habakkuk 3:14 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.

habakkuk 3:14 Thou didst pierce with his own spears The head of his throngs. They stormed in to scatter us; Their exultation [was] like those Who devour the oppressed in secret.

14. strike . . . with his staves--with the "wicked" (Hab 3:13) foe's own sword (MAURER translates, "spears") (Jud 7:22).
head of his villages--Not only kings were overthrown by God's hand, but His vengeance passed through the foe's villages and dependencies. A just retribution, as the foe had made "the inhabitants of Israel's villages to cease" (Jud 5:7). GROTIUS translates, "of his warriors"; GESENIUS, "the chief of his captains."
to scatter me--Israel, with whom Habakkuk identifies himself (compare Hab 1:12).
rejoicing . . . to devour the poor secretly--"The poor" means the Israelites, for whom in their helpless state the foe lurks in his lair, like a wild beast, to pounce on and devour (Ps 10:9; 17:12).

habakkuk 3:14 Thou didst pierce with his own spears The head of his throngs. They stormed in to scatter us; Their exultation [was] like those Who devour the oppressed in secret.

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