A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, upon Shigionoth: 'O Hashem, I have heard the report of You, and am afraid... in the midst of the years revive Your work; in wrath remember compassion' — God comes from Teman, His glory covers the heavens; sun and moon stand still at the light of Your arrows; 'You go forth for the salvation of Your people'; and though the fig-tree shall not blossom and the fields yield no food, 'yet I will rejoice in Hashem, I will exult in the God of my salvation — God, the Lord, is my strength.'
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. Upon Shigionoth.
verse value 1698
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "upon" (עַ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "of·Habakkuk" (לַחֲבַקּ֣וּק, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "prayer" (תְּפִלָּ֖ה), "of·Habakkuk" (לַחֲבַקּ֣וּק), "upon" (עַ֖ל). 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·prophet', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 2 words. Full calculation: תְּפִלָּ֖ה [prayer] (515) + לַחֲבַקּ֣וּק [of·Habakkuk] (246) + הַנָּבִ֑יא [the·prophet] (68) + עַ֖ל [upon] (100) + שִׁגְיֹנֽוֹת [Shigionoth] (769) = 1698.
Rashi
“Upon Shigionoth.” Some interpret it according to the Targum; and according to its plain sense: he sought mercy for himself because he had hurled words [against Heaven], as [he said] above (chapter 1): “therefore the Torah grows slack” and “and You make man like the fish of the sea” — he had complained against the Attribute of Justice:
Radak
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. This prayer is composed in the manner of a song from the Songs of Psalms; therefore he said “upon shigyonot,” like “a shigyon of David,” and he said “to the choir director, upon my stringed instruments,” and likewise he used in it the word “selah,” which is not written in the entire Scripture except in this prayer and in the Book of Psalms. The subject of the prayer concerns the affliction of Israel in this exile, and it recounts the miracles and mighty deeds that God performed for Israel from the day He redeemed them from Egypt. He prayed and said, by way of prophecy, that thus He will do for them in this exile, in their departure from the exile, and in the war of Gog and Magog. And the Sage Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, of blessed memory, explained that this prayer concerns a famine that was destined to occur, and his proof is from the phrase “in the midst of the years, revive it,” meaning in the midst of the years of the famine. Likewise, “the Lord was angry at the rivers” means because of the withholding of rain. “You will wake Your bow” refers to the rainbow that appears in the cloud on a rainy day. Likewise, “for You ride upon Your horses” means upon the clouds. And likewise, he said, “the fig tree shall not blossom.” The opinion of most commentators is on the matter that we mentioned, and likewise is the opinion of Jonathan, and he translated “shigyonot” as a matter of error, [meaning that] he prayed that the sins of Israel be counted before Him as errors.
Metzudat David
“Concerning transgressions.” This means that his prayer was because he had erred and complained against the Lord, and therefore he returned to pray before Him and to recount His praise.
Metzudat Zion
Shigayonot. From the term shigayah (error), and similarly, "Shigayon of David" (Psalms 7:1).
Malbim
“Prayer of Habakkuk.” This prayer is divided into three parts. (Part I, up to “Mount Paran” [Selah], verse 3): He prayed concerning the time of the exile, that the Lord should not hide His face from His people, and he concluded with the word “Selah.” (Part II, from “He covered the heavens with splendor” up to “the foundations of the earth were laid bare,” [Selah], verse 13): He prayed concerning God’s conduct during the time of the exile, and concerning the revelation of God at the time of the redemption, when He will go forth to save His people, and he concluded with the word “Selah.” (Part III, from verse 14 to the end of the section): He prayed concerning the time when Israel will be a prey, and concerning the birth pangs of the Messiah, and he indicated that the afflictions and troubles will be a sign of the redemption.
O Hashem, I have heard the report of You, and am afraid; O Hashem, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember compassion.
verse value 5153
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "womb" (רַחֵ֥ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "I·have·heard" (שָׁמַ֣עְתִּי, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 400: years, years. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "report" (שִׁמְעֲךָ֮), "I·was·afraid" (יָרֵ֒אתִי֒), "your·work" (פׇּֽעׇלְךָ֙). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root רגז ("in·noise·of") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'make·known', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Rashi
"I have heard your hearing. That from all eternity You always exact retribution from Your enemies, and this wicked one You endure:"
"I was afraid." I said: How has the attribute of justice changed due to the sin of Israel?
"Your work, in the midst of years, revive it." Your first deed, which was that You took vengeance for us against our enemies—in the midst of the years of distress in which we are immersed, revive it, that is to say, arouse it and restore it, and in these years make it known.
In anger. That you should be angry with the wicked:
"Have mercy, You shall remember." – "Have mercy" is akin to "to have mercy" (lirchem):
"Remember to have mercy on Israel."
Radak
"The Lord, I have heard Your report; I feared." I heard the voice of prophecy saying to me about the long exile that will be for Israel in the future, and I feared: how will they be able to endure for so many years among their enemies? Therefore, I pray before You and say:
Revive Your work in the midst of the years. Israel, who are Your work, whom You have wrought, as it is stated, “Concerning My children and concerning the work of My hands, you shall command Me” (Isaiah 45:11), and it says, “He made you and established you” (Deuteronomy 32:6).
He gave him life. He kept him alive during these long years of exile, so that he would not be destroyed among his enemies.
"In the midst of the years You shall make known." In the midst of these years, You shall make known Your word that You have decreed for them. And even this: though they are in the land of their enemies, You have not rejected them, nor have You abhorred them to destroy them, etc.
“Even in anger, You will remember mercy.” In the time of wrath and anger, which is the time of exile, You will remember for them the love of their forefathers, as it is stated, “And I will remember for them the covenant of the first ones.” Alternatively, “mercy” is one of the “mercies,” meaning: remember for them Your mercies, as it is stated, “Remember, O Lord, Your mercies and Your kindnesses, for they have been from of old.” And according to the method of midrashic interpretation, the word “mercy” (רחם) has the same gematria as “Abraham” (אברהם); this calculation is like that one, meaning: remember for them the covenant of Abraham.
Metzudat David
“I have heard Your report.” I heard what You said to me and caused my ear to hear concerning the exile and its length; and behold, I feared exceedingly:
“O LORD, Your work.” Therefore I beseech You, O LORD, that in the midst of these years they not perish; sustain Israel — who is called “the work of Your hands” — in life, as it is said, “concerning My sons and concerning the work of My hands” (Isaiah 45:11):
“In the midst of the years make [it] known.” In the midst of these years You shall make known that “in wrath You remember mercy” — meaning that even in the time of wrath and exile You will remember to have mercy upon them, as it is said, “Yet even this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I have not rejected them nor abhorred them to destroy them… and I will remember for them the covenant of the ancestors” (Leviticus 26:44–45):
Malbim
“Hashem, I have heard Your hearing” – this means that after I heard the report which You related to me, stating that “there is yet a vision for the appointed time; it will speak and not lie; if it delays, wait for it, for it will surely come,” You opened Your ear to reveal that after the redemption from Babylon there will be another exile, and that this second exile will be very long, as it is written, “If it delays, wait for it.” I feared that over the long duration of the exile, Israel might be lost among the nations. Therefore, He prays concerning this exile: “Hashem, Your deed” – pray that the deed of Hashem, which Hashem performed for Israel in ancient times, performing miracles and wonders for them and dividing them as a portion, to watch over them with special providence, will not cease even during these two long exiles. And this will occur in two ways: A) At times, this will be in a hidden manner, where the world operates according to the way of nature and the operation of providence is concealed; nevertheless, it is alive and existent. In this regard, he requests, “Hashem, Your deed, in the midst of the years, make it alive” – that even when Your deed is hidden and concealed in the midst of the years of the exile, in all of this it is alive, meaning that this deed will not die, i.e., it will not be interrupted and abolished completely. Rather, it will live, like a living thing which, even when it is not acting and manifesting its actions, nevertheless its power is hidden within it and found inside it, and it is alive and existent. B) That this deed will not always be concealed, but rather that it will be aroused from time to time to perform miracles for them even during the years of the exile, until all will see the deed of Hashem and recognize that He watches over them from the windows, and that even while they are in the land of their enemies, He has not rejected them to break His covenant with them. Concerning this, he said, “in the midst of the years, You will make known” – that at times You will make known Your deed, so that all will know that You watch over them. And “even in anger, You will remember mercy” – even at the time that You will be angry with them for their sins, nevertheless You will remember to have mercy on them so that they will not be broken and lost.
God comes from Teman, And the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah His glory covers the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise.
verse value 3403
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "Selah" (סֶ֑לָה, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·mount·Paran" (מֵהַר־פָּארָ֖ן, 7 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "God" (אֱל֙וֹהַּ֙), "from·Teman" (מִתֵּימָ֣ן), "and·sacred" (וְקָד֥וֹשׁ). 12 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root סלה ("Selah") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Selah', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: אֱל֙וֹהַּ֙ [God] (42) + מִתֵּימָ֣ן [from·Teman] (540) + יָב֔וֹא [will·go·in] (19) + וְקָד֥וֹשׁ [and·sacred] (416) + מֵהַר־פָּארָ֖ן [from·mount·Paran] (576) + סֶ֑לָה [Selah] (95) + כִּסָּ֤ה [covered] (85) + שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ [heaven] (390) + הוֹד֔וֹ [His·glory] (21) + וּתְהִלָּת֖וֹ [and·His·praise] (847) + מָלְאָ֥ה [is·full] (76) + הָאָֽרֶץ [the·land] (296) = 3403.
Rashi
“God comes from Teman.” Now he [the prophet] recalls before Him His first deed — which he asks Him to arouse — and the [deed of] love for Israel and the retribution upon the earlier generations: when You came to give the Torah, You turned to Esau and Ishmael, and they did not accept it:
"Teman." Esau.
Paran. [This refers to] Ishmael, as it is stated: “And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran” (Genesis 21:21).
“His glory covered the heavens.” At Sinai, for Israel:
Radak
“God will come from Teman.” Now, recount the great and awesome deeds that the Almighty showed Israel in the wilderness, that He will do the same for them when they emerge from exile, just as He did at the beginning when He gave them the Torah. And this is what is meant by “God will come from Teman,” as it is stated in the Torah: “He shone forth from Mount Seir for them,” for Teman is Seir, and likewise “from Mount Paran,” as it is stated in the Torah: “He appeared from Mount Paran.”
“His glory covered the heavens.” These are the torches seen on the day of the Giving of the Torah, which illumined the heavens and the earth:
“Hodo.” Meaning: His splendor and His majesty (hodo ve-hadaro):
“His praise.” This is an allusion to the verse, “His lamp shines upon my head” (Job 29:3). And it recalls Seir and Paran, for they are adjacent to Mount Sinai, and this is well known through the method of midrashic interpretation. And the Targum [renders it]: “from the south,” and his view is in accord with that of Onkelos in his commentary on the verse “His praise,” which he translates according to its plain meaning: “and I will speak of His praise.”
Metzudat David
"God will come from Teman." This teaches that when God came before Israel, it was as they passed through Teman, which is the land of Edom; for it was then that they began to wage war against Sihon and Og.
“And the Holy One from Mount Paran, Selah.” This is as if it were reversed to read: “And the Holy One, Selah, from Mount Paran.” And its meaning is that when the Holy One, blessed be He, came forth from eternity, He passed Mount Paran, which is adjacent to the land of Edom, as it is stated: “In their mountains of Seir, even to El-paran” (Genesis 14:6). And the mountain of Seir is the land of Edom, which is Teman. And He repeated the matter in what is stated:
“Covered the heavens with glory.” This means that when Israel conquered the land of Sihon and Og, “covered the heavens with glory”—namely, then glory filled the heavens above, and the earth was full of radiance, for then the might of the Lord was made known.
Metzudat Zion
“From the south.” This is the land of Edom, which is in the south of the Land of Israel.
Selah. Forever:
“Hodo” (His glory). The matter of majesty and splendor:
And His praise. The meaning is illumination and radiance, as in “His candle shone” (Job 29:3).
Malbim
“God will come from Teman” — this divine providence will continue until the time of redemption arrives, when God will come from Teman to redeem them. The text depicts that the final exile will be divided between two kingdoms: the Kingdom of Edom, which is designated by the name “Teman,” for Teman is in the land of Edom; and the Kingdom of Ishmael, which is designated by the name “Mount Paran,” as it is written concerning Ishmael, “and he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran.” From there, the Divine Name will come to redeem them.
The verse employs the expression mentioned in the Torah in the blessing of the man of God: “He shone forth from Seir, He appeared from Mount Paran.” This alludes to the fact that the nations of Edom and Ishmael will stand, boasting in religions that resemble divine knowledge. (Our Sages of blessed memory depicted this in their language, saying that the Holy One, blessed be He, offered the Torah to Seir and to Paran, but they did not accept it, for the religions they adopted for themselves are not the Torah that the Holy One, blessed be He, came to give on Mount Sinai, which they were unwilling to accept.) Then the Holy One, blessed be He, will come a second time from these places to refute them and demonstrate the truth of the religion, so that all will recognize the true faith. He will turn to the peoples a clear language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord. Since the religion in Seir obscured matters concerning the Divinity and attributed to Him unworthy attributes, it says, “God will come from Teman,” meaning He will come to argue from the perspective of His divinity, unity, and spirituality. Regarding the religion of Paran, they do not find fault with the Divinity itself; therefore it says, “The Holy One will come from Mount Paran.” This refers to the time of redemption, when God will come from Teman.
I request that You perform Your action to watch over Your children, so that they will not be destroyed in their exile, whether in secret, as it is written “His life,” or openly, as it is written “You will make known.” Selah. With this, the first section concludes, and a new prayer begins.
In this second prayer, He will elaborate on the three matters that He stated briefly in the first prayer, which are: A) What He said, “Your deeds in the midst of the years,” (revive it) — which He explains until verse 5; B) What He said, “Your deeds in the midst of the years You will make known,” which He explains in verse 5; C) What He said, “God comes from Teman,” which He explains until verse 14. “At the time when He covered the heavens,” meaning: at the time when the splendor of the Lord is concealed and not visible to living creatures, because the heavens, which are the governance of nature and the cosmic order, cover the splendor of the Lord, and His providence is not revealed openly, for the world is governed according to the order of nature and the cosmic system. And nevertheless, “His praise fills the earth”: even though they do not see His splendor, the nations will begin to recognize the Lord and praise Him, and they will know that He is the One who guides everything.
And a brightness appears as the light; rays has He at His side; and there is the hiding of His power.
verse value 1711
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 34 letters. Notable word values: "to·Him" (ל֑וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·Him" (ל֑וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "rays" (קַרְנַ֥יִם, 5 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "and·brightness" (וְנֹ֙גַהּ֙), "like·the·light" (כָּא֣וֹר), "it·will·be" (תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה). 8 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Him', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְנֹ֙גַהּ֙ [and·brightness] (64) + כָּא֣וֹר [like·the·light] (227) + תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה [it·will·be] (420) + קַרְנַ֥יִם [rays] (400) + מִיָּד֖וֹ [from·his·hand] (60) + ל֑וֹ [to·Him] (36) + וְשָׁ֖ם [and·there] (346) + חֶבְי֥וֹן [concealment] (76) + עֻזֹּֽה [his·strength] (82) = 1711.
Rashi
“And the light.” “That day”:
"As light it shall be." Like the special light of the seven days of Creation it was, and so too does the Targum translate it.
Karnot (horns). This is the language of light: when it pierces and shines through an aperture, it appears as though horns are protruding. And so it is written (Exodus 34:29): "For the skin of his face shone with rays" (ki karan or panav).
From His hand. From the hand of the Holy One, Blessed be He, they came to them:
"And there is hidden His strength." As its Targum [renders it]: "There is revealed His strength," which had been hidden retroactively in the Upper Secret.
Radak
“And brightness shall be as the light.” This is what is stated in the Torah: “and the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain”:
“Horns from His hand to Him.” This refers to the verse “For the skin of Moses’ face had sent forth rays” (Exodus 34:29), meaning that that radiance was from the hand of God to Moses. And it says “horns” in the dual form, because the face has two sides. And some say that “horns” refers to the tablets that He gave to Moses, which were two, and they shone both visibly and invisibly.
"And the place of the hiding of His strength." The place in Sinai was revealed that which had been hidden of His strength until that day, for there was no day like that day before it or after it, that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself in His great glory on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all Israel. And some say that "the hiding of His strength" refers to the Ark, as it is stated regarding it, "You and the Ark of Your strength," and there the tablets were concealed.
Metzudat David
“And a brightness shall be as the light.” The radiance of the pillar of fire that led before Israel shone like the light of day:
“Horns, etc.” From the hand of the LORD there came to Israel a horn of dominion and ascendancy:
"And there, etc." In the camp of Israel went the hiddenness of His strength; these are the tablets, which had been hidden and stored away in the heights, placed in the Ark, which is called "strength," as it is stated: "You and the Ark of Your strength" (Psalms 132:8).
Metzudat Zion
And the radiance. The meaning is illumination and rising, like "it was radiant before him" (Psalms 18:13):
Karnayim (horns). It is borrowed to denote dominion and strengthening, on account of the fact that horned animals strengthen themselves with them [their horns]:
Chevyon. From the expression of “hidden and stored away,” as in “chavi” — “hide yourself for a brief moment” (Isaiah 26:20):
“Ezzu.” The matter is one of strength, and regarding the Ark it says that it is the strength of Israel.
Malbim
“And it shall be clear as the light,” the “clearness” (nogah) is that which has no light of its own, but rather receives the light that shines upon it and reflects it, like the moon, which has no light from itself, but has a clearness (nogah) that it receives from the light of the sun. So too in the metaphor: even though the light of the Lord will not be revealed on the earth, for His splendor will cover the heavens, and there will be only a clearness (nogah) from the light, nevertheless, this clearness will be like the light itself. That is to say, people will attain through it the praise of the Lord and His light as if they had attained the light itself. For even the concealed and veiled providence will then be sufficient for recognizing the light of the Lord and His providence, “rays from His hand.” From the light, rays will emanate upon the clearness, until even the clearness will shine and sparkle with a great, recognizable light for all. That is to say, even the hidden providence will send forth its rays of light and brilliance, so that all will know the providence of the Lord. And “there is the hiding of His strength”: even though at that time the Lord is hidden in His hiding, concealed and veiled, not appearing, He is found there in the clearness, and He is living and enduring, as it is stated, “in the midst of the years, revive it.” Even though He is hiding and is not known openly.
Before him goes the pestilence, and fiery bolts go forth at His feet.
verse value 1408
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "goes" (יֵ֣לֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·his·feet" (לְרַגְלָֽיו, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "to·his·face" (לְפָנָ֖יו), "goes" (יֵ֣לֶךְ), "pestilence" (דָּ֑בֶר). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'pestilence', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: לְפָנָ֖יו [to·his·face] (176) + יֵ֣לֶךְ [goes] (60) + דָּ֑בֶר [pestilence] (206) + וְיֵצֵ֥א [and·goes·forth] (107) + רֶ֖שֶׁף [flame] (580) + לְרַגְלָֽיו [to·his·feet] (279) = 1408.
Rashi
Before Him goes pestilence. I found in an aggadic midrash: When the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah to Israel, He distracted the Angel of Death, sending him off to other matters, so that he would not stand there to taunt and say, “A nation that is destined to deny You after forty days, and You are giving them the Torah?”
“And a flash of fire went forth at His feet.” Angels of fire came with Him to Sinai:
Radak
“Before Him shall go a word.” My master and father, of blessed and holy memory, explained that this refers to the dead of the wilderness. And the scholar Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, of blessed memory, explained that it refers to the nations, when the Israelites entered the land, as it is stated: “My terror I will send before you, and I will discomfit all the people” and “I will destroy all the peoples…”
Reshef. Like a matter and a subject expressed in different words; thus also "and the flames of reshef," which is the disease of fever, which is a burning heat that kills quickly.
"To his feet" – meaning, on his account, as it is written: "And the Lord has blessed you on my account" (Genesis 30:30).
Metzudat David
"Before Him." Before the Ark, the pestilence went forth to slay the Canaanites, and with its arrival, a fiery flame went forth to burn them. This means that by means of the Ark, which went with them into battle, they conquered the Canaanites.
Metzudat Zion
Matter. Plague:
Reshef. Coals of fire, as in “its flashes are flashes of fire” (Song of Songs 8:6):
“Leraglav.” This means: with His coming; and similarly, “and the LORD blessed you at my foot [i.e., wherever I went]” (Genesis 30:30):
Malbim
Before Him, yet even so, the plague will go forth before that hidden might, to smite and slay His enemies; and a flash of fire will issue from His feet, meaning as the cause to destroy and annihilate them. For even though Divine providence is concealed and wrapped up, hidden in seclusion, nevertheless it is alive and abundant in its actions in secret, to subdue the enemies of the Lord through natural calamities—plagues and flashes of fire.
He stands, and shakes the earth, He beholds, and makes the nations to tremble; And the everlasting mountains are dashed in pieces, The ancient hills do bow; His goings are as of old.
verse value 4115
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "to·Him" (לֽוֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·Him" (לֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·are·dashed·in·pieces" (וַיִּתְפֹּֽצְצוּ֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 146: ever, ever. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "and·measured" (וַיְמֹ֣דֶד), "saw" (רָאָה֙), "and·made·tremble" (וַיַּתֵּ֣ר). The root עולם appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ever', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 3 words. Full calculation: עָמַ֣ד [stood] (114) + וַיְמֹ֣דֶד [and·measured] (64) + אֶ֗רֶץ [land] (291) + רָאָה֙ [saw] (206) + וַיַּתֵּ֣ר [and·made·tremble] (616) + גּוֹיִ֔ם [nations] (59) + וַיִּתְפֹּֽצְצוּ֙ [and·are·dashed·in·pieces] (682) + הַרְרֵי־עַ֔ד [mountains·of·eternity] (489) + שַׁח֖וּ [bow·down] (314) + גִּבְע֣וֹת [hills] (481) + עוֹלָ֑ם [ever] (146) + הֲלִיכ֥וֹת [goings·of] (471) + עוֹלָ֖ם [ever] (146) + לֽוֹ [to·Him] (36) = 4115.
Rashi
"And He stood and measured the earth." He waited to be meticulous in the judgment of the generation of the Flood, to measure out to them measure for measure. And He measured while standing, as it is said: "The Lord stands to judge the peoples" (Isaiah 3:13)—He waits and is meticulous in their judgment.
"And He measured the land." They sinned through boiling passion, and they were judged with boiling water.
See: In the generation of the Dispersion, because they had one language, they all came to a single agreement, as it is written, “And the whole earth was of one language” (Genesis 11:1).
“And He dispersed the nations.” He made them leap into seventy languages, as it says “and it leaps from its place” (Job 37:1), [and] “to leap withal” (Leviticus 11:21):
Mountains of eternity. The princes of the nations:
"The ways of the world are His." He showed them that all the conduct of the world is His.
Radak
“He stood and measured the earth.” The Ark stood in Gilgal for fourteen years, until they conquered the land and divided it by measure and lot:
“He saw and dispersed the nations.” Moses saw and looked upon the nations of the earth, and “the other” means that he leaped, like one who leaps upon them upon the earth; that is to say, his glory was in Gilgal, and he was defeating the nations of the land and casting them down before Israel, as if by mere sight alone he was putting them to death.
“And the everlasting mountains were shattered.” A metaphor for the kings of Canaan; and likewise “the everlasting hills.” “Vayitpotzetzu” denotes breaking together with scattering, as in “and like a hammer that shatters the rock” (Jeremiah 23:29):
Shachho. It is from the doubled forms, and it is lacking the doubling from beneath it, [as in] shachcho.
"The conduct of the world is His." The conduct of the entire world belongs to the Blessed Holy One; therefore, He does with them as He wills: to exalt one and humble another, to drive out this one and give inheritance to that one. And it says "The conduct of the world," for the world is governed according to the paths of the celestial spheres and the stars. And the Targum of Jonathan translated this verse with reference to the Generation of the Flood and the Generation of the Dispersion, meaning those generations who did not recognize Him and imagined that there was no God in the world. He arose and showed them that He is Master of all and oversees everything. And it means, by the word "He measured," He measured for them measure for measure, as our Sages of blessed memory said: "They corrupted with boiling [waters], and with boiling [waters] they were judged."
“He saw and dispersed the nations.” He saw that they all assembled in one place to build the tower, and He nullified their counsel and scattered them from there across the entire earth, and He showed them that the conduct of the world is His.
“Hills of eternity and everlasting mountains.” By way of metaphor, as I explained; and Targum Yonatan renders: “I will reveal Myself and shake the earth,” etc., as I have written:
Metzudat David
"And he stood and measured the land." Just as the Ark stood in the land, so too did they conquer it and divide it among the tribes by measurement, using a cord.
See. When the Ark set its eyes upon the land, it would uproot the Canaanites to drive them out from their land.
"And they were shattered." The mountains that had been fixed from of old were shattered and broken, and the hills that had been fixed since the days of the world were humbled. This means that the princes of the Canaanites were brought low and fell.
His ways are in the world. This means that this was so because all the guides and leaders of the world—the exalted princes and the princes below—are all belonging to the Omnipresent, blessed be He, to do with them as He wills.
Metzudat Zion
Vayater. The matter of leaping and moving, as in “and [my heart] leaps from its place” (Job 37:1):
And they shall be shattered. The matter of scattering is accompanied by breaking and crushing; similarly, [it is stated], “You shall shatter them like a potter’s vessel” (Psalms 2:9).
Ad. Its meaning is like that of Olam:
Shachu. The matter of being brought low, as in “and man is bowed down” (Isaiah 2:9):
Halichot. The matter of conduct:
Malbim
“Arise” (now he explains what was stated, “Your work shall be made known in the midst of two years”): At the time that that strength will arise and be aroused to conduct a miraculous governance with overt providence, then “He will measure the land,” meaning He will change the boundaries of the kingdoms, to establish kings and to depose kings; and “He will measure the boundaries of the land” to divide them among the conquerors of lands. “See” means that at that time He will not avert His eyes, but rather He will see and oversee. Then “He will shake the nations loose,” meaning they will be dislodged from their place and led into captivity. And then “the everlasting mountains will burst forth, and the hills of the world will bow down,” which is an allegory for the lowering of the mighty, the tyrants, and the strongholds—the foundations of the earth—from their thrones and their lands. And then “Your work shall be made known in the midst of two years,” for then all will see that the conduct of the world is His, that the governance of the world and its events are attributed to the Lord Himself and to His particular providence, and not to the stars of the heavens and their constellations.
I see the tents of Cushan in affliction; The curtains of the land of Midian do tremble.
verse value 3275
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "under" (תַּ֣חַת, 3 letters) and the longest is "tremble" (יִרְגְּז֕וּן, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "under" (תַּ֣חַת), "I·have·seen" (רָאִ֖יתִי), "tents·of" (אׇהֳלֵ֣י). 9 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Cushan', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: תַּ֣חַת [under] (808) + אָ֔וֶן [iniquity] (57) + רָאִ֖יתִי [I·have·seen] (621) + אׇהֳלֵ֣י [tents·of] (46) + כוּשָׁ֑ן [Cushan] (376) + יִרְגְּז֕וּן [tremble] (276) + יְרִיע֖וֹת [curtains] (696) + אֶ֥רֶץ [land] (291) + מִדְיָֽן [Midian] (104) = 3275.
Rashi
“Instead of ‘Aun.’” That which is found among Israel:
I saw the tents of Cushan. That they stand openly and harm Israel, and when they bow down before You, their curtains shall tremble, etc. – all according to its Targum.
Radak
“Instead of nothingness (aven).” He now mentions the mighty deeds He performed for us in the wars against Cushan-Rishathaim through Othniel, son of Kenaz, and in Gideon’s war against Midian. He said, “In the place of nothingness I saw their tents pitched,” meaning, in a place where they had no standing or permanence, for the Lord raised up Etniel and overthrew their tents.
“The tents of Midian shall tremble.” They trembled those tents, namely, the tents of the land of Midian, for the tent is the spreading out of the curtains, and they trembled when Gideon came upon them, as it is said in the dream: “A loaf of barley bread tumbled,” and he said, “And the tent fell.” And some say: “Underneath the oppression that I have done,” I saw the tents of Cushan. For Cushan-rishathaim came upon me in my land, and when I did repentance, God, blessed be He, had mercy upon me, and the tents of the land of Midian trembled because of, by means of, Gideon. And Targum Jonathan renders: “When the house of Israel served error, etc.”
Metzudat David
“Because of iniquity.” On account of the iniquity, I saw the tents of Cushan-rishathaim standing in the lands of Israel to rule over them — as if to say: it was not from any lack of power that He did not save them, but rather, as recompense for the iniquity, He left them in his hand:
"The curtains of the earth of Midian shall tremble." This means that when He calls to them, the curtains of the earth of Midian shall tremble. This refers to the days of Gideon, when terror came upon them and they killed one another, as it is stated in Judges.
Metzudat Zion
tachat. Because:
“Aven.” The matter of falsehood and a thing that is not proper:
"They shall tremble." [An expression of] trembling. "Curtains": that is to say, the curtains of the tent.
Malbim
"Tachat" (In place of): Now he begins to explain what was stated, "God comes from Teman," referring to what will be when the time of redemption arrives. Then a banner will be raised, to be displayed through miracles and wonders above the course of nature. And he depicts the beginning of the wonders by what he will say to those in the darkness of exile, namely that the Ten Tribes who were exiled beyond the rivers of Cush will return to Betzaron, as it is stated, "From beyond the rivers of Cush, My suppliants, the daughter of My dispersed, shall bring My offering." And then there will begin distress and ruin for the children of Cush, who are adjacent to these exiles. And from there the Ten Tribes will go out to wage war against the nation of Ishmael, for through the lands of Ishmael they will return to their land. And concerning this he said, "In place of distress I have seen the tents of Kushan." At the time when the tents of the Cushites will be under distress and ruin, then the curtains of the land of Midian will tremble (for the land of the Ishmaelites is called the land of Midian, because the Ishmaelites are called Midianites, as it is stated, "And certain Midianites passed by and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, etc., and it was the Midianites who sold him," and likewise [Judges 8] it says concerning Midian that they are the Ishmaelites). Namely, that the lands of the children of Ishmael will tremble, for they will wage war against them with mighty battles.
Is it, O Hashem, that against the rivers, is it that Your anger is kindled against the rivers, or Your wrath against the sea? That You do ride upon Your horses, upon Your chariots of victory?
verse value 3776
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "or" (אִ֤ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·the·rivers" (הֲבִנְהָרִים֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 692: Your·wrath, your·chariots. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "to·the·rivers" (הֲבִנְהָרִים֙), "was·hot" (חָרָ֣ה), "or" (אִ֤ם). The root נהר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root נהר ("to·the·rivers") in Habakkuk. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·wrath', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: הֲבִנְהָרִים֙ [to·the·rivers] (312) + חָרָ֣ה [was·hot] (213) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + אִ֤ם [or] (41) + בַּנְּהָרִים֙ [in·the·rivers] (307) + אַפֶּ֔ךָ [your·anger] (101) + אִם־בַּיָּ֖ם [or·in·the·sea] (93) + עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ [Your·wrath] (692) + כִּ֤י [that] (30) + תִרְכַּב֙ [you·will·mount·and·ride] (622) + עַל־סוּסֶ֔יךָ [upon·horses] (256) + מַרְכְּבֹתֶ֖יךָ [your·chariots] (692) + יְשׁוּעָֽה [salvation] (391) = 3776.
Rashi
"By the rivers." There are wonders that are enduring; we have shown that He made all these. And the interpretation of the verse is according to its Targum.
"Your chariots are for our salvation:"
Radak
“By the rivers, the Lord was angry.” He recalled the splitting of the Jordan and the Reed Sea, saying: “What was this to the rivers, if the Lord was indeed angry with them when they were split?” And he repeated the matter in what he said to strengthen it, saying, “Or was Your anger against the rivers.” He says: It appears that the Lord’s anger was against the rivers, for we have seen that the Jordan was split. And this is a figure of speech and rhetoric. And similarly, “or Your wrath against the sea,” referring to the splitting of the Reed Sea. And he did not mention the miracles in order.
"When you ride on your horses" – this corresponds to the horse of Pharaoh and his rider being cast into the sea.
“Your chariots are salvation.” “Your chariots” — Your chariots were salvation for us. This is a metaphor, for horses are prepared for war, and their riders are the ones who prevail in the majority of cases, unless the hand of God is with them, as it is stated: “A horse is a vain thing for deliverance,” and it is stated: “A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord.” And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered it in the Targum as a metaphor: “The rivers, by way of metaphor, are upon their kings and their armies, and so on.”
Metzudat David
“Was the LORD angry at the rivers?” When the Omnipresent split the Jordan before Israel — was His anger kindled against it, to destroy its waters? [This is asked] as a rhetorical question:
"If in the rivers." This is a repetition of the matter for the sake of emphasis.
“Or [was] Your wrath against the sea?” When He split the sea — was it filled with wrath against it, to destroy its waters?:
"When you ride." Rather, the reason was because you rode upon your steeds, in your chariots of salvation, to save your people; therefore, you split them to go by way of the cleft. This is a rhetorical expression to say that this was done for the sake of the salvation of Israel.
Metzudat Zion
Your wrath. The word is derived from the root meaning “wrath” and “anger.”
Malbim
(8-9) “By the rivers,” (the commentator will here depict exalted matters: on one side, he depicts that everywhere the exiles of Israel cross, days and rivers will be destroyed and become a desolation for the redeemed to pass through, and this he will depict in verses 8 and 9. And on the other side, he depicts an opposing image, that everywhere in the dwellings of the Ishmaelites, rivers of filth will arise, and the waters will rise and cover the mountains and flood everything, and this he will depict from verse 10.) He says: “By the rivers the Lord was angry,” for then the rivers and the seas will be split and become dry land, as it is written: “And the Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and He will wave His hand over the Euphrates River with the blast of His wind and strike it into seven streams and guide [the people] over them in sandals.” And he depicts this as if the anger of the Lord was kindled against the rivers, and He poured out His wrath upon the sea, therefore He will destroy them and dry up their waters. And the parsing of the verse is: “Is it not by the rivers that the Lord was angry?” which, at the time that salvation will ride upon your horses, your chariots, the rivers will split the land. (And what is written, “You will bare Your bow, the oaths of the tribes, Selah,” is a parenthetical statement.) This indicates salvation as an abstract, living entity, which (salvation) will ride upon the horses of the Lord and His chariots and come swiftly to save Israel. And at the time that salvation rides upon the chariot of the Lord and goes to the salvation of Israel, at that time the rivers will split the land. Meaning, then the land will split the rivers into fragments, and make in them a path for the redeemed to pass through. And since he mentioned the destruction of the waters of the seas and rivers, which is the subjugation of the power of the flowing and flooding waters, the commentator’s spirit conceived the image of the rainbow, which is the sign of the covenant given for the subjugation of the element of water, so that it should not rise and flood the land with the waters of the flood. And as if the rainbow will be revealed upon the waters, and because of the rainbow of the Lord which He gave as a sign of the covenant, the waters will return and not presume to cover the land. Concerning this, the commentator said (in a parenthetical statement): “You will bare Your bow.” Meaning, the rainbow of the Lord, which will subjugate the waters, will be aroused to show its nakedness, meaning, naked and revealed. And the rainbow will be revealed when the Lord remembers the oath which He swore, for then the rainbow will appear, which is the sign of the covenant and oath, as it is written: “And the rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature.” According to this, the commentator will say that this rainbow which will be revealed upon the waters to destroy them, will not come to recall the oath of the flood and the covenant of Noah, but will recall another oath, which is the oath that the Lord swore to the tribes to redeem them in the end of days, which is similar to the oath of the flood, as it is written: “For the waters of Noah were this to Me, as I swore not to let the waters of Noah again overflow the earth, so I have sworn not to be angry with you.” And this is what it says: “The oaths of the tribes,” meaning that through the rainbow, the One who speaks will remember the oaths of the tribes, the oath which He swore to the tribes of Israel and their clans. (And the word Selah comes to indicate that it is a parenthetical statement.)
Your bow is made quite bare; Sworn are the rods of the word. Selah. You do cleave the earth with rivers.
verse value 4874
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "speech" (אֹ֣מֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "You·cleave·earth" (תְּבַקַּע־אָֽרֶץ, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "excitement" (עֶרְיָ֤ה), "will·be·roused·oneself" (תֵעוֹר֙), "your·bow" (קַשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ). 9 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Selah', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: עֶרְיָ֤ה [excitement] (285) + תֵעוֹר֙ [will·be·roused·oneself] (676) + קַשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ [your·bow] (820) + שְׁבֻע֥וֹת [oaths] (778) + מַטּ֖וֹת [tribes] (455) + אֹ֣מֶר [speech] (241) + סֶ֑לָה [Selah] (95) + נְהָר֖וֹת [rivers] (661) + תְּבַקַּע־אָֽרֶץ [You·cleave·earth] (863) = 4874.
Rashi
“Your bow is laid utterly bare.” Your might was surely revealed:
“Oaths to the tribes.” The oaths that You swore to the tribes:
“Omer, Selah.” An utterance that endures forever. “Omer” is vocalized with a patach [i.e., segol], and its accent is on the earlier syllable (mil’el), for it is a noun:
The earth shall break forth rivers. As its Targum renders it:
Radak
“Unsheath your bow.” Just as His mighty hand that He displayed in Egypt and His salvation for Israel were likened to one who rides a horse, so too that salvation is likened to one who takes hold of a bow. And the meaning of “eriyah” is a matter of uncovering, like “Your arm was revealed to them.” It is a noun, like “arum” and “eriyah.” And “ta’ur” also denotes uncovering, but it is not from its root; for “eriyah” comes from a root deficient in the lamed (a lamed-heh verb), while “ta’ur” is in the nifal conjugation from a root deficient in the ayin (a hollow ayin-vav verb). Similarly, regarding the matter of uncovering: “peshutah” and “orah” so that they may look at their skins.
“Oaths to the tribes, a sure word (omer), Selah.” You did all this to fulfill the oaths You swore to the fathers to give them the land, for the tribes of Israel. This is “omer Selah” — meaning, to fulfill the utterance that You uttered. “Omer” is [a noun] on the pattern of “chodesh,” “kodesh”:
"Rivers shall break forth." You cleaved the dry land for them to give them abundant waters, like rivers, as it is written: "And He brought forth waters from the rock, and caused them to flow down like rivers." And in this manner did Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translate.
Metzudat David
“Your bow is laid utterly bare.” Your bow was surely revealed [and readied] to wage war against the Canaanite. And this was because of the oaths You swore to the Patriarchs to give the land to the tribes of Israel — the word of that oath stands forever and shall not be annulled; and therefore the rivers split the earth to make water gush forth, so that they might find [water] to drink in the wilderness and not die of thirst, and would enter the land to possess it:
Metzudat Zion
“Her nakedness shall be uncovered.” The term “uncovered” denotes exposure, as in “and you were naked and bare” (Ezekiel 16:7).
Matot. The tribes of Israel:
The mountains have seen You, and they tremble; the tempest of waters flows over; the deep utters its voice, And lifts up its hands on high.
verse value 2880
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 44 letters. Verse gematria: 2880 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "rain-shower" (זֶ֥רֶם, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·will·twist" (יָחִ֙ילוּ֙, 5 letters). 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "they·saw·You" (רָא֤וּךָ), "they·will·twist" (יָחִ֙ילוּ֙), "mountains" (הָרִ֔ים). 12 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'has·passed', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: רָא֤וּךָ [they·saw·You] (227) + יָחִ֙ילוּ֙ [they·will·twist] (64) + הָרִ֔ים [mountains] (255) + זֶ֥רֶם [rain-shower] (247) + מַ֖יִם [water] (90) + עָבָ֑ר [has·passed] (272) + נָתַ֤ן [gave] (500) + תְּהוֹם֙ [deep] (451) + קוֹל֔וֹ [his·voice] (142) + ר֖וֹם [on·high] (246) + יָדֵ֥יהוּ [his·hands] (35) + נָשָֽׂא [lifted] (351) = 2880.
Rashi
“The mountains saw You and trembled.” [These are] the mountains of the valleys of Arnon, which clung to one another:
A stream of water passed. As they crossed the Jordan, the waters ceased and were cut off; the flow of the rushing waters was diverted to the riverbed, and those coming from above rose up and stood still.
He gave to the deep its voice. The inhabitants of the earth praised Him:
"High on high He lifts His hands." The heavenly host praises Him.
Ibn Ezra
“They saw You, they tremble” — from the sound of the thunder:
A stream of water passed over them, over the mountains.
"He gave the deep its voice" – the tumult of the sea and the river.
And the meaning of “rom” (height) is the opposite of “tehom” (the deep), as in: “For I lift up My hand to heaven” (Deuteronomy 32:40):
Radak
"The mountains saw you, they trembled." "Mountains" is an allegory for the kings of Canaan, who melted away and trembled before Israel. And this is the meaning of "they saw you": they saw the wonders that You performed with Israel in the wilderness, and with the kings of the Amorites. The sense of "seeing" here is that clear hearing is like seeing; similarly, "And Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt" (Genesis 42:1).
A stream of water passed. The streams of water that flow in the Jordan passed until they reached the Sea of the Arabah, and they ceased and were cut off.
"He gave the deep its voice." When He split the waters of the Jordan, they gave forth a voice.
“Rum yadehu nasa.” The waters flowing down from above rose up as a single heap, and it was very high, for the Jordan was full to its banks, and there were many waters; and when they stood still, they rose up as a single heap, high; this is “[the] height of His hand He lifted.” “The deep lifted His hand to the height.” And the Targum [renders it] in another matter: “In Your revelation upon Mount Sinai, etc.”
Metzudat David
“They saw You.” When the mountains of Arnon saw You passing before Israel, they were seized and trembled before You, and drew near to one another, and killed those [enemies] hidden in the clefts of the mountains:
A stream of water passed. The stream of the well’s water passed between the mountains and drew up from the organs of the slain to announce the miracle to Israel.
"He gave the deep its voice." The depth of the well's waters raised its voice to publicize the miracle; that is to say, through it the miracle became known.
"Rum yadeha nasa" – The exaltation of the power of the Hand of the Omnipresent, blessed be He, was raised then on high, for all recognized His wonders.
Metzudat Zion
Yechilu. From the root of "chil" and "chalchala":
Zerem. The matter of the rushing of waters, as it is written: “Like a stream of water” (Isaiah 28).
“Natan” (he gave forth). This means: he sounded [it] forth [made it heard]:
Tehom: The depth of the waters.
Nasa. The meaning of lifting up:
Malbim
They saw You — now comes the second depiction: how the waters will rise up to ascend upon the heads of the mountains and flood the world, to execute vengeance upon the nations, until the foundation of the earth will tremble before the foundation of the water, which dominates it. And this is what it says: “They saw You, the mountains tremble, for the waters rise up to ascend upon the everlasting mountains; a stream of water that passed by gave the deep its voice upon it, and it raised its hands on high to ascend upon the mountains and cover them.” This indicates that the deep gives its voice and its command to the stream of water that passes by and floods. And by the command of the deep, the stream will raise its hands to the heights. For the expression depicts it as if the deep gives its voice to the waters, as it is written: “The deep calls to the deep at the sound of Your water spouts.” And by the voice of the deep, the waters will rise up to ascend upon the heads of the mountains. And this is a limiting depiction against what was said: in the place where Israel pass, the land will overpower the rivers and destroy them; and conversely, in the place of Israel’s enemies, the waters will overpower the land.
The sun and moon stand still in their habitation; at the light of Your arrows as they go, At the shining of Your glittering spear.
verse value 2330
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 38 letters. The shortest word is "sun" (שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·go" (יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ, 5 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "sun" (שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ), "month" (יָרֵ֖חַ), "exalted" (זְבֻ֑לָה). 10 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'exalted', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ [sun] (640) + יָרֵ֖חַ [month] (218) + עָ֣מַד [stood] (114) + זְבֻ֑לָה [exalted] (44) + לְא֤וֹר [to·light] (237) + חִצֶּ֙יךָ֙ [your·arrows] (128) + יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ [they·go] (71) + לְנֹ֖גַהּ [to·brightness·of] (88) + בְּרַ֥ק [lightning] (302) + חֲנִיתֶֽךָ [your·spear] (488) = 2330.
Rashi
“Stood still in its habitation (zevulah).” [Targum: “in their dwelling.”] Every word that requires a lamed at its beginning [meaning “to/in”], Scripture places a heh at its end instead. And they interpreted it as referring to the battle of Gibeon, according to the Targum:
“At the light of Your arrows they went.” [They are] Israel:
Radak
Sun and moon. In the war of Joshua against the kings, the sun stood still, and also the moon, until the nation avenged itself on its enemies.
Zevulah. In the heavens, which are a dwelling place and abode for them, as it is stated, "And the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens." In Zevulah, the final heh is an added letter, like the heh in laylah, because the word is accented on the penultimate syllable.
“By the light of Your arrows they shall go.” Israel traveled by night, and the Egyptians pursued them by the light of the lightning and hailstones that the Holy One, blessed be He, cast down in their flight from the children of Israel. The lightning bolts are the arrows of God, blessed be He, and His spear, and the enemies were struck by them, while Israel went by the light. Even though the verse does not explicitly mention lightning, since it mentions hailstones, it is as if it had mentioned lightning, for hailstones do not fall without lightning. Moreover, the hailstones were white and shining, giving light both by night and by day. And the battle took place at night, for Joshua prayed that the moon should stand still until the nation had avenged itself of its enemies. And behold, there was a miracle within a miracle: the moon shone at night together with the hail.
Metzudat David
“The sun and moon stood still in their habitation.” In the days of Joshua, each one of them stood still in its station and did not proceed on its course, as it is written, “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed” (Joshua 10:13):
“By the light of Your arrows they shall walk.” Joshua and his people walked by the light of the iron of the arrows of the Omnipresent, blessed be He, which is most radiant; that is to say, they succeeded through the strength of Your arm.
"l'Nogah, etc." – This is a repetition of the matter stated in:
Metzudat Zion
Zevulah. The matter of a dwelling, like the phrase “beit zevul” (a house of habitation) (I Kings 8:13):
To Nogah. The matter is illumination:
Barak. So too is the iron of the spear called "barak," for after it is polished it shines like lightning; and similarly, "the lightning of my sword" (Deuteronomy 32:41).
Malbim
“The sun and the moon stood still in their place” (Habakkuk 3:11): This verse also alludes to the future war that will be fought against the enemies of Israel in the days to come, on the day of battle. The sun and the moon will stand still in their positions, just as they did in the days of Joshua. Moreover, hailstones will fall, just as they fell upon the Canaanites. Regarding this, the verse states, “They shall walk by the light of Your arrows” (Habakkuk 3:11), meaning that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will send forth His arrows and scatter them, along with lightning bolts that will stun them. The verse further indicates that the sun and the moon will stand still not so that people will walk by their light, as was the case in the days of Joshua, when it was said, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon… until the nation has avenged itself on its enemies” (Joshua 10:12–13). Rather, in that future time, they will not walk by the light of the sun and the moon, but “by the light of Your arrows they shall walk.” The poetic expression here is that the sun, the moon, and the heavenly host will not operate according to their regular orbits, for the battle belongs to the Lord, and everything will come directly from Him, without any intermediary.
You march through the earth in indignation, You thresh the nations in anger.
verse value 1826
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "in·anger" (בְּאַ֖ף, 3 letters) and the longest is "You·march·earth" (תִּצְעַד־אָ֑רֶץ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "in·indignation" (בְּזַ֖עַם), "You·march·earth" (תִּצְעַד־אָ֑רֶץ), "in·anger" (בְּאַ֖ף). 5 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'You·march·earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּזַ֖עַם [in·indignation] (119) + תִּצְעַד־אָ֑רֶץ [You·march·earth] (855) + בְּאַ֖ף [in·anger] (83) + תָּד֥וּשׁ [you·will·tread·out] (710) + גּוֹיִֽם [nations] (59) = 1826.
Rashi
“In wrath You march through the earth.” To drive out the seven nations:
Radak
“With anger.” With Your anger against the seven nations, You marched upon them in the land; and the matter is repeated in what is stated: “And He said, ‘In fury You will trample the nations.’”
Metzudat David
"Thou shalt tread upon the earth." You trampled upon the inhabitants of the land.
Metzudat Zion
Titzad. The matter of the treading of the foot, as in “and it was, when they had marched [six paces]” (II Samuel 6:13):
Tadush. The word is from the root of threshing:
Malbim
"In wrath You will march through the earth" – for on this side, salvation will not ride upon the chariot of the Lord to save, but rather the Lord Himself will march through the earth in wrath and in the measure of judgment, and in anger He will trample the nations.
You are come forth for the deliverance of Your people, for the deliverance of Your anointed; You wound the head out of the house of the wicked, uncovering the foundation even to the neck. Selah
verse value 5513
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "your·people" (עַמֶּ֔ךָ, 3 letters) and the longest is "Your·anointed" (אֶת־מְשִׁיחֶ֑ךָ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: you·went·out, head. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "you·went·out" (יָצָ֙אתָ֙), "your·people" (עַמֶּ֔ךָ), "Your·anointed" (אֶת־מְשִׁיחֶ֑ךָ). The root ישע appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Your·anointed', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: יָצָ֙אתָ֙ [you·went·out] (501) + לְיֵ֣שַׁע [to·salvation·of] (410) + עַמֶּ֔ךָ [your·people] (130) + לְיֵ֖שַׁע [to·salvation] (410) + אֶת־מְשִׁיחֶ֑ךָ [Your·anointed] (779) + מָחַ֤צְתָּ [you·halfed] (538) + רֹּאשׁ֙ [head] (501) + מִבֵּ֣ית [from·house] (452) + רָשָׁ֔ע [wicked] (570) + עָר֛וֹת [nakedness] (676) + יְס֥וֹד [foundation] (80) + עַד־צַוָּ֖אר [until·neck] (371) + סֶֽלָה [Selah] (95) = 5513.
Rashi
“Save Your anointed one.” Saul and David:
“Laying bare the foundation.” The walls of the [idolatrous] nations:
“Until the neck.” This refers to the height of the walls and the towers.
Radak
“You went forth to save Your people, to save Your Messiah.” Just as You went forth to save Your people when they entered the land of the seven nations, so will You go forth in the future to save Your people. Just as You went forth to save them when they entered the land of the seven nations, so will You go forth and save them, bring them out of exile, and return them to their land. And regarding the statements “You went forth” and “You smote,” they are the past tense of the feminine form, used in place of the future tense, and there are many instances like this. In prophetic speech, this occurs frequently, for prophecy, even though it refers to the future, is regarded as if it has already been fulfilled; therefore, it is recounted in the language of the past tense.
Your Messiah. He is the Messiah, son of David:
“You smote the head from the house of the wicked.” Then you will smite the head from the army of the wicked Gog:
“Arot.” It is an infinitive, meaning “it will be exposed,” namely, “until their necks,” that is, “their heads will be crushed,” and he is king of Magog. And likewise, “their foundation will be exposed until their necks,” and they are the commanders of the army and the kings who are with him. “Eret” denotes a matter of exposure. And likewise, “lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundation.” And the neck is close to the head, and the foundation is the main support of the building and its sustenance. According to this interpretation, it is an allegory for the great ones of the camp.
Metzudat David
“You went forth.” From of old You went forth to save Your people and to save Your anointed; and this is said concerning Hezekiah king of Judah — regarding the deliverance from Sennacherib king of Assyria:
“You smote.” Then You smote and crushed every head from the house of the wicked. This means: You killed all the men of Sennacherib by means of the angel who struck them:
“Laying bare the foundation.” You laid bare the foundation to remove it from its place; “even unto the neck” — You laid it bare down to the very core of its strength, which is the neck, upon which life depends; that is, You destroyed the entire camp; “forever, Selah” — for they shall never again rise:
Metzudat Zion
machat. The meaning is striking and crushing, as in "He smote their head" (Psalms 110:6).
“Arot” (laying bare). The matter of uncovering, as in “nakedness and shame” (Micah 1):
Malbim
You have come forth, and this will be at the time of the Redemption, at the time when You come forth to save Your people and to save Your Messiah; for then the King Messiah will be revealed and will wage the wars of the Lord, and the Lord will save him. And then, “You crushed the head of the house of the wicked”—if only You crush the head of the wicked with a small crushing, exposing the foundation up to the neck: this small crushing will awaken and uproot the foundation of his body, which is the skull and the brain, up to the neck. Selah. With this, the second part of the prayer is completed.
You have stricken through with his own rods the head of his rulers, that come as a whirlwind to scatter me; whose rejoicing is as to devour the poor secretly.
verse value 3653
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 49 letters. Verse gematria: 3653 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "head" (רֹ֣אשׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·scatter·me" (לַהֲפִיצֵ֑נִי, 7 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "you·pierced" (נָקַ֤בְתָּ), "in·his·tribes" (בְמַטָּיו֙), "his·chieftain" (פְּרָזָ֔ו). 9 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·scatter·me', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: נָקַ֤בְתָּ [you·pierced] (552) + בְמַטָּיו֙ [in·his·tribes] (67) + רֹ֣אשׁ [head] (501) + פְּרָזָ֔ו [his·chieftain] (293) + יִסְעֲר֖וּ [they·will·storm] (346) + לַהֲפִיצֵ֑נִי [to·scatter·me] (275) + עֲלִ֣יצֻתָ֔ם [their·exultation] (640) + כְּמוֹ־לֶאֱכֹ֥ל [as·to·devour] (147) + עָנִ֖י [poor] (130) + בַּמִּסְתָּֽר [in·the·secret·place] (702) = 3653.
Rashi
“You pierced with his own staff the head [of his rulers].” Sennacherib and his company, who were storming with a tempest-wind to scatter me — and he [Sennacherib] was the staff with which You subjugated the [idolatrous] nations; and when he came and stormed to scatter me, You pierced the heads of his troops with his own staff, with which he had come to subjugate them:
“The head of his open towns.” The chiefs of his cities and his open towns, as in “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as unwalled towns” (Zechariah 2:8), [and] “the unwalled towns” (Deuteronomy 3):
“Their rejoicing.” [Their rejoicing] was when they were able to devour the poor in secret — [that is,] Israel, who are called “a poor people”:
Radak
“You pierced with his staves the head of his open-towns (perazav).” This means that with the staves of Gog himself you will pierce the head of his open-towns — that is, his armies. And they are called “his open-towns (perazav)” because they will come in great numbers, and they will sit around Jerusalem in “open places,” the inhabitants of the open places who spread out in every place that has no wall to enclose them. And similarly it says, “I will ascend upon the land of open places,” and it is also said, “Jerusalem shall be inhabited with open places because of the multitude of people.” And it says that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will send a tumult among them, so that they will be pierced and crushed, each man with the staff in his hand against the head of his neighbor. And similarly it says, “The tumult of the Lord shall be great among them,” etc., and it says, “The sword of each man shall be against his brother.”
“They will storm to scatter me.” Those who were storming to scatter me, meaning that they would come upon me with a stormy wind to scatter them among the nations.
Their joy. Just as it says, “To eat the poor in secret” (this phrase is from the very verse being explained, Habakkuk 3:14), so too “their joy and their gladness will be for me to scatter” , as it was at the sea, when they thought to eat the poor, namely Israel. When they went out from Egypt, Pharaoh and his army pursued them, and they thought to devour them in secret, meaning that they assumed that the Lord was not watching, and that His power was not in the sea as it had been in Egypt. And they thought to devour them with joy, as it is written: “The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake…’” (Ps. 18:28) until You trod down in the sea, Your horses, and You removed the axle from his chariot wheels (ibid.). Then they recognized that the Lord fought for them on their behalf, as it is written: “They were forced back because of Israel, for the Lord fought for them in Egypt” (Ex. 14:25). Meaning: Just as the Lord had fought for them in Egypt, so too He fought for them now on their behalf, for they saw that the Lord had split the sea for them and brought them through on dry land, while they [the Egyptians] could not pass, as it says: “And He struck the camp of Egypt” (Ex. 14:27).
Metzudat David
“You pierced with his staff.” With the very staff of Sennacherib — with which he came to subjugate [Israel] — You pierced the head of all his men who dwelt in the unwalled towns; for because of their great multitude, as it were, no walled place could contain them. That is: whatever he intended to do to Israel was done to him; and his coming to Jerusalem to destroy its inhabitants was to his own detriment, for there he fell — as if their heads were pierced with his own staff:
“They storm to scatter me.” Those who came like a storm-wind to scatter me among other lands — for such was his desire, to remove them from their land and disperse them among other lands, as it is stated (in II Kings and in Isaiah):
Their joy. The end of their joy at their success was like those who planned to devour Israel, who were suffering at their hands, for they desired to destroy them in secret, namely in the wilderness. That is to say: just as Egypt pursued Israel to destroy them, and it resulted in their own downfall, for they drowned there, so too the coming of Assyria against Jerusalem resulted in their own downfall, for they fell there.
Metzudat Zion
Pierced (bored through). From the words *nekev* and *chor* (puncture and hole):
Perazav (his unwalled villages). A city that is not surrounded by a wall is called peraz, as in “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as unwalled towns” (Zechariah 2:8):
"Yis'aru." The word is derived from the phrase "ruach sa'ara" (storm wind).
To scatter me. The word is from the root of "spreading" and "scattering."
Their joy. The matter of joy, as it is written: "My heart exulted" (1 Samuel 2:1).
"poor." This means: one who is in distress.
Malbim
“Nekavet” (Part III): Now he speaks of the times when many troubles and evils will befall Israel, and the arrogant waters will sweep over their heads. This occurred during the period of exile in two ways: A) At the time when the nations gathered together to destroy and eradicate the name of Israel, killing them in every place with harsh and severe deaths; and the Ishmaelites, at the time their prophet arose, when they all assembled to devour and ruin Israel with massacres and destruction. B) At the time when they did not destroy them with a general massacre, yet nevertheless they consumed them bit by bit in secret, seizing their property and wealth. Regarding this it says, “Nekavet,” meaning: at the time when You spoke and decreed. “Bematio rosh parzav,” meaning: at the time when the nations extended the scepters of their wings and their armies; that is, at the time when the heads of their battalions spread out, meaning the great number of their regiments that assembled from the cities of the “parzot.” That is, at the time when the nations spread out, multitude upon multitude, as all the multitudes spread out from the cities of the “parzot” to go against Jerusalem and conquer the Land of Israel. And similarly, at the time when the battalions of the Ishmaelites spread out to wage the war of their faith. Then, “Nekavet yisaru lehafitzani,” meaning: You spoke the decree that these battalions would storm against Israel to scatter them, expel them from the land, and destroy them. For so it was: at every time that great multitudes assembled to fight for their faith, they committed great slaughter among Israel. Or, at the time when they did not destroy them publicly, nevertheless their joy was like that of “eating the poor in secret.” Their entire delight was if they could consume one poor person of Israel in secret. For even though they did not kill them all publicly, they consumed their poor ones in secret, afflicted individuals, and plundered their wealth.
You have trodden the sea with Your horses, the foaming of mighty waters.
verse value 1422
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 22 letters. Verse gematria: 1422 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "in·the·sea" (בַיָּ֖ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·horses" (סוּסֶ֑יךָ, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "you·trod" (דָּרַ֥כְתָּ), "in·the·sea" (בַיָּ֖ם), "your·horses" (סוּסֶ֑יךָ). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·horses', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: דָּרַ֥כְתָּ [you·trod] (624) + בַיָּ֖ם [in·the·sea] (52) + סוּסֶ֑יךָ [your·horses] (156) + חֹ֖מֶר [slime] (248) + מַ֥יִם [water] (90) + רַבִּֽים [many] (252) = 1422.
Rashi
“You trod upon the sea.” [Pharaoh] with his heavy troops, [as numerous] as the sand of the sea:
Chomer. Targum Yonatan: “bidgor” (a heap) — an expression of “chomarim chomarim” (heaps upon heaps) (Exodus 8):
Radak
“You trod in the sea with Your horses.” And the explanation of “You trod in the sea with Your horses”: You brought Israel across it, and cast Egypt into the depths and drowned him. And the meaning of “Your horses” was explained above, at the verse “that You ride upon Your horses”:
“A heap of mighty waters.” As it is said, “the flowing waters stood upright as a heap” (Exodus 15:8). “Chomer” [means] a heap and a pile, from “chomarim chomarim” (heaps upon heaps):
Metzudat David
“You trod.” For then, when the Egyptians came into the sea, You trod there with Your horses — they are the clouds — upon them You trod in the sea and in the mass of many waters, to fight against them and destroy them; and so the pursuit was to their detriment. So too was the coming of Assyria to its own detriment:
Metzudat Zion
“Darachta” (You trod). The matter of trampling and treading:
Chomer. The matter of a mound and a heap, as in “heaps upon heaps” (Exodus 8):
Malbim
“Darchat” – at the time when you trampled your horses in the sea, the sea did not split before you as it did in ancient days; rather, the opposite occurred: “chomer mayim rabim” – the waters churned and seethed, and the sea trembled and quaked. This is a figurative expression indicating that the arrogant waters were raised up by God’s command, yet they did not submit out of fear of God; on the contrary, the waters trembled in order to drown Israel amidst the tumult of their waves. This also alludes to the time when the nations will gather for the war of Gog and Magog, like mighty, abundant waters that will not cease from their fury, but will churn and seethe in their depths to swallow up and destroy Israel.
When I heard, mine inward parts trembled, My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness enters into my bones, And I tremble where I stand; that I should wait for the day of trouble, when he comes up against the people that he invades.
verse value 5889
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 75 letters. Notable word values: "to·day·of" (לְי֣וֹם) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 5889 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "rottenness" (רָקָ֛ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "shall·raid·him" (יְגוּדֶֽנּוּ, 6 letters). 15 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "and·trembled" (וַתִּרְגַּ֣ז), "my·belly" (בִּטְנִ֗י), "to·voice" (לְקוֹל֙). The root רגז appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'tremble', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Rashi
“I heard, and my belly trembled.” Targum Yonatan: “Babylon said: I have heard, and the kings trembled before the judgment by which the Egyptians were judged”:
At the sound, my lips trembled. At the sound of the report, trembling seized me, until my lips were stiffened, one against the other, and His voice was heard.
“Tzalelu” (my lips quivered). An expression of “the bells of the horse” (Zechariah 14:20) — tinter (to ring/tingle) in Old French:
And in my place I tremble. In my place, I am shaken:
“Where I will rest on a day of distress”: This is my resting-place, prepared for a day of distress.
"To come up against the people, he will raid them with troops." On the day that He said to bring forth from among them the people whom He would cut off, because of their returning in their bands to their land.
Radak
I heard. The prophet said: “I heard” in a prophecy concerning the affliction that the Israelites will endure at that time, on the day when Gog comes.
"And my belly trembled." This refers to that same report. And "my belly" is an allusion to the heart, as it is said, "my bowels yearn for him" (Jeremiah 31:20), for the language of trembling, agitation, joy, and calmness applies to the heart. It does not apply to the belly or the intestines; rather, because the heart is included among them, they apply the language of the heart to them.
"At the voice, my lips quivered." At the voice of this report, my lips quivered, and the quivering of the lips is the pressing of the lips against one another due to excessive fear and trembling.
"Decay will come upon my bones." Even my bones, which are the hardest part of the body, will decay at this news.
“And in my place I tremble.” In my place I tremble:
"In which I will rest on the day of trouble": I used to think that I would rest in my land after I returned from exile to my land, and behold, my rest has been turned into a day of trouble.
"To ascend against the people, He will cut them down." And "a day of distress" is the day that Gog planned to ascend against the people of Jerusalem and Israel, and "He will cut them down" means that He will bring upon him the battalions of the nations. And similarly, "yegudenu" is related to "he shall trip at their heel" (Genesis 49:19), sharing the sense of "troop" (gedud); "gud" and "gedud" are of one meaning, and there are many cases like it; or perhaps the nun of "yegudenu" is a quiescent letter in place of the doubling. And concerning that day it is said in Daniel, "And there shall be a time of distress, such as has not happened since there was a nation until that time," etc. And the prophet Isaiah said, "Go, my people, enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself for a moment, until the wrath has passed by." And the Targum translates the verse: "Thus you have said, O Babylon, 'I have heard,' etc."
Metzudat David
I have heard. "Behold, I have heard a matter, and because of it my belly trembles"—this means the heart, which is situated in the belly.
"To the voice." On account of the voice of the report, the lips strike one against the other due to excessive trembling and fear.
"Rot shall come." Due to the abundance of sorrow, decay has come upon my bones.
"And in my place." This means: In every place that I stand, I tremble and quake, and I cannot divert my mind from this in any of the places.
"That I may find rest on the day of trouble." This means: This is the matter of the report, for I have heard it said, "That I shall enter the Land of Israel, the place of my rest, to be prepared there for the day of trouble." And he goes on to explain, "To ascend to the people who shall come in many bands." This means: As if the ascent to the Land of Israel will be to the bands of Gog, to be pursued by them.
Metzudat Zion
And it shall tremble. The meaning of "trembling" (terror):
"צללו" – the meaning is the motion of trembling, as it is said: "then his ears shall tingle" (Jeremiah 19).
And beneath me. In my place:
Anoch. From the word "menuchah" (rest):
"It shall attack him." This is from the expression "gedudei am" (bands/troops of a people).
Malbim
I heard the interpretation of the verse: “I heard, and my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble” (Habakkuk 3:16). The meaning is that Israel will accept upon themselves the principle that it is impossible for them to be redeemed except through great and severe afflictions, which are the birth-pangs of the Messiah, resembling the labor pains of a woman in childbirth. For just as the greater the labor pains, the greater the hope, since the deliverance is near and the child is about to be born, so too, as it is stated: “As a woman with child draws near the time of her delivery, she is in pain and cries out in her pangs, so have we been, and we have not given birth, but have brought forth the wind” (Isaiah 26:17-18). During the time of these great afflictions, a spirit of hope and confidence is born within them, that the afflictions are a sign of deliverance and redemption. And this is what it says: “My lips quivered at the voice, that I might rest in the day of trouble.” That is, at that time, the lips of the nation will quiver with deep speech that resounds in the ears. And what is this voice? “That I might rest in the day of trouble.” When the day of trouble comes, then I will rest from exile, for the affliction is a sign of rest and redemption. “To ascend against the people who band together in troops,” meaning that the affliction is prepared to ascend to the people who will be gathered into battalions and assembled for the war of Gog and Magog. Upon them the affliction will ascend, and I will rest. All this time, the lips of the nation quivered during the affliction, and they were comforted by this. And this is what it says: “For I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice, and rottenness entered into my bones.” That is, my belly and all my limbs tremble at this voice that resounds in their ears, that it is impossible for them to be saved except through great afflictions, slaughter, and the birth-pangs of the Messiah.
For though the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no food; The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls;
verse value 5465
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 74 letters. The shortest word is "will·fail" (כִּחֵשׁ֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "labour·olive" (מַֽעֲשֵׂה־זַ֔יִת, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 67: and·nothing, and·nothing. 14 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "though·fig-tree" (כִּֽי־תְאֵנָ֣ה), "not·will·blossom" (לֹֽא־תִפְרָ֗ח), "produce" (יְבוּל֙). The root אין appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'food', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
"When the fig tree shall not blossom." As its Targum renders it. And one may interpret it according to its plain meaning: from now on, there is no success for any work in Babylonia.
And the fields. A grain field:
“From the fold (mimichlah).” A sheepfold:
Radak
"When the fig tree shall not blossom" – this verse is stated by way of metaphor, regarding the nations that assemble against Jerusalem, along with Gog and Magog, it says that they will not succeed, but rather they will perish there. And those who escape, so as not to die, will be struck in their limbs, as it is written: "Their eyes shall waste away in their sockets, and their tongue shall consume itself in their mouth." And they shall be a sign among all the nations to which they go.
Yevul. Like peri, as in: "And the land shall yield its yevul."
And the fields. A field of sowing:
“From the fold.” With a he, like “from the folds” (of sheep), with an aleph.
"Barpatim." Like the "barpat" of cattle in the language of our Sages of blessed memory, which is the cattle shed; and the Targum likewise: "for the kingdom of Babylon shall not endure," etc.
Metzudat David
"When the fig tree..."—at that time the fig tree had not yet blossomed. This is to say: Israel, who are compared to a fig tree, had not yet acquired strength and fortitude of heart to stand in battle against them.
“And there is no yield.” The vines still bear no fruit, and the olives are still lean and emaciated; the fields have not yet produced food. And moreover, this is an allegory to say that they still lack courage of heart, and they do not know the strategies of war; how then will they stand against them?
“The flock is cut off from the fold.” The flock is cut off from the place of its enclosure, for they have diminished, and there is no cattle in the stalls. That is to say: behold, Israel, when they were in Babylon, had dwindled — so how could they stand against this great multitude?:
Metzudat Zion
Yevul. The matter of the produce of fruit [the growth of fruit], as in “the produce of the land” (Judges 6):
Kachash. The matter of leanness, as in “and my flesh has grown lean from [want of] fatness” (Psalms 109:24):
Ma'aseh zayit (the produce of the olive). The fruit of the olive:
And “shadmot” (fields): fields of grain, as in “the fields of Heshbon” (Isaiah 16:8):
Gazar. The matter of cutting off, as in “I said: I am cut off” (Lamentations 3:54):
"From the fold" – it refers to the sheepfold, as in "from the folds of sheep" (Psalms 78:70).
"Barpatim." This is the cattle shed. And our Sages of blessed memory found the term "barpat" (in Bava Batra 32b):
Malbim
"For, (this too is from the voice that the lips of the nation will sound), the voice says that when they see that all the world is desolate and everything is ruined, then they will look forward to salvation, as it is stated: 'In the generation in which the Son of David comes, many new troubles arise,' and our Sages said that the vine will not yield its fruit, and there will be famine and many evils, and this is what it says: 'The voice says that when you see that the fig tree will not blossom, and there is no crop in the vines, and the work of the olive has failed, and the fields will not produce food,' and likewise, when you see that the decree has been issued against the flock, that both the growing things in the field and the animals, the sheep and the cattle, have perished, then it is the sign of the redemption."
Yet I will rejoice in Hashem, I will exult in the God of my salvation.
verse value 701
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "and·I" (וַאֲנִ֖י, 4 letters) and the longest is "let·me·exult" (אֶעְל֑וֹזָה, 6 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "and·I" (וַאֲנִ֖י), "in·Hashem" (בַּיהֹוָ֣ה), "let·me·exult" (אֶעְל֑וֹזָה). 6 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'let·me·exult', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַאֲנִ֖י [and·I] (67) + בַּיהֹוָ֣ה [in·Hashem] (28) + אֶעְל֑וֹזָה [let·me·exult] (119) + אָגִ֖ילָה [I·may·rejoice] (49) + בֵּאלֹהֵ֥י [in·God] (48) + יִשְׁעִֽי [my·salvation] (390) = 701.
Rashi
And I: The Congregation of Israel, in the Lord will I rejoice.
Radak
"And I will rejoice in the Lord." The prophet spoke in the language of Israel: when the camp of Gog is finished, I will rejoice in the salvation of Israel. And he repeated the matter in different words, saying, "I will exult in my God, my Savior." And so did Jonathan translate: "Therefore, in the miracle and deliverance that You will perform for Your Messiah, etc."
Metzudat David
"And I will rejoice in the Lord." But even so, I will delight in the support of the Lord.
In the God of my salvation. In the might of the God of my salvation:
Metzudat Zion
"Al'ozah." The meaning is joy, as it is written: "And let them rejoice before Him" (Psalms 68:4).
Malbim
And I, then I will exult in the Lord, for then the power of the Lord will be aroused, and also I will rejoice with a new joy in my God, my Savior, meaning in His special providence over me.
God, the Lord, is my strength, And He makes my feet like hinds’feet, And He makes me to walk upon my high places. For the Leader. With my string-music.
verse value 2822
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 53 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "and·upon" (וְעַ֥ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·stringed·instruments" (בִּנְגִינוֹתָֽי, 8 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Habakkuk. Unique to this verse in Habakkuk (hapax): "my·lord" (אֲדֹנָי֙), "my·wealth" (חֵילִ֔י), "and·put" (וַיָּ֤שֶׂם). 11 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'He·makes·me·walk', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 2 words. Full calculation: יֱהֹוִ֤ה [Hashem] (26) + אֲדֹנָי֙ [my·lord] (65) + חֵילִ֔י [my·wealth] (58) + וַיָּ֤שֶׂם [and·put] (356) + רַגְלַי֙ [my·feet] (243) + כָּאַיָּל֔וֹת [like·the·hinds] (467) + וְעַ֥ל [and·upon] (106) + בָּמוֹתַ֖י [my·high·places] (458) + יַדְרִכֵ֑נִי [He·makes·me·walk] (294) + לַמְנַצֵּ֖חַ [for·the·leader] (218) + בִּנְגִינוֹתָֽי [in·stringed·instruments] (531) = 2822.
Rashi
“For the Leader, with my stringed melodies.” For the Levite who leads the song — I will make sweet melody for him with my stringed music, and the Levite will give voice in response with the instruments of song:
"To the Choirmaster." Just as it is stated (Ezra 3:8): "And the Levites stood from the age of twenty years and upward to direct the work," etc.
"In my melodies." This is the language of pleasant voice, to raise and to lower; *organist* in the vernacular.
Radak
“The LORD God is my strength, and He makes my feet like hinds’.” Swift as hinds, to pursue my enemies:
"And upon my heights He will guide me." Help me so that I may walk upon them and trample them in my land; this is what is meant by "my heights." He said this because Jerusalem is higher than all the lands, and I will sing about the miracle that He will perform for me. And he said, "To the Choirmaster, upon my stringed instruments."
Metzudat David
"The LORD, etc." This means: Even though we are few, the LORD will be for me as a place of strength, like a great multitude.
“Like hinds.” Swift as hinds, to pursue the enemy:
“And upon my heights He will guide me.” This means: Even though I did not attempt to tread upon the mountains to pursue the enemy, behold, the Omnipresent, blessed be He, will guide me to pursue upon the heights of the mountains that surround Jerusalem.
"For the Leader; with my stringed instruments." This means that this prayer was entrusted to the Levite leader of song, to be sung with the melody that I composed for it.
Metzudat Zion
Chili. The word is from the root *chayil*, meaning "army" or "strength":
“Like a hind.” The name of an animal that hastens to run.
“Bamotai” (my heights). The term denotes height, as in “the high places of the earth” (Amos 4:13):
"Guide me." The word is derived from the root meaning "way" and "walking":
For the Director of Music. The masters of song are called "Directors" because the way to prevail over one another is by raising the voice and by the resolution of the melody.
"In my melodies." The word is derived from the root *negin* (melody):
Malbim
“Hashem, for then, at that time, Hashem is my strength,” meaning that He will place my feet like those of hinds, so that I may run swiftly to the Land of Israel. And there He will guide me upon my heights, which refers to Mount Zion and the Land of Israel, which is higher than all the lands. And there I will triumph in my melodies, saying before Him songs and praises in His Holy Temple.
Rashi
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim