that weighed heavily upon his body, for he is mud and dust, and his wealth too will be thick mud. “Av-tit” is one word, and its meaning is like two words: “av-tit” is like “thick mud.” And so too are many others: “amim amim” [peoples, peoples] means “many peoples”; “yarkar-ker” is like “charutz yarkar-ker” [a compound adjective]; and there are many like them. And the Nagid explained: “And av [thick] tit [mud] weighs heavily upon him,” meaning that he will add to building a dwelling place, and it will not save him. And my master and father, of blessed memory, explained: “Should this man not think that his end is to be buried? This is what is meant by ‘until when?’ And ‘av tit’ [thick mud] weighs heavily upon him’—they will weigh heavily upon his grave with thick mud. And Jonathan rendered it metaphorically: ‘Until when will you press upon you heavy burdens?’”
Metzudat David
“Are not these?” This means that indeed his day will come, and all these nations whom he has gathered will raise a voice against him in allegory and speak in riddles, the enigmas of which will be for his sake. And thus each one will say: “Woe to him who multiplies his dominions, yet it shall not be for him or for his seed! And until when will it remain in his hand? Surely it will quickly depart from him, and he only burdens himself with great sin, like the heavy load of clay.”
Metzudat Zion
They shall lift. The matter of the lifting:
And regarding the term "melitzah" (eloquence): Thus, clear and pure sayings are called melitzah "amirim."
Riddles. A matter that is obscure and difficult to understand:
"Hoy" is like "Oy."
Avatit. Like "av tit," meaning a heavy burden of mud.
Malbim
Are not all these, all the nations that he conquered, bearing upon him a parable, and a sharp exposition for it? And this parable has an exposition, which is the interpretation of the parable, and it is stated in a sharp manner. What is the parable? “He who increases [his borrowing] does not [do so] for himself.” They applied to him a parable of a man who constantly borrows money from others at interest, and he does not borrow the money for his own needs, but only for the needs of others. And he undertakes the repayment of the principal as well as the payment of the interest. And this is what it says: “He who increases,” meaning he who borrows at interest, “does not [do so] for himself,” meaning not for his own needs. “Until when?” meaning, and there is no limit to the time, as he constantly borrows and does not repay. And “Avtit” burdens him, meaning, and he undertakes the seizure [of his property] and the debt, for he is obligated to pay back what was seized from him and what he borrowed.
Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall exact interest of you, And awake that shall violently shake you, And you shall be for booties to them?
verse value 2933
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "suddenness" (פֶ֗תַע, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·shake·you" (מְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָ, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "suddenness" (פֶ֗תַע), "they·will·rise" (יָק֙וּמוּ֙), "that·bite·you" (נֹֽשְׁכֶ֔יךָ). 9 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'that·shake·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: הֲל֣וֹא [not] (42) + פֶ֗תַע [suddenness] (550) + יָק֙וּמוּ֙ [they·will·rise] (162) + נֹֽשְׁכֶ֔יךָ [that·bite·you] (400) + וְיִקְצ֖וּ [and·they·will·spend·the·summer] (212) + מְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָ [that·shake·you] (224) + וְהָיִ֥יתָ [and·you·shall·be] (431) + לִמְשִׁסּ֖וֹת [booties] (836) + לָֽמוֹ [at] (76) = 2933.
Rashi
“Vayikatzu.” [It is] like “vayikutzu” (and they awoke):
Radak
"Behold, suddenly." You did not consider in your arrogance that you would be in the grave, and suddenly the biters would rise against you, and they are the worms.
"And those who vex you shall awaken." It is as if they were asleep, and upon your coming, they will awaken to rule over you, to shake and to move your flesh, piece by piece.
“And you shall be for them a prey.” That they shall devour your flesh—so my master and father, of blessed memory, interpreted it. And there is another interpretation of it: that He said, “They shall bite you and shake you,” because of Belshazzar, his grandson, in whose days the army of the king of Persia suddenly came upon Babylon, and Belshazzar was killed, and Babylon was destroyed. And there is yet another interpretation of it: that this matter was said concerning his being cast out of his grave, as it is stated in Isaiah, “And you, He cast out of your grave…”
And they shall awaken. The yod is written alone, and it stands with a gaia cantillation mark, while the root’s yod is concealed from the writing.
“Lemashisot.” Like “Who gave Jacob for a spoil?” (Isaiah 42:24) — an expression of plunder; and so Targum Yonatan rendered: “and you shall become a prey for them”:
Metzudat David
“Will they not suddenly.” Will not those who bite you suddenly arise, and those who shake you awaken from their sleep to come upon you? They are the kings of Persia and Media:
“And you shall be.” And you shall be plunder for them, for they will trample you with their feet:
Metzudat Zion
“Peta” (suddenly) – this is like “pit’om” (suddenly).
“נושכיך” – from the root נ.ש.ך, meaning “to bite” and to cut with the teeth.
“And they will awake.” From the language of awaking and rousing oneself from sleep.
“Those who make you tremble.” A matter of trembling and quaking, like “for a horror and for spoil” (Ezekiel 23).
“For plunder.” A matter of plunder, as in “and your plunderers shall be for plunder” (Jeremiah 30:16).
“Lamo.” [It means] “to them.”
Malbim
“Will not your biters suddenly arise?” — Will not those who take interest and usury arise and demand from you the repayment of the interest that you owe? And “will not your shakers be startled?” — Will not your creditors be awakened from their sleep, so that they will shake you to pay even the principal? And when you will have nothing with which to pay and you will be a prey to them, this is the parable. And now he explains the metaphor and the interpretation of the parable:
Because you have spoiled many nations, All the remnant of the peoples shall spoil you; Because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, To the city and to all that dwell therein.
verse value 3913
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 58 letters. Verse gematria: 3913 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "in·it" (בָֽהּ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·violence·of·land" (וַֽחֲמַס־אֶ֔רֶץ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "for·you" (כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה), "you·drew·out" (שַׁלּ֙וֹתָ֙), "will·plunder·you" (יְשׇׁלּ֖וּךָ). The root שלל appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root רב ("many") in Habakkuk. First appearance of the root עם ("peoples") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'peoples', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה [for·you] (436) + שַׁלּ֙וֹתָ֙ [you·drew·out] (736) + גּוֹיִ֣ם [nations] (59) + רַבִּ֔ים [many] (252) + יְשׇׁלּ֖וּךָ [will·plunder·you] (366) + כׇּל־יֶ֣תֶר [all·remainder] (660) + עַמִּ֑ים [peoples] (160) + מִדְּמֵ֤י [from·blood·of] (94) + אָדָם֙ [man] (45) + וַֽחֲמַס־אֶ֔רֶץ [and·violence·of·land] (405) + קִרְיָ֖ה [city] (315) + וְכׇל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי [and·all·dwellers·of] (378) + בָֽהּ [in·it] (7) = 3913.
Rashi
“You have spoiled many nations.” You cast them off and removed them from their place:
“All the remnant [of the peoples] shall spoil you.” The remnant of the nations:
“Because of men’s blood.” As vengeance for the blood of Israel, who are called “adam” (man), as it is said (Ezekiel 34:31), “you are men (adam)”:
“And the violence of the land.” The Land of Israel:
A city. It is Jerusalem:
Radak
“For you have plundered [many nations].” From the root שלל (to spoil), in its [usual] sense; and likewise “yeshalucha” (they will plunder you) — on the pattern of “sabbot yesubbucha” (a reduplicated form):
“The remnant of the peoples.” What remained of the peoples whom you did not plunder — namely Media and Persia:
“From the blood of man and from the violence of the land.” This refers to the evil that will come upon him because of the abundance of blood that he shed and the violence that he committed in the land.
A city and all its inhabitants. And he would destroy the cities and kill those dwelling in them; and the Targum [renders it]: “and the violence of the land, and the plundering of the land of Israel,” etc. “A city of Israel” means Jerusalem.
Metzudat David
“Because You have plundered.” Since You have plundered many nations, therefore the remaining nations that You did not utterly destroy will plunder You.
“Because of men’s blood.” All this comes on account of the human blood — [that of] him who shed the blood of Israel:
"And the violence of the land." Because of the violence that was committed in the Land of Israel, and in the city, which is Jerusalem, and among all the people dwelling therein.
Metzudat Zion
“Shelot.” “Yisholekha” — from the word “shalal” (spoil) and plunder.
And robbery. Oppression:
Kiryah. A city:
Malbim
“Because you have plundered many nations” — this is the loan that was mentioned in the parable: you plundered many nations, and it is with you as a loan, and you are obligated to repay the plunder that you plundered, as well as interest and usury. Moreover, you were adding to it, for the plunder that you plundered is preserved for Media and Persia, who will take it from your hand, and you will need to pay, because you accepted the pledge upon yourself. “They shall plunder all the remaining peoples” — this is the application of what was said, “Will not your creditors suddenly arise?” meaning that all the nations that remain from the nations that you killed will plunder you. The measure of the verse is: “They shall plunder the city and all its inhabitants” for the blood of man and the violence done to the land. That is, for the great debt that you are obligated to pay — the blood of man that you shed, and the violence done to the land that you oppressed and plundered — “all the remaining peoples shall plunder the city and all its inhabitants.” They will plunder from you the city, which is Babylon, the royal city, and all its inhabitants, who will become plunder for the repayment of the debt and the interest of the blood of man and the violence done to the land.
Woe to him that gains evil gains for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the power of evil!
verse value 2498
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "evil" (רָ֖ע, 2 letters) and the longest is "for·his·house" (לְבֵית֑וֹ, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 162: profit, profit. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "for·his·house" (לְבֵית֑וֹ), "to·put" (לָשׂ֤וּם), "in·the·high" (בַּמָּרוֹם֙). The root בצע appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root בית ("for·his·house") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·his·house', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: ה֗וֹי [ah!] (21) + בֹּצֵ֛עַ [profit] (162) + בֶּ֥צַע [profit] (162) + רָ֖ע [evil] (270) + לְבֵית֑וֹ [for·his·house] (448) + לָשׂ֤וּם [to·put] (376) + בַּמָּרוֹם֙ [in·the·high] (288) + קִנּ֔וֹ [nest] (156) + לְהִנָּצֵ֖ל [to·be·snatched·away] (205) + מִכַּף־רָֽע [from·ladle·of·evil] (410) = 2498.
Rashi
“Woe to him who gains an evil gain for his house.” Extorting money — which is evil for him and for his household — in order to build himself a house:
"To set up in the heights his nest." As it is written in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 4:27): "Is this not the great Babylon that I have built as a royal residence, by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?" And at the moment that this word left his mouth, he was driven away from human society, as it is stated (ibid.): "The word was still in the king's mouth."
Radak
“Woe to him who gains an evil gain for his house.” Woe to Nebuchadnezzar, who was amassing evil wealth and plundering the nations for the sake of his house, namely, to build his house in a beautiful and strong manner.
"To set up in the heights their nest. For he built a strong and lofty tower:"
To save himself from the hand of the wicked. For he planned to save himself by it, in case the nations should rise against him, who were seeking his harm. And he was destroying the cities of the peoples, and they brought the timber and the stones to Babylon to build the city and his house. And likewise he boasted in his walking within his palace, as it is written in the Book of Daniel: “After twelve months had passed, while he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, ‘Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?’”
Metzudat David
“Woe to him who gains.” Woe to the one who gains and extorts unjust gain, which is evil for his household; for because of the unjust gain his house and his offspring will be cut off:
"To set his nest in the lofty heights." This means that the oppressor intended to build fortresses to serve as his refuge, as if he had established his dwelling in the lofty heavens, so as to be protected there from the hand of the enemy who comes to harm him.
Metzudat Zion
“Batsa.” A matter of robbery; and likewise, “for the iniquity of his covetousness” (Isaiah 57:17).
In the heights. In the lofty heavens:
"Acquire." [It means] his dwelling place. And similarly, [it says], "Among the stars, set your nest" (Obadiah 1:4).
Malbim
“Woe to him who gains unjust gain,” meaning: If so, is not the robbery that he commits evil for his household? For by means of it his house and his kingdom will be destroyed. And he explains that because he desires to place his nest in the heights, to fortify the kingdom of Babylon and to enlarge it above all the kingdoms of the land, and because he desires to save himself from the hand of evil, so that no one should rule over him and take his kingdom from his hand.
You have devised shame to your house, By cutting off many peoples, And have forfeited your life.
verse value 3222
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. Verse gematria: 3222 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "shame" (בֹּ֖שֶׁת, 3 letters) and the longest is "cutting·off·peoples" (קְצוֹת־עַמִּ֥ים, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "you·advised" (יָעַ֥צְתָּ), "shame" (בֹּ֖שֶׁת), "to·your·house" (לְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ). 7 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·your·house', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: יָעַ֥צְתָּ [you·advised] (570) + בֹּ֖שֶׁת [shame] (702) + לְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ [to·your·house] (462) + קְצוֹת־עַמִּ֥ים [cutting·off·peoples] (756) + רַבִּ֖ים [many] (252) + וְחוֹטֵ֥א [and·sinner] (30) + נַפְשֶֽׁךָ [your·soul] (450) = 3222.
Rashi
“You have counseled shame for your house.” In that you counseled to cut off many peoples, you have ruined yourself:
Ktzot. A term denoting scraping and peeling, as in "to scrape the house" (Leviticus 14:43).
"And you shall sin against your soul." This is akin to [the verse in] Proverbs 20:2, "He who is angry sins against his soul," meaning he sins to the detriment of his soul. In the vernacular, this is expressed as "porfeyt sharmah."
Radak
“[You] have devised shame for your house.” Regarding this matter of building with stolen property, you have devised shame, for when the enemies come and demolish the structure, it will be a source of shame for you and for your descendants at that time.
“Ktzot amim rabbim ve-choteh nefesh-kha.” This means that you were cutting down and felling many nations to build your structure, and you were sinning against your own soul. Similarly, the verse states, “ve-mit’aberu choteh nefesho” – he sins against his own soul. The word “Ktzot” derives from the light form (kal) of the root, whereas “mekitze” (as in “mekitze raglayim”) derives from the heavy form (dagesh).
Metzudat David
“You have counseled shame for your house.” Just as you counseled to plunder wealth in order to build fortresses, so this will be a source of shame for your house, for thereby your seed will be destroyed from the world. And behold, you have afflicted many non-Jews, and your own soul you have sinned against, meaning here: you have pained all the non-Jews, and your own soul you have diminished.
Metzudat Zion
Ketzot. The matter of cutting and severing, as in “and you shall cut off her hand” (Deuteronomy 25:12):
“And forfeiting.” The connotation of lack and loss, as in “and I and my son Solomon shall be reckoned offenders” (I Kings 1:21):
Malbim
“Yaatzt” — You devised a plan, for this purpose: to set your nest on high. “Yaatzt” — You devised a plan of shame for your house. And what is the plan? “Yaatzt” — You devised a plan against the ends of many nations and against a sinner. You devised a plan to cut off and destroy many nations, and also to cut off with them one sinner. And who is the sinner? Your own soul! For your soul too will be cut off with them, and you too will be destroyed.
For the stone shall cry out of the wall, And the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
verse value 1571
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "from·the·tree·of" (מֵעֵ֥ץ, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·stone" (כִּי־אֶ֖בֶן, 5 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "for·stone" (כִּי־אֶ֖בֶן), "from·wall-of" (מִקִּ֣יר), "will·cry" (תִּזְעָ֑ק). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·cry', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּי־אֶ֖בֶן [for·stone] (83) + מִקִּ֣יר [from·wall-of] (350) + תִּזְעָ֑ק [will·cry] (577) + וְכָפִ֖יס [and·rafter] (176) + מֵעֵ֥ץ [from·the·tree·of] (200) + יַעֲנֶֽנָּה [let·him·answer·it] (185) = 1571.
Rashi
"Ki, etc." For the stones that you have stolen will cry out from the wall.
“And a beam of wood shall answer it.” [It answers] to the stone with a voice, opposite it — both of them cry out:
“And a beam of wood shall answer it.” Targum Yonatan: “ve-shifa mi-go merisha” (and a chip from within the beam). “Shifa” is an expression of a wood-chip (kisam) — “shefa’in” in the language of the Sages; doleüres in Old French. “Merish” (Aramaic) is the beam:
Radak
"For a stone from the wall will cry out." He said this by way of parable, meaning that your building is so well-known and exposed to all as being from stolen property that even the stone will cry out from the wall in which it is built, saying, "I am stolen property."
“And a beam of wood shall answer it.” And the beam from the wood answers the stone: “I too am [built] from robbery”:
"Ye'annena" – meaning, He will answer her. "Kafis" is a term for the timber framework of houses, and this timber framework is also called "kafis." Its explanation is that it is made of wood, as indicated by the phrase "from the wall," for just as the stone cries out from the wall, which is a structure of stones, so too does the timber framework cry out from the roof structure, which is a structure of wood. Jonathan rendered it in the Targum as "ve-shifa min gu marisha," meaning a piece from the beam. "Shifa" is like the term used for an idol, where "shifa" refers to a portion of the idol, and its portions are forbidden. "Marish" is a beam, as in the phrase "al ha-marish" found in the description of the building of the fortress.
Metzudat David
"for every stone" – Every stone will cry out, saying, "I am stolen property in the hands of the builder," and the beams of wood will answer the stone and say, "I too am stolen property." This is a matter of rhetorical expression.
Metzudat Zion
Mikir. From a wall (kotel):
And “kaphis.” Thus is called a piece of wood from the beam, and it has no equivalent [elsewhere in Scripture]. And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory: “gvil, gazit, kefisin” [rough stone, hewn stone, kefisin] (Bava Batra 2a). However, there it is said of the bricks, and it is possible that it was their custom to set wood as well in such a building, and our Sages called it by the name of the wood:
“Ye’anneha.” It is derived from the words “anah” (answering) and “teshuvah” (response):
Malbim
(11-12) “For a stone will cry out from the wall” — this refers to “Woe to him who builds a city with blood.” That is to say, every single stone that you placed in the wall of the building of Babylon will cry out from the wall and say, “Woe to him who builds a city with blood,” meaning that you built the city of Babylon with the blood that you shed. The statements are parallel: “For a stone will cry out from the wall” corresponds to “Woe to him who builds a city with blood,” and “and a beam will answer from the wood” corresponds to “Woe to him who founds a town with iniquity.” Initially, they build the city with a structure of stones, and then every stone will cry out, “Woe to him who builds the structure with the blood that he shed.” Afterwards, they establish the town, which is the roof of the building that they place at the completion of the construction above, which is made of wood. Then the beam will answer the stone from the wood with which they cover the roofing, and it will say, “Woe to him who founds a town with iniquity,” meaning that even the completion of the building, although by then he had already ceased shedding blood because he had already subdued all the nations, nevertheless he founded it with iniquity, namely robbery and cruelty.
Woe to him that builds a town with blood, And establishes a city by iniquity!
verse value 1014
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 28 letters. Verse gematria: 1014 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "ah!" (ה֛וֹי, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·blood" (בְּדָמִ֑ים, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "building" (בֹּנֶ֥ה), "city" (עִ֖יר), "in·blood" (בְּדָמִ֑ים). 7 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·blood', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: ה֛וֹי [ah!] (21) + בֹּנֶ֥ה [building] (57) + עִ֖יר [city] (280) + בְּדָמִ֑ים [in·blood] (96) + וְכוֹנֵ֥ן [and·apply·yourself] (132) + קִרְיָ֖ה [city] (315) + בְּעַוְלָֽה [by·iniquity] (113) = 1014.
Radak
“Woe to him who builds.” The matter is explained above, at the first “Hoy” (Woe):
Metzudat David
“Woe to him who builds, etc.” Now he comes to state the vision spoken concerning the end of the redemption and the downfall of the one who destroyed the Temple. He says: Woe to the one who builds a city with blood — for he murdered a soul and inherited wealth and built a great metropolis, etc.:
"And He established..." And the matter is repeated in what is stated:
Metzudat Zion
“With blood.” – By the shedding of blood:
And He established. The term denotes preparation:
Behold, is it not of Hashem of hosts That the peoples labour for the fire, And the nations weary themselves for vanity?
verse value 2269
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "they" (הִנֵּ֔ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·will·toil" (וְיִֽיגְע֤וּ, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "from" (מֵאֵ֖ת), "hosts" (צְבָא֑וֹת), "and·they·will·toil" (וְיִֽיגְע֤וּ). 11 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hosts', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: הֲל֣וֹא [not] (42) + הִנֵּ֔ה [they] (60) + מֵאֵ֖ת [from] (441) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֑וֹת [hosts] (499) + וְיִֽיגְע֤וּ [and·they·will·toil] (105) + עַמִּים֙ [peoples] (160) + בְּדֵי־אֵ֔שׁ [in·enough·of·fire] (317) + וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים [and·peoples] (127) + בְּדֵי־רִ֥יק [in·enough·of·emptiness] (326) + יִעָֽפוּ [they·weary·themselves] (166) = 2269.
Rashi
“Is it not from the Lord?” The retribution has been fully executed upon the doers of evil.
“And the peoples weary themselves for fire.” When His wrath comes upon them like fire, until it is enough for them (until they have their fill). “Bdei esh” — [rendered by] the Old French for “enough” (asez):
Radak
“Is it not, behold, from the Lord of Hosts?” If we interpret this verse and the one following it in accordance with the subject matter of the passage, which concerns Nebuchadnezzar, its meaning would be as follows: “Is it not, behold, [it comes] from the Lord of Hosts.” the nations will labor for fire; the nations that were allied with Nebuchadnezzar and his descendants—namely, the Chaldeans and those who attached themselves to them—will recognize that their striving ultimately leads to fire and destruction. This will occur when the armies of Media and Persia come against them, destroying and demolishing them, and razing the structures in which they toiled and to which they brought the spoils of the nations to Babylon. Then they will know and understand that their labor was for fire, for destruction, and for futility, as Jeremiah stated: “The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire.” He repeated this idea using different words, saying, “And the nations shall labor for nothing but vanity.”
Metzudat David
“From the Lord.” He will receive his recompense, and it will not be by chance.
"And the nations shall be weary." The Babylonians were weary with much fire; that is to say, whatever they exerted themselves to strengthen, their ultimate end was to become fuel for fire.
“And peoples.” Those peoples will weary themselves in much emptiness; that is, all that they strive with toil and weariness to endure and grow strong will be for naught, for there is no wisdom or might against the LORD:
Metzudat Zion
“Bdei esh.” In abundance of fire. And likewise “bdei rik” (in abundance of emptiness), and like “bdei shofar” — “he says ‘Aha!’” (Job 39:25):
Malbim
“Is it not from the Lord?” The beam will announce from the wood that the decree has gone forth from the Lord to recompense the doer of evil according to his evil, and the nations will labor with sticks of fire, which will ignite a fire in the roof of the city and in the wood placed there as a burnt offering, and all the nations will strive to extinguish the fire but will not be able. And the stone will announce from the wall that for the nations, their sticks will fly in vain, for afterward they will destroy the very structure of the wall of stones, and the nations will strive to save the building, but it will be in vain. And similarly it is stated (Jeremiah 51:58): “The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire,” and “the peoples shall labor for emptiness” (meaning to save the wall), and “the nations shall weary themselves for fire” (meaning to save the gates and the wooden roof).
For the earth shall be filled With the knowledge of the glory of Hashem, As the waters cover the sea.
verse value 2116
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 2116 = 46². The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "glory" (אֶת־כְּב֣וֹד, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "it·shall·be·accomplished" (תִּמָּלֵ֣א), "to·know" (לָדַ֖עַת), "glory" (אֶת־כְּב֣וֹד). 9 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root ארץ ("the·land") in Habakkuk. First appearance of the root כבוד ("glory") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: כִּ֚י [for] (30) + תִּמָּלֵ֣א [it·shall·be·accomplished] (471) + הָאָ֔רֶץ [the·land] (296) + לָדַ֖עַת [to·know] (504) + אֶת־כְּב֣וֹד [glory] (433) + יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + כַּמַּ֖יִם [as·the·water] (110) + יְכַסּ֥וּ [cover] (96) + עַל־יָֽם [upon·sea] (150) = 2116.
Radak
"When the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord." And the explanation is: when all will recognize and know that this vengeance was from the Name—vengeance for the Lord’s people and vengeance for His Temple. For Nebuchadnezzar, He brought a wondrous thing: he was driven away from humanity while the matter was still in his mouth, as he was boasting, as it is written, "The word was still in the king's mouth," etc. And also for Belshazzar, his grandson, He brought a great sign in that which was written on the wall of the palace, and in that night Belshazzar the king was slain. And Cyrus the Mede said: After I conquered Babylon and all the kingdoms of the earth, the Lord, the God of heaven, gave it to me. Behold, all the nations praised the blessed God at that time, and they recognized that all the evil that came upon Babylon was from the Lord. By this matter, all knew very much the Glory of the Lord, "as waters cover the sea." They knew truly that God watches over the deeds of human beings to give to each person according to his ways.
"וייגעו" – written with two yods; and in Jeremiah, it is written with a single yod, and it is a standing form, and the yod of the root is omitted from the writing.
“Bdei esh, bdei rik” (for fire, for emptiness). And Jeremiah’s [order is] “bdei rik, bdei esh”; and they are like “ba-esh, ba-rik” (in fire, in emptiness). The word “di” is added to them, indicating the continuation and magnification of the matter; and likewise “bdei shofar,” “bdei arbeh la-rov” (as locusts in multitude):
"Ye'afu." With the yod of the imperfect-prefix group (אית"ן) alone, and the yod of the root is elided from the spelling. [This refers to the verse] in Jeremiah, "ve'ya'afu." This interpretation appears appropriate according to the context of the passage and according to what is written in the book of Jeremiah, for there too he mentioned the destruction of Babylon with this verse that we cited above, as it says, "Thus says the Lord: The wall of Babylon..." and so on, "and peoples shall toil in vain, and nations in fire, and they shall be exhausted." However, regarding the subsequent verse, "for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord," although we interpreted it in connection with this [matter], it seems more likely that its meaning pertains to the future, in the days of the Messiah, as stated in the prophecy of Isaiah: "for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," and this is in the days of the Messiah, as is the theme of the passage. And similarly, Jeremiah said in his prophecy: "for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them." According to this interpretation, the meaning of the preceding verse, "Yes, behold, from the Lord of Hosts He has spoken," is as follows: Even though the people of this generation will see the Lord’s vengeance upon Babylon, they will yet see something greater than this in the future, from the Lord of Hosts, namely, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will exact vengeance from all the nations that will come with Gog and Magog against Jerusalem. Then their toil will be for fire and for nothing, as is written in the prophecy of Ezekiel and in the prophecy of Zechariah. And the Targum [translates]: "Behold, strong ones shall be exhausted," etc.
Metzudat David
“For it shall be filled.” This means: because the children of Israel, the people of that land, will then be filled with knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. The place of the waters is called “sea,” and it is the waters that fill the place and cover it; and he said that likewise they will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD:
Malbim
"When the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord," and this came about through the desecration of the vessels of the Temple and through the writing that the angel wrote on the wall, and later informed him through Daniel that the Lord was angry with him because he had desecrated His holy vessels and praised the gods of silver and gold. And as a result, Belshazzar was killed and Babylon was conquered. And through this, the glory of the Lord, His strength, His might, and His providence became known to all the nations. This is what it says: "When the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea," for this matter was publicized to the kings of Media and Persia, who were then besieging the city of Babylon, and they proclaimed to all the nations the glory of the LORD and His might.
Woe to him that gives his neighbour drink, That put your venom thereto, and make him drunken also, That you may look on their nakedness!
verse value 2697
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 42 letters. Notable word values: "to·look" (הַבִּ֖יט) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "ah!" (ה֚וֹי, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·their·nakedness" (עַל־מְעוֹרֵיהֶֽם, 9 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "irrigation" (מַשְׁקֵ֣ה), "his·neighbor" (רֵעֵ֔הוּ), "who·mixes·in" (מְסַפֵּ֥חַ). 10 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'make·drunk', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: ה֚וֹי [ah!] (21) + מַשְׁקֵ֣ה [irrigation] (445) + רֵעֵ֔הוּ [his·neighbor] (281) + מְסַפֵּ֥חַ [who·mixes·in] (188) + חֲמָתְךָ֖ [Your·wrath] (468) + וְאַ֣ף [and·also] (87) + שַׁכֵּ֑ר [make·drunk] (520) + לְמַ֥עַן [purpose] (190) + הַבִּ֖יט [to·look] (26) + עַל־מְעוֹרֵיהֶֽם [upon·their·nakedness] (471) = 2697.
Rashi
"Who gives his friend drink": This refers to wine, and through that very act of giving drink, he attaches himself to him and gathers his anger upon him, and even intoxicates him in his anger. All of this he does in order to gaze upon their nakedness, their exposed parts, and to see their nakedness. This is similar to Nebuchadnezzar, who used to give kings wine and intoxicate them, and then lie with them in the manner of a woman, as we say in Tractate Shabbat. Another interpretation: "Who gives his friend drink" — in Seder Olam, they expound this in reference to Belshazzar, who gave drink to the princes in the vessels of the Temple, and through them they became attached and were intoxicated by the anger of the Holy One, blessed be He, and on that very night he was killed.
“Upon their skins.” To expose their disgrace, and let their enemies see their nakedness.
Radak
He would cause his companion to drink. Nebuchadnezzar would drink and become intoxicated, as we have written above regarding the verse “and moreover, wine is a betrayer.” He would cause the kings of the nations, who were exiles and were held in prison cells within his house, to drink with him. He would release them at the times when he desired to drink and become intoxicated, so that they would become intoxicated with him. His companion, like his companions—hence the term “his companions.” And likewise, in the prayer of Magen Giborim, when he prayed on behalf of his companion, he called them “his companions” because they were kings like him.
“Of the heat of Your anger.” And He would attach to them the heat of wine, so that they would drink continually and become drunk. This is what is meant by “and even intoxicating drink.” And He would also force them to become intoxicated against their will, even if they did not wish to, in order to mock and deride them. This is what is meant by “that they may look upon their nakedness,” namely, that they would become drunk and expose themselves, as it is stated concerning Noah: “And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.”
“From their skins.” Just as “their nakedness” [is understood], even though they are two different roots. And so too, from the root [of] “their skins,” the simple form is “skin,” whereas the piel form [conveys the idea of] attachment, like “join me, I pray” (1 Samuel 2:36), “under the nettles they are gathered (Job 30:7).”
“Your fury.” Like [the phrase] “and the water was spent from the waterskin” (Genesis 21:15). But it is not according to its [literal] measure, rather it is according to the measure of “the fury of wine”. And the wise man Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra, of blessed memory, explained this verse by way of an allegory: “He gives his friend a cup of poison, and you make them drunk with your fury.” And the explanation of “your fury” is like “a waterskin of water,” as I have explained. And it is more correct to explain “your fury” according to its plain meaning, from [the words] “anger” and “wrath,” and he said this in the manner of [the verse] “and I will make them drunk with My wrath” (Isaiah 63:6).
“For the purpose of looking.” So that the disgrace of the wicked may be seen by all, and it is revealed and established that the correct interpretation is that the verse is an allegory, because it states, “The cup of the Lord’s right hand shall turn upon you.”
Metzudat David
“Woe to him who gives his fellow drink.” Woe to the Babylonians, who did evil to Israel:
“His fellow.” For at first he joined with him in love and friendship, and afterward rose up against him to destroy him, and made him drink the wine of poison — out of the gathering and accumulation of the wrath he had held against him all along. “And also made him drunk” — meaning he greatly [sought] to harm him and confused his mind like a drunkard in his drunkenness:
“For the sake of, etc.” This means that the intent was not for his benefit, to inherit their land, but rather so that he would gaze upon their nakedness and disgrace, due to his hatred of them.
Metzudat Zion
“Maspeach.” The matter of gathering and joining, as in “under the nettles they are gathered together” (ibid. 30):
"Your wrath." The word is derived from the root meaning "anger" and "wrath."
"From their nakedness." This is the same root as "nakedness" (galuy arva), as in "And I will show the nations their nakedness" (Nahum 3:5). It connotes disgrace and humiliation.
Malbim
Alas, now the main body of the event is recounted, how their punishment came about because they drank wine from the vessels of the Holy Temple. It says, “Alas, you who make your neighbor drunk,” meaning that Belshazzar made his companions, who were his officials, drunk from the vessels of the Sanctuary. “Attached to your wrath”—this is clarified according to what is written (in Jeremiah 51:39), “In their heat I will set their feasts, and I have intoxicated them, that they may rejoice and sleep an eternal sleep.” When they began to drink from the vessels of the Sanctuary, the Lord placed great heat upon them, so that they became exceedingly heated; afterward, they became intoxicated until they slept in an eternal slumber, and they did not hear of the killing of Belshazzar or of the entry of the army of Persia and Media. The army killed them while they were asleep, and they never awoke again. This is what is meant by “in that you made your officials drunk”: they became attached and joined to your wrath and your heat. Through this, the heat of the feast increased and multiplied, and they became exceedingly intoxicated, to the point that they looked at their bellies until they vomited the wine due to the excess of intoxication, and all saw their vomit.
You are filled with shame instead of glory, Drink you also, and be uncovered; The cup of Hashem’S right hand shall be turned to you, And filthiness shall be upon your glory.
verse value 3769
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "cup" (כּ֚וֹס) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "drink" (שְׁתֵ֥ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·disgrace" (וְקִיקָל֖וֹן, 7 letters). 12 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "seven" (שָׂבַ֤עְתָּ), "shame" (קָלוֹן֙), "from·glory" (מִכָּב֔וֹד). The root כבוד appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·be·remained·uncircumcised', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: שָׂבַ֤עְתָּ [seven] (772) + קָלוֹן֙ [shame] (186) + מִכָּב֔וֹד [from·glory] (72) + שְׁתֵ֥ה [drink] (705) + גַם־אַ֖תָּה [also·you] (449) + וְהֵעָרֵ֑ל [and·be·remained·uncircumcised] (311) + תִּסּ֣וֹב [turns] (468) + עָלֶ֗יךָ [upon·you] (130) + כּ֚וֹס [cup] (86) + יְמִ֣ין [right] (110) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + וְקִיקָל֖וֹן [and·disgrace] (302) + עַל־כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ [upon·your·glory] (152) = 3769.
Rashi
“And be dulled (ve-he’arel).” The letter heh functions in this word in the hitpael (reflexive) form, as in (Deuteronomy 32:50) “be gathered unto your people”; so here, “he’arel” means “become stopped up with desolation and astonishment of heart.” Every [expression of] “orlah” denotes stopping-up, as in “their ear is dull” (Jeremiah 6:10), “uncircumcised of heart and uncircumcised of flesh” (Ezekiel 44:7). And Targum Yonatan renders it “ve-it’artal” (and be stripped bare), an expression of “naked and bare” (ibid.):
Radak
“You are sated with disgrace.” You are sated with the disgrace of the kings of the nations, that is to say: you filled the desire of your soul to humiliate the nobles of the land, and you loved disgrace more than honor.
“Drink also you.” “You too shall drink, like them, so that you will be made contemptible in the eyes of all”—meaning, in that same cup of disgrace with which you made them drunk, you too shall drink. And indeed, Nebuchadnezzar was made contemptible in his lifetime, when he was driven from among human beings and dwelled among the beasts; and also in his death, when he was cast out from his grave. And this is [the meaning of] “and the uncircumcised shall see their uncircumcision”: just as you made the kings contemptible by making them drink their wine, so shall you see their uncircumcision. And by way of the allegory that we have written above, it is that “and the uncircumcised” is the opposite of “and the uncircumcised,” like “the cup of staggering,” as it is said, “The cup of the Lord’s right hand shall turn upon you, a cup of staggering,” which you caused to turn upon all the nations by making them drink through your hand; after you have made them drunk, the cup shall turn upon you to make you drink, as it is written in the Book of Jeremiah: “Take the cup of this wine” etc.
“And kikalon upon your glory.” Kikalon will come upon you, upon your glory. “Kikalon” is a compound word from “ki” (vomit) and “kalon” (disgrace), meaning the vomit of disgrace. He mentioned vomit because he mentioned drunkenness, and a drunkard vomits — and so it says, “as a drunkard staggers in his vomit” (Isaiah 19:14). And Targum Yonatan [renders] “ve-he’arel” as “ve-it’artal,” meaning “naked”; and so it translates “arom” (naked) as “artila”:
Metzudat David
“You are sated, etc.” This means that you would have derived greater pleasure and satisfaction from the disgrace that came upon him than you would have derived from the honor of victory in battle.
“Drink.” Therefore you too shall drink the cup of poison, and shall become dull, with a blocked heart and confusion of mind:
“Let it turn, etc.” – “From the right hand of the Lord, it shall turn against you, the cup of wrath”: this means that the Omnipresent will wage war against you.
“And vomiting and disgrace upon your honor.” Upon the honor in which you [now stand] there shall come vomit and disgrace; that is, you shall be made loathsome with vomit and covered with disgrace. And since he compared the calamity to the drinking of wine, he used the term “vomit,” for it is the way of a drunkard to vomit:
Metzudat Zion
And the uncircumcised. The meaning of "stopping up" and "stopping" is like [the phrase] "the foreskin of their ear" (Jeremiah 6:10).
And “kikalon.” [It is] like “ki kalon” (vomit [and] disgrace); and “ki” is from the expression of vomiting (haka’ah), being the food that returns by way of the mouth:
Malbim
“You are sated with disgrace rather than honor,” He says to him: “You, Belshazzar, have sated yourself with a contemptible thing rather than an honored thing; that is to say, you treated the honored vessels of the House of the Lord as weighty, while drinking wine—which is a light and despised act—was considered lesser. For the purpose of their drinking wine from these vessels was precisely to desecrate them, since drinking wine is a path of disgrace, more so than drinking water, as explained in the commentary on Daniel regarding the verse ‘they drank wine.’ Therefore, you too, you uncircumcised one, shall drink the cup of intoxication; the Lord will make you drink the cup of poison. And it explains: From where shall he drink this poison? ‘The cup of the right hand of the Lord’—the cup of intoxication—shall turn upon you from the right hand of the Lord. This refers to the right hand of the angel, the hand that wrote on the wall above the king: ‘Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.’ From the right hand of the Lord, which inscribed these words upon you, shall you drink the cup of intoxication. And ‘disgrace’ (kikalon) upon your honor: in place of your having drunk disgrace from the honor of the Lord and the vessels of the Sanctuary, comes vomiting and disgrace upon your honor.”
For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover you, And the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; Because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, To the city and to all that dwell therein.
verse value 2871
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·violence·of·land" (וַחֲמַס־אֶ֔רֶץ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "Lebanon" (לְבָנוֹן֙), "will·cover·you" (יְכַסֶּ֔ךָּ), "beast" (בְּהֵמ֖וֹת). The root חמס appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·terrify·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + חֲמַ֤ס [violence·of] (108) + לְבָנוֹן֙ [Lebanon] (138) + יְכַסֶּ֔ךָּ [will·cover·you] (110) + וְשֹׁ֥ד [and·destruction·of] (310) + בְּהֵמ֖וֹת [beast] (453) + יְחִיתַ֑ן [will·terrify·them] (478) + מִדְּמֵ֤י [from·blood·of] (94) + אָדָם֙ [man] (45) + וַחֲמַס־אֶ֔רֶץ [and·violence·of·land] (405) + קִרְיָ֖ה [city] (315) + וְכׇל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי [and·all·dwellers·of] (378) + בָֽהּ [in·it] (7) = 2871.
Rashi
“Robbery of Lebanon.” [This refers to] the Holy Temple.
“And the destruction of beasts shall shatter them.” The destruction of your beasts and your hordes, who plundered My people Israel — He shall shatter them:
“Like the blood of a person.” This refers to the violence done to the blood of Israel.
“And the violence of the land.” The Land of Israel:
A city. Jerusalem:
Radak
"For the violence against Lebanon shall cover you." The explanation is: the violence that you committed against Lebanon, which is the Land of Israel, as it says, "This good mountain and Lebanon"—that very violence shall cover you and destroy you, so that you shall see it no more.
"And the spoil of the beasts shall spoil them." Similarly, the plunder that you have done to those dwelling in it shall cover you. And after he compared the land to Lebanon, he compared those dwelling in it to beasts, whose way it is to dwell in Lebanon, which is a forest of trees, as it says, "And Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering" (Hosea 10:4). The violence of the land is the destruction of cities and houses, and the ruin of fruit trees and others, and the spoil of the beasts is a metaphor for the people dwelling in it, namely their blood which he shed. And similarly, later on, it says, "For the blood of man and the violence of the land, the city and all who dwell in it." And it has already been explained that "the city" refers to Jerusalem. And Rabbi Yonah explained: Thus it says to the king of Babylonia: The violence that you have done to Lebanon, which is the Land of Israel, shall cover you; that is to say, your wrath shall return upon your head. After you have done many evils, in the end they shall return and fall upon your head. For so it is: "The spoil of the beasts shall spoil them." For the spoil that the beasts make in their hunting, over many days, in the end, at one time, many people shall gather against them and cut them down and kill them. So too, you: all the violence that you have done over many years shall return upon you at one time, all of it, and shall cover you. And the Targum [translates]: "Lebanon, the House of his Sanctuary." And so Onkelos translated: "This good mountain and Lebanon and the House of his Sanctuary shall spoil them." Its root is *chit*, with the *yod* in place of the doubling, or perhaps its root is *chat*, and there are two roots with one meaning.
Metzudat David
"For the violence against Lebanon." The violence that you committed against Lebanon, which is the Land of Israel, this very violence will cover you and return upon your head.
And the plunder of beasts. The plunder that you have done to the beasts, and it is said concerning Israel. And since He compared the Land of Israel to the Forest of Lebanon, He compared people to the beasts found in the forest, and said: This plunder will break them, meaning: upon them will come plunder, like the plunder that was done to Israel.
“Blood of man.” All of this will come about because of the blood of man that he shed, namely the blood of Israel.
"And the violence of the land." [This is] due to the violence that was committed in the Land of Israel, and "the city" refers to Jerusalem and all the people dwelling therein.
Metzudat Zion
Lebanon. Thus is the Land of Israel called, as it is stated: “This good mountain, and Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25).
And “shod.” From the expression of *shdidah* (plunder) and *oshek* (extortion):
Yechitan. From the expression *chatat* (terror) and *shever* (breaking), and similarly, “and your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed” (Obadiah 1:9):
Malbim
For the violence against Lebanon shall cover you: the violence that you committed against Lebanon, which is the Holy Temple, namely, that you desecrated the vessels of the Temple—this very violence shall cover you with disgrace. And the plunder of the beasts shall terrify them: the structure of the verse is, "and the plunder of the beasts shall terrify them—the city and all its inhabitants—because of the blood of man and the violence against the land." Since he called the Holy Temple by the name of Lebanon, he depicted it in his rhetoric as the forest of Lebanon, as if the forest of Lebanon sent forth the predatory beasts found within it, and the plunder of the beasts of Lebanon shall terrify the city and all its inhabitants, for they devoured the city of Babylon and its inhabitants. Similarly, Jeremiah depicted the downfall of Babylon in this style: "Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to the enduring pasture" (Jeremiah 50:44). He likened the armies of Persia and Media to lions that came from the Land of Israel and the pride of the Jordan to avenge the vengeance of the Land of Israel; and he likened Babylon to sheep ("Surely the young of the flock shall drag them away"), and said that this shall be the blood of man that they shed and the violence against the land that they destroyed. He also used the term "beasts" there to allude to the beasts that were also in the metaphorical Lebanon, that is, the Holy Temple—namely, the sacrifices that were offered there, whose blood was placed in the vessels that he has now desecrated. And it is as if these beasts stirred themselves up and brought plunder and terror upon the city of Babylon.
What profits the graven image, That the maker thereof has graven it, Even the molten image, and the teacher of lies; That the maker of his work trusts therein, To make dumb idols?
verse value 3649
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 64 letters. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "what·profits" (מָה־הוֹעִ֣יל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 306: its·maker, his·form. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "what·profits" (מָה־הוֹעִ֣יל), "idol" (פֶּ֗סֶל), "carved·it" (פְסָלוֹ֙). The root יצר appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root יצר ("its·maker") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lie', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 8 words.
Rashi
What benefit has it brought? To Babylonia, an idol:
“For he trusts.” The man, the fashioner and the maker of this god of his:
“Upon it.” Upon this creation of his he trusts, that it will help him — [he] who came to make mute idols:
Radak
What benefit did the idol bring? What benefit did his idol bring to the king of Babylon, who boasted in it and attributed power to his god? What benefit did it bring him on the day it was broken? And so it is stated in the prophecy of Isaiah: "Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops."
For he fashioned it as an idol. What benefit was there in the artisan who fashioned and carved it?
A molten image and a teacher of falsehood. And what benefit did the idol also derive from the libation poured over it, and what benefit did the idol derive from the false oracle that teaches falsehood to its worshipper?
“For the maker trusts in his handiwork.” The explanation: what benefit will the maker who formed it find in it, since he trusted in it? For he trusted in his formed-thing — that is, in the work of his own hands. The made-object is called “yetzer,” and the maker is called “yotzer”; and likewise, “and the formed-thing says of its maker, ‘He does not understand’”:
Idols are mute. They do not answer those who call upon them.
Metzudat David
“What has the idol availed?” If all these [punishments] come upon him, what then has the idol availed him — the idol that the craftsman carved and made, its fashioner and finisher?:
“A molten image.” And likewise, what has the molten image availed? And likewise the teacher of falsehood — he is the priest of the idol, who teaches the ways of its worship:
“For he trusted.” In that the craftsman trusted — even this very craftsman who made it would trust in an idol, the work of his own hands, [expecting] it to suffice him to make mute idols in which there is no speech; that is, the craftsman who works at it and trusts in it — what benefit did he find in it?:
Metzudat Zion
He benefited. The word derives from the term "benefit":
“That he hewed it.” The matter of smoothing and evening the form. And similarly, “and Solomon’s builders hewed them” (I Kings 5):
יוצרו. The word is derived from יצירה, and it means that he repairs it and makes it.
Masekhah. A form cast from metal:
And “moreh” (a teacher). The matter of teaching, as in “whom shall one teach knowledge?” (Isaiah 28:9):
Idols. The word is derived from "El" (God) and "lo" (not) — meaning, a thing of no use.
"Elamim." The word is derived from "alem," meaning mute.
Malbim
What benefit did the idol bring? Based on this, he refutes them regarding their praise of the gods of silver and gold, as Daniel said to him: “Have you exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and have they placed before you the vessels of His house? And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze and iron, which do not see, hear, or know. But you have not honored the God in whose hand is your breath.” He says: “See now what benefit the idol has brought you, which you praised, that it prevailed over the Most High God? Did it thus save you from His hand?” And he elucidates the disgrace of the idol from the perspective of matter, form, agent, and final cause. From the perspective of the agent, he says: “Its maker is its creator,” meaning the one who fashioned and carved it is a human being. From the perspective of matter, he says: “A molten image,” meaning its matter is of melted and poured metals. From the perspective of form, he says that it signifies falsehood. From the perspective of final cause, he says: “For the creator trusted in his creation to make dumb idols.” The parsing of the verse is: “For the creator trusted” (that which he trusted) is required of him. That is to say, just as the created thing trusted in the creator, so too the creator trusts in the created thing. The created thing trusted in the creator that he would make a dumb idol (for the creator could not do more than this, since he cannot place within it a living spirit and speech). And this very trust is what the maker trusts in the formed idol, to achieve from it that it be made a dumb idol. This is a figure for Belshazzar, who was killed, and the living spirit departed from him, and he lies like a mute stone, like the idol which he made and in which he trusted, that there is no living spirit within it. And he explains.
Woe to him that says to the wood: ‘Awake’, To the dumb stone: ‘Arise! ’ Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
verse value 3033
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 64 letters. The shortest word is "ah!" (ה֣וֹי, 3 letters) and the longest is "behold·he" (הִנֵּה־ה֗וּא, 6 letters). 13 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "to·the·tree" (לָעֵץ֙), "awake" (הָקִ֔יצָה), "awake" (ע֖וּרִי). 16 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root אין ("nothing") in Habakkuk. First appearance of the root קרב ("in·his·midst") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'dumb', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 9 words.
Rashi
He is instructing. In a tone of astonishment:
Radak
“Woe to him who says to the wood… dumam (dumb/silent).” It is a general adjective for masculine and feminine, like “reikam” (empty); and likewise “shevi dumam” (sit silent):
"He is a teacher." In a tone of astonishment, you are calling him: "How can you think that he will teach you what to do?"
"Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver." That is to say, it is overlaid and plated with gold and silver. The explanation is that it is not a flesh-and-blood being that can receive a spirit, for it is made of silver and gold; therefore, "and no spirit is within it." And the explanation of "and no spirit" is that there is no spirit of any kind within it, not even the spirit of an animal. Similarly, "you shall do no manner of work," "you shall eat no fat," and "you shall eat no blood," and things similar to them.
Metzudat David
“Woe to him who says, etc.” Woe to the one who says to the idol made of wood, “Awake from your sleep and hear me,” and to the silent stone says, “Arise!”:
"He teaches." And can he teach you anything? In a tone of wonder: Behold, he is adorned and arrayed with silver and gold, and he is pleasing to the eye; but within him there is no spirit, not even the vital spirit found in animals.
Metzudat Zion
Awake, arise. The word is from the root of awakening and arousing from sleep:
"Domm" (inanimate). It means "silenced," as in "And Aaron was silent" (Leviticus 10:3).
Yoreh. [It means] he teaches:
“Tafus” (overlaid). The matter of spreading and extending, as in “the plague spread” (Leviticus 13):
And every wind. Any wind, and similarly, "You shall do no manner of work" (Leviticus 23:3):
Malbim
“Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’” — “Wake up, O wood!”—the interpreter (melitz) depicts lofty imagery. He depicts the idolatrous Belshazzar, who was killed and lies as a mute corpse, devoid of the breath of life, and is clothed in garments of gold and silver, like the depiction of his idol, which is also a mute corpse adorned with gold and silver, with no breath of life within it. Until he depicts that the idol caused Belshazzar, who served it, to become like it, namely, a statue clothed in gold and silver, devoid of the breath of life. Based on this, he says: “Woe!” I call out to him who says, “Wake up, O wood”—meaning Belshazzar, who served the wooden and stone idol and called out to it in his prayer, that it might awaken from its slumber and hear his prayer. He indicates—namely, Belshazzar indicates, teaches, and clarifies—that the words I stated are true: that the maker attains from the idol what the idol attained from him, namely, that he became a mute idol from him. For behold, he (Belshazzar) is adorned with gold and silver, his corpse being clothed in them, and there is no breath within him, for his soul has departed. Thus, through the trust he placed in the idol, he became a mute idol like it.
But Hashem is in His holy temple; Let all the earth keep silence before Him.
verse value 1106
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 27 letters. The shortest word is "silence" (הַ֥ס, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·the·earth" (כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "and·Hashem" (וַיהֹוָ֖ה), "in·temple·of" (בְּהֵיכַ֣ל), "His·holiness" (קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·holiness', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיהֹוָ֖ה [and·Hashem] (32) + בְּהֵיכַ֣ל [in·temple·of] (67) + קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ [His·holiness] (410) + הַ֥ס [silence] (65) + מִפָּנָ֖יו [from·his·face] (186) + כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ [all·the·earth] (346) = 1106.
Rashi
"And the Lord is in His holy temple"—prepared to take vengeance.
“Be still before Him, all the earth.” The term *has* denotes a language of paralysis and the silence of desolation.
Radak
“And the Lord in His holy temple.” But this is not so of the Lord, for He is the One who gives spirit to all flesh; and even though He is in His holy temple, He is also the heavens.
“Be still before Him, all the earth.” Let all the inhabitants of the earth stand in awe before Him, for He is the One who oversees them and sees all their deeds, as it is stated: “The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man.”
Metzudat David
"And the Lord." But the Lord, even though He is in His holy sanctuary in the heavens above, nevertheless all the inhabitants of the earth are silent because of the awe of Him, for His hand is over all His dominion, and there is none who can speak against Him.
Metzudat Zion
“Has.” The matter of silence, as in “and Caleb stilled [the people]” (Numbers 13:30):
Malbim
"And the LORD..."—however, the Lord, who, whom you despised and whose holy Temple vessels you profaned, nevertheless remains in His holy Temple, which is the Temple itself, and He will execute judgment upon those who profaned the vessels of His Temple. "Let all the earth be silent before Him," for through this all will recognize the glory of the Lord and fear before Him, as it is stated (verse 14): "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord."
Rashi
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim