13. with thine anointed--with Messiah; of whom Moses, Joshua, and
David, God's anointed leaders of Israel, were the types
(Ps 89:19, 20, 38).
God from the beginning delivered His people in person, or by the hand
of a Mediator
(Isa 63:11).
Thus Habakkuk confirms believers in the hope of their deliverance, as
well because God is always the same, as also because the same anointed
Mediator is ready now to fulfil God's will and interpose for Israel, as
of old [CALVIN]. MAURER
translates to suit the parallelism, "for salvation to Thine anointed,"
namely, Israel's king in the abstract, answering to the "people"
in the former clause (compare
Ps 28:8;
La 4:20).
Or Israel is meant, the anointed, that is, consecrated people of
Jehovah
(Ps 105:15).
woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked--probably an
allusion to
Ps 68:21.
Each head person sprung from and belonging to the house
of Israel's wicked foes; such as Jabin, whose city Hazor was
"the head of all the kingdoms" of Canaan
(Jos 11:10;
compare
Jud 4:2, 3, 13).
discovering the foundation--Thou destroyedst high and low. As "the
head of the house" means the prince, so the "foundation" means the
general host of the enemy.
unto the neck--image from a flood reaching to the neck
(Isa 8:8; 30:28).
So God, by His wrath overflowing on the foe, caused their princes'
necks to be trodden under foot by Israel's leaders
(Jos 10:24; 11:8, 12).
JFB.
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