Teks -- Habakkuk 1:4 (NET)

1:4 For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Hab 1:4 - Therefore

Because the wicked go on with impunity.

Wesley: Hab 1:4 - The law

The whole law, moral, ceremonial, and judicial.

Wesley: Hab 1:4 - Is slacked

Is slighted, and not observed.

Wesley: Hab 1:4 - Go forth

From magistrates, judges, and public officers.

Wesley: Hab 1:4 - Doth compass about

As it were besieges, with design to oppress and ruin.

JFB: Hab 1:4 - Therefore

Because Thou dost suffer such crimes to go unpunished.

JFB: Hab 1:4 - law is slacked

Is chilled. It has no authority and secures no respect.

JFB: Hab 1:4 - judgment

Justice.

JFB: Hab 1:4 - wrong judgment proceedeth

Decisions are given contrary to right.

Clarke: Hab 1:4 - The law is slacked

The law is slacked - They pay no attention to it; it has lost all its vigor, its restraining and correcting power, it is not executed; right judgment is never pronounced; and the poor righteous man complains in vain that he is grievously oppressed by the wicked, and by those in power and authority. That the utmost depravity prevailed in the land of Judah is evident from these verses; and can we wonder, then, that God poured out such signal judgments upon them? When judgment doth not proceed from the seat of judgment upon earth, it will infallibly go forth from the throne of judgment in heaven.

Calvin: Hab 1:4 - NO PHRASE

The Prophet confirms here what I have already said, and brings an excuse for his zeal; he proves that he was not without reason led to so great a warmth; for he saw that the law of God was trodden as it were under foot; he saw men so hardened in every kind of sin, that all religion and the fear of God had nearly been extinguished. Hence I have already said, that the Prophet was not here impelled by a carnal passion, as it often happens to us, when we defend ourselves from wrongs done to us; for when any one of us is injured, he immediately becomes incensed, while, at the same time, we suffer God’s law to be a sport, His whole truth to be despised, and everything that is just to be violated. We are only tender on what concerns us individually, and in the meantime we easily forgive when God is wronged, and His truth despised. But the Prophet shows here that he was not made indignant through a private feeling, but because he could not bear the profanation of God’s worship and the violation of His holy law.

He therefore says, that the law was dissolved or weakened, as though he said that God’s law had no longer any authority or regard. Let us hence learn to rouse up ourselves, for we are very frigid, when the ungodly openly despise and even mock God. As, then, we are too unconcerned in this respect, let us learn, by the Prophet’s example, to stimulate ourselves. For even Paul also shows, in an indirect way, that there is just reason for indignation—‘Be ye angry,’ he says, ‘and sin not,’ (Eph 4:26); that is, every one ought to regard his own sins, so as to become an enemy to himself; and he ought also to feel indignant whenever he sees God offended.

This rule the Prophet now follows, Weakened, he says, is the law ⁹ We know that when a sinful custom prevails, there is but little authority in what is taught: nor are human laws only despised when men’s audacity breaks through all restraints, but even the very law of God is esteemed as nothing; for they think that everything erroneously done, by the consent of all, is lawful. We now then see that the Prophet felt great anguish of mind, like holy Lot (Gen 19:1.), when he saw every regard for God almost extinct in the land, and especially among the chosen people, whom God had above all others consecrated to himself.

He then adds, judgement goes not forth perpetually. Absurdly do many regard this as having been said in the person of foolish men, who think that there is no such thing as divine providence, when things in the world are in a disordered state: but the Prophet simply says, that all justice was suppressed. We have nearly the very same complaint in Isa 59:4. He then says, that judgement did not go forth perpetually, because the ungodly thought that no account was to be given by them. When, therefore, any one dared to say a word against them, they immediately boiled with rage, and like wild beasts fiercely attacked him. All then were silent, and nearly made dumb, when the ungodly thus prevailed and gathered boldness from the daily practice of licentiousness. Hence, ‘Go forth perpetually does not judgement;’ that is, “O Lord, things are now past hope, and there appears to be no end to our evils, except thou comest soon and applies a remedy beyond what our flesh can conceive.” For the wicked, he says, surround the righteous; that is, when there was any one who continued to retain some regard for religion and justice, immediately the wicked rose up against him on every side and surrounded him before and behind; so it happened, that no one dared to oppose the torrent, though frauds, rapines, outrages, cruelty, and even murders everywhere prevailed; if any righteous men still remained, they dared not come forth into the public, for the wicked beset them on all sides.

He afterwards adds, Therefore perverted judgement goes forth. The Prophet now rises higher, that even the rulers themselves increased the rage for evils, and as it were supplied fuel to their wickedness, as they confounded all distinction between right and wrong: for the Prophet speaks not here of private wrongs which any one might have done, but he speaks of the very rulers, as though he said, “There might have been one remedy, the judges might have checked so great an audacity; but they themselves stretch out their hands to the wicked and help them.” Hence the tribunals, which ought to have been sacred, were become as it were dens of thieves. The word משפט , meshiphith is taken properly in a good sense: Is not judgement then a desirable thing? Yes, but the Prophet says, that it was perverted. It was then by way of concession that judgement is mentioned; for he afterwards adds a word to it, by which he shows that the administration of the laws was evil and injurious: for when any one oppressed had recourse to the assistance of the laws, he was plundered. In short, the Prophet means, that all things in private and in public were corrupt among the people. It now follows—

TSK: Hab 1:4 - the law // for // wrong

the law : Psa 11:3, Psa 119:126; Mar 7:9; Rom 3:31

for : 1Ki 21:13; Job 21:7; Psa 22:16, Psa 58:1, Psa 58:2, Psa 59:2, Psa 59:4, Psa 82:1-5, Psa 94:3, Psa 94:20,Psa 94:21; Isa 1:21-23, Isa 59:2-8, Isa 59:13-15; Jer 5:27-29, Jer 12:1, Jer 12:6, Jer 26:8, Jer 26:21-23; Jer 37:14-16, Jer 38:4-6; Eze 22:25-30; Hos 10:4; Amo 5:7, Amo 5:12; Mic 2:1, Mic 2:2; Mic 3:1-3, Mic 7:2-4; Mat 23:34-36, Mat 26:59-66, Mat 27:1, Mat 27:2, Mat 27:25, Mat 27:26; Act 7:52, Act 7:59; Act 23:12-14; Jam 2:6, Jam 2:7

wrong : or, wrested, Exo 23:2, Exo 23:6; Deu 16:19; Eze 9:9

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Hab 1:4 - Therefore // The law of God // Is slacked // And judgment // Doth never go forth // The wicked // Wrong judgment

Therefore because the wicked go on with impunity, and the punishment they deserve is deferred.

The law of God given to this people by the hand of Moses, the whole law, moral, ceremonial, and judicial.

Is slacked is slighted, weakened, and little studied, and less obeyed by all sorts.

And judgment not only private men neglect the law, but magistrates, judges, and public officers pervert, or divert, or obstruct it also.

Doth never go forth Heb. to the end , or, unto victory, with prevalence to restrain the unjust, and to protect the innocent, which is the end of magistracy, Rom 13:3 .

The wicked the unjust and violent man. Doth compass about; as it were besiegeth, surroundeth, with design to oppress and ruin by false witness, interest, or bribery.

Wrong judgment perverse judgment, wherein innocence is condemned and the guilty are acquitted: so the judges are swords in the bowels, when they should be shields over the bodies of the righteous.

Gill: Hab 1:4 - Therefore the law is slacked // And judgment doth never go forth // for the wicked doth compass about the righteous // therefore wrong judgment proceedeth

Therefore the law is slacked,.... Is not put into execution against offenders: the civil magistrates, whose office it is to do justice according to law, are dilatory, and do not proceed with vigour and spirit against the transgressors of it, and in favour of honest and good men oppressed: or "it intermits" ^r, or is "intermitted"; it is like a man whose pulse beats low, and is scarce perceived, which is a sign that he is not in good health as the body politic is not, when the law, which is the soul of it, is not suffered to take place, and do its office. So the Targum,

"the law languishes;''

loses its force and vigour, and is ready to expire; which is a sad symptom of the bad estate of a commonwealth.

And judgment doth never go forth; at least not right, to the justifying of the righteous, acquitting the innocent, and giving the cause on the right side; condemning the wicked, and punishing offenders as their crime deserves: it never appears as it should do; it is either not done at all, or done badly and perversely:

for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; to hurt him or ensnare him, and by frauds and wicked artifices, and false witnesses, to carry a cause against him:

therefore wrong judgment proceedeth; the cause is given on the wrong side, against a good man, and for a wicked man; all these things the prophet saw with grief, and complained of to the Lord, from whom he has an answer in the following words: