Hab 3:3-4 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 3. God came from Teman ] Bp. Lowth observes: "This is a sudden burst of poetry, in the true spirit of the ode; the concealed connection being that God, who had formerly displayed such power in delivering the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, might succour their posterity in a like wonderful manner." Hence the prophet selects the most striking facts of that first deliverance; and to decorate and render them impressive, brings forth all the powers of his genius, in all the strength and elegance of his language. "What crowns the sublimity of this piece," says Bp. Lowth , "is the singular elegance of the close; and were it not that antiquity has here and there thrown its veil of obscurity over it, there could not be conceived a more perfect and masterly poem of its kind." See, for more particulars, his twenty-eighth Prelection. I shall endeavour to show the facts in the deliverance from Egypt , to which the prophet refers. Teman ] This was a city, the capital of a province of Idumea, to the south of the land of Canaan. ; . Paran ] Was a city which gave its name to a province in Arabia Petrea. ; . Selah ] This word is not well known; probably it means a pause or alteration in the music. See it in the Psalms, and its explanation there. His glory covered the heavens ] His glory when he descended on Mount Sinai, and in the pillar of fire by night. The earth was full of his praise. ] All the land was astonished at the magnificence of his works in behalf of his people. Instead of praise , some translate splendour . The whole land was illuminated by his glory.

‏ Habakkuk 3:3-4

Verse 3. God came from Teman] Bp. Lowth observes: "This is a sudden burst of poetry, in the true spirit of the ode; the concealed connection being that God, who had formerly displayed such power in delivering the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, might succour their posterity in a like wonderful manner." Hence the prophet selects the most striking facts of that first deliverance; and to decorate and render them impressive, brings forth all the powers of his genius, in all the strength and elegance of his language. "What crowns the sublimity of this piece," says Bp. Lowth, "is the singular elegance of the close; and were it not that antiquity has here and there thrown its veil of obscurity over it, there could not be conceived a more perfect and masterly poem of its kind." See, for more particulars, his twenty-eighth Prelection.

I shall endeavour to show the facts in the deliverance from Egypt, to which the prophet refers.

Teman] This was a city, the capital of a province of Idumea, to the south of the land of Canaan. Nu 20:21; Jer 49:7.

Paran] Was a city which gave its name to a province in Arabia Petrea. Ge 21:21; De 33:2.

Selah] This word is not well known; probably it means a pause or alteration in the music. See it in the Psalms, and its explanation there.

His glory covered the heavens] His glory when he descended on Mount Sinai, and in the pillar of fire by night.

The earth was full of his praise.] All the land was astonished at the magnificence of his works in behalf of his people. Instead of praise, some translate splendour. The whole land was illuminated by his glory.

Verse 4. He had horns coming out of his hand] karnayim, rays. His hand-his power-was manifested in a particular place, by the sudden issuing out of pencils of rays, which diverged in coruscations of light, so as to illuminate the whole hemisphere. Yet "there was the hiding of his power." His Majesty could not be seen, nor any kind of image, because of the insufferable splendour. This may either refer to the lightnings on Mount Sinai; or to the brightness which occasionally proceeded from the shechinah or glory of God between the cherubim, over the mercy-seat. See Capellus and Newcome. If lightnings are intended, the dense cloud from which they proceeded may be meant by the "hiding of his power;" for when the lightnings burst forth, his power and energy became manifest.

Probably from this the Jupiter Keraunos or Jupiter Brontes of the heathens was borrowed; who is always represented with forked or zigzag lightnings in his hand.