Habakkuk 2:6

“Shall not all these take up a parable against him, etc.] A proverbial expression, a short sentence, a laconic speech, delivered in a few words, which contains much in them concerning the vices of these emperors, and imprecating judgments upon them for them; took up and expressed by the nations brought into subjection unto them, and especially by the Christians in those nations spoiled and persecuted by them: and a taunting proverb against him; or, “whose explanation are riddles to him”f95; the proverb, when explained, would be a riddle to him, which he could not understand, nor would give any credit to; taking it not to belong to him or them, and in which they had no concern; though…”

“Shall not all these--the "nations" and "peoples" (Hab 2:5) "heaped unto him" by the Chaldean. take up a parable--a derisive song. Habakkuk follows Isaiah (Isa 14:4) and Micah (Mic 2:4) in the phraseology. against him--when dislodged from his former eminence. Woe--The "derisive song" here begins, and continues to the end of the chapter. It is a symmetrical whole, and consists of five stanzas, the first three consisting of three verses each, the fourth of four verses, and the last of two. Each stanza has its own subject, and all except the last begin with "Woe"; and all have a closing verse introduced with "for," "because," or "but." how long?--how long destined to retain his ill-gotten gains?…”

“Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him? - Nebuchadnezzar gathered, Daniel 3:4-5, “all people, nations, and languages, to worship the golden image which he had set up.” The second Babylon, pagan Rome, sought to blot out the very Christian Name; but mightier were the three children than the King of Babylon; mightier, virgins, martyrs, and children than Nero or Decius. These shall rejoice over Babylon, that, Revelation 18:20, “God hath avenged them on her.” Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! - Truly wealth ill-gotten by fraud or oppression, “is not his,” who winneth it, before he had it, nor when he hath it, but a woe. It is not his;…”

“2:6-20 Five taunt songs (2:6-8, 9-11, 12-14, 15-17, 18-20) portray God’s future judgment of the Babylonians (and others who, like the Babylonians, indulge in violence and injustice). God allows them to seal their own doom. Those who suffer will be able to repeat these taunts when the wicked come to judgment (see 1:14-17). Each taunt contains a pronouncement of sorrow, a judgment, and the reason for God’s judgment. 2:6-8 In the first of Habakkuk’s taunt songs, he condemns the Babylonians for despoiling the nations. • thieves . . . extortion: The imagery compares the Babylonians to creditors whose oppressive measures cause their debtors to rise up against them. Greed can easily mar an…”

“take: Num 23:7, Num 23:18; Isa. 14:4-19; Jer 29:22, Jer 50:13; Eze 32:21; Mic 2:4 Woe to him: or, Ho, he that increaseth: Hab 1:9, Hab 1:10, Hab 1:15; Job 20:15-29, Job 22:6-10; Pro 22:16; Jer 51:34, Jer 51:35; Jam 5:1-4 how: Psa 94:3; Luk 12:20; Co1 7:29-31; Pe1 4:7 ladeth: Hab 2:13; Isa 44:20, Isa 55:2 Habakkuk 2:7”

“In Hab 2:6-20 the destruction of the Chaldaean, which has been already intimated in Hab 2:4, Hab 2:5, is announced in the form of a song composed of threatening sentences, which utters woes in five strophes consisting of three verses each: (1) upon the rapacity and plundering of the Chaldaean ( Hab 2:6-8); (2) upon his attempt to establish his dynasty firmly by means of force and cunning ( Hab 2:9-11); (3) upon his wicked ways of building ( Hab 2:12-14); (4) upon his base treatment of the subjugated nations ( Hab 2:15-17); and (5) upon his idolatry ( Hab 2:18-20). These five strophes are connected together, so as to form two larger divisions, by a refrain which closes the first and fourth,…”