SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:12
¡Ay del que edifica la ciudad con sangre, y del que funda la villa con iniquidad!
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 2:12
Verse 12. Wo to him that buildeth a town with blood] At the expense of much slaughter. This is the answer of the beam to the stone. And these things will refer to the vast fortunes gained, and the buildings erected, by means of the slave- trade; where, to a considerate and humane mind, the walls appear as if composed of the bones of negroes, and cemented by their blood! But the towns or houses established by this iniquity soon come to ruin; and the fortunes made have, in most cases, become as chaff and dust before the whirlwind of God's indignation. But where are the dealers in the souls and bodies of men? Ask him who has them in his keeping. He can tell.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity !] This is what the stone and beam should say, if others were silent. The town and city are the church of Rome, mystical Babylon, the great city, called spiritually Egypt and Sodom; the builder of this is the pope of Rome, the bishops of it in succession, who built it with blood: the pope of Rome received his title as head of the church from Phocas, that murdered the emperor Mauritius; the foundation of the church of Rome is the blood of the saints, shed in persecutions and wars; hence she is said to be drunk with the blood of them, and to have the blood of prophets and saints found in her, ( Revelation 17:5 Revelation 18:24) and it is established by unjust exactions of tribute from all countries subject to it, and by indulgences, processions, and various methods taken to extort money from the people, to support its pageantry, pomp, and grandeur; but there is a “woe” denounced against such that are concerned herein, and which will take place in due time, nor can it be awarded, as follows:
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-14 - The prophet reads the doom of all proud and oppressive powers that bea hard upon God's people. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life, are the entangling snares of men; and we fin him that led Israel captive, himself led captive by each of these. N more of what we have is to be reckoned ours, than what we come honestl by. Riches are but clay, thick clay; what are gold and silver but whit and yellow earth? Those who travel through thick clay, are hindered an dirtied in their journey; so are those who go through the world in the midst of abundance of wealth. And what fools are those that burde themselves with continual care about it; with a great deal of guilt is getting, saving, and spending it, and with a heavy account which the must give another day! They overload themselves with this thick clay and so sink themselves down into destruction and perdition. See what will be the end hereof; what is gotten by violence from others, other shall take away by violence. Covetousness brings disquiet an uneasiness into a family; he that is greedy of gain troubles his ow house; what is worse, it brings the curse of God upon all the affair of it. There is a lawful gain, which, by the blessing of God, may be comfort to a house; but what is got by fraud and injustice, will brin poverty and ruin upon a family. Yet that is not the worst; Thou has sinned against thine own soul, hast endangered it. Those who wron their neighbours, do much greater wrong to their own souls. If the sinner thinks he has managed his frauds and violence with art an contrivance, the riches and possessions he heaped together will witnes against him. There are not greater drudges in the world than those wh are slaves to mere wordly pursuits. And what comes of it? They fin themselves disappointed of it, and disappointed in it; they will own it is worse than vanity, it is vexation of spirit. By staining and sinkin earthly glory, God manifests and magnifies his own glory, and fills the earth with the knowledge of it, as plentifully as waters cover the sea which are deep, and spread far and wide.
Original Hebrew
הוי 1945 בנה 1129 עיר 5892 בדמים 1818 וכונן 3559 קריה 7151 בעולה׃ 5766
