Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Habakkuk 1:8
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Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, etc.] Creatures remarkable for their swiftness: these are creatures born of the mating of a he panther and a lioness, and not of a lion and a she panther, as some have affirmed; and which adultery is highly resented by the lion; nor will he suffer it to go unrevenged, as Plinyf20 and Philostratusf21 observe: those thus begotten differ from common lions in this, that they have no manes: the panthers are the creatures here meant, which are very swift, as Bochartf22 from various authors has observed. Lucanf23 calls this creature “celerem pardum”, “the swift panther”; and Jerom saysf24 nothing is swifter than the panther; and Aelianusf25 observes that the panther, by the swiftness of its running, will overtake most creatures, and particularly apes; and Eustathiusf26 confirms the same, saying that it exceeds other creatures in swiftness, and as it were flies before the eyes of hunters; and Osoriusf27 relates, that the king of Portugal once sent to the pope of Rome a panther tamed, which being had into the woods a hunting by a Persian hunter, with wonderful swiftness leaped upon the boars and deer, and killed them at once; and the Septuagint version here is, “their horses will leap above the panthers”: or exceed them in leaping, for which these panthers are very famous too: an Arabic writerf28, whom Bochart mentions, says it will leap above forty cubits at a leap. Plinyf29 reports, that the panthers in Africa will get up into thick trees, and hide themselves in the branches, and leap from thence on those that pass by; and because of the swiftness of this creature, with other qualities of it, the third beast or Grecian monarchy, especially in its first head Alexander the great, is represented by it, (<270706>Daniel 7:6) he making such a swift and rapid progress in his conquests; and yet the Chaldean horses would exceed them in swiftness, and be very speedy in their march into the land of Judea; and therefore it was in vain for the Jews to please themselves with the thoughts that these people were a great way off, and so they secure from them, when they could and would be upon them presently, ere they were aware: and are more fierce than ravening wolves; which creatures are naturally fierce, and especially when they are hungry, and particularly at evening; when, having had no food all the day, their appetites are very keen, and they go in quest of their prey; and, when they meet with it, fall upon it with greater eagerness and fierceness. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, than the wolves of Arabia; that there are wolves very frequent in Arabia, is observed by Diodorus Siculusf30, and Strabof31; but that these are remarkable for their fierceness does not appear; rather those in colder climates are more fierce; so Plinyf32 says, they are little and sluggish in Africa and Egypt, but rough and fierce in cold climates. It is, in the original text, “more sharp”f33; which some interpret of the sharpness of their sight. Aelianus saysf34, it is a most quick and sharp sighted creature; and can see in the night season, even though the moon shines not: the reason of which Plinyf35 gives is, because the eyes of wolves are shining, and dart light; hence Aelianusf36 observes, that that time of the night in which the wolf only by nature enjoys the light is called wolf light; and that Homerf37 calls a night which has some glimmering of light, or a sort of twilight, such as the wolves can see themse…
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