SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:17
Porque la higuera no florecerá, ni en las vides habrá fruto; la obra de la oliva mentirá, y los labrados no darán mantenimiento; las ovejas serán taladas de la majada, y en los corrales no habrá vacas;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Habakkuk 3:17
Verse 17. Although the fig tree shall not blossom] jrpt tiphrach, "shall not flourish," shall not put forth its young figs, for the fig tree does not blossom. The young figs appear as soon as the old ones are ripe, as I have often had occasion to observe. This verse most nervously paints the desolate state of the land of Judea during the captivity. In its hemistich form, it may be translated thus:- For the fig tree shall not flourish, And there shall be no fruit on the vines; The fruit of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall supply no food: The flocks shall be cut off from the fold, And no herds shall be found in the stalls: Yet in Jehovah will I exult; I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Vulgate has:- Yet I in the Lord will rejoice, And will exult in Jesus my God.
The Targum countenances this version:- [wba yyd armymb anaw veana bemeimra dayai abua, "But in the WORD of the Lord will I rejoice," i.e., the personal, substantial Word of Jehovah.
These two verses give the finest display of resignation and confidence that I have ever met with. He saw that evil was at hand, and unavoidable, he submitted to the dispensation of God, whose Spirit enabled him to paint it in all its calamitous circumstances. He knew that God was merciful and gracious. He trusted to his promise, though all appearances were against its fulfillment; for he knew that the word of Jehovah could not fail, and therefore his confidence is unshaken.
No paraphrase can add any thing to this hymn, which is full of inexpressible dignity and elegance, leaving even its unparalleled piety out of the question.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. Although the fig tree shall not blossom , etc.] Or rather, as the Septuagint version, “shall not bring forth fruit”; since the fig tree does not bear blossoms and flowers, but puts forth green figs at once. This was a tree common in the land of Canaan, and its fruit much in use, and for food; hence we read of cakes of figs among the provisions Abigail brought to David, ( 1 Samuel 25:18) so that, when there was a scarcity of these, it was a bad time: neither [shall] fruit [be] in the vines ; no grapes, or clusters of them, out of which wine was pressed; a liquor very refreshing and reviving to nature; and is said to cheer God and man, being used in sacrifices and libations to God, and the common drink of men, ( Judges 9:13) so that, when it failed, it was a public calamity: the labour of the olive shall fail ; or “lie” f145 ; disappoint the expectation of those who planted and cultivated it with much toil and labour, it not producing fruit as looked for. This tree yielded berries of an agreeable taste, and out of which oil was extracted, the Jews used instead of butter, and for various purposes; so that, when it failed of fruit, it was a great loss on many accounts: and the fields shall yield no meat ; the grass fields no herbage for beasts; the grain fields no grain for man; the consequence of which must be a famine to both; and this must be very dismal and distressing: the flock shall be cut off from the fold ; flocks of sheep; either by the hand of God, some disease being sent among them; or by the hand of man, drove off by the enemy, or killed for their use; so that the folds were empty of them, and none to gather into them: and there [shall be] no herd in the stalls ; or oxen in the stables, where they are kept, and have their food; or stalls in which they are fattened for use; and by all these are signified the necessaries of life, which, when they fail, make a famine, which is a very distressing case; and yet, in the midst of all this, the prophet, representing the church, expresses his faith and joy in the Lord, as in the following verse ( Habakkuk 3:18); though all this is to be understood, not so much in a literal as in a figurative sense. “Fig trees, vines”, and “olives”, are often used as emblems of truly gracious persons, ( Song of Solomon 2:13 Psalm 52:8) partly because of their fruitfulness in grace and good works, and partly because of their perseverance therein; all these trees being fruitful ones; and some, as the olive, ever green: of such persons there is sometimes a scarcity, as is complained of in the times of David and Micah, ( Psalm 12:1 Micah 7:1) and especially there will be in the latter day; for righteous and merciful men will be taken away from the evil to come, ( Isaiah 57:1) and, however, there will be very few lively, spiritual, and fruitful Christians, such as abound in the exercise of grace, and are diligent in the discharge of duty; for, when the Son of Man cometh, he will not find faith on the earth; and he will find the virgins sleeping, ( Luke 18:8 Matthew 25:5). The “fields not” yielding “meat” may signify that the provisions of the house of God will be cut off; there will be no ministration of the word, or administration of ordinances; the word of the Lord will be scarce, rare, and precious; there will be a famine, not of bread and of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord; one of the days of the Son of Man will be desired, but not enjoyed; so no spiritual food in the use of means to be had; a very uncomfortable time this will be, ( Amos 8:11) ( Luke 17:22). The “flock” being “cut off from the fold” may denote that the sheep of Christ will be given up to the slaughter of the enemy, or be scattered abroad in this dark and cloudy day of persecution; so that there will be no fold, no flock, no sheep gathered together; and perhaps such will be the case, that there will not be one visible congregated church in due order throughout the whole world; all will be broke up, and dispersed here and there: no “herd” or “oxen in the stall” may signify that the ministers of the Gospel, compared to oxen for their strength, industry, and laboriousness in the work of the Lord, will be removed, or not suffered to exercise their ministry, nor be encouraged by any in it: this will be the case at the slaying of the witnesses, and a most distressing time it will be; and yet the prophet, or the church represented by him, expresses an uncommon frame of spirit in the following verse ( Habakkuk 3:18). The Targum interprets all this figuratively of each of the monarchies of the world, which should be no more; “the kingdom of Babylon shall not continue, nor shall it exercise dominion over Israel; the kings of the Medes shall be killed; and the mighty men of Greece shall not prosper; and the Romans shall be destroyed, and shall not collect tribute from Jerusalem; therefore for the wonder, and for the redemption, thou shalt work for thy Messiah; and for the rest of thy people who shall remain, they shall praise, saying: the prophet said;” as follows:
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-19 - When we see a day of trouble approach, it concerns us to prepare. good hope through grace is founded in holy fear. The prophet looke back upon the experiences of the church in former ages, and observe what great things God had done for them, and so was not only recovered but filled with holy joy. He resolved to delight and triumph in the Lord; for when all is gone, his God is not gone. Destroy the vines an the fig-trees, and you make all the mirth of a carnal heart to cease But those who, when full, enjoyed God in all, when emptied and poor can enjoy all in God. They can sit down upon the heap of the ruins of their creature-comforts, and even then praise the Lord, as the God of their salvation, the salvation of the soul, and rejoice in him as such in their greatest distresses. Joy in the Lord is especially seasonabl when we meet with losses and crosses in the world. Even when provision are cut off, to make it appear that man lives not by bread alone, we may be supplied by the graces and comforts of God's Spirit. Then we shall be strong for spiritual warfare and work, and with enlargement of heart may run the way of his commandments, and outrun our troubles. An we shall be successful in spiritual undertakings. Thus the prophet, wh began his prayer with fear and trembling, ends it with joy and triumph And thus faith in Christ prepares for every event. The name of Jesus when we can speak of Him as ours, is balm for every wound, a cordia for every care. It is as ointment poured forth, shedding fragranc through the whole soul. In the hope of a heavenly crown, let us sin loose to earthly possessions and comforts, and cheerfully bear up unde crosses. Yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and wil not tarry; and where he is, we shall be also __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
כי 3588 תאנה 8384 לא 3808 תפרח 6524 ואין 369 יבול 2981 בגפנים 1612 כחשׁ 3584 מעשׂה 4639 זית 2132 ושׁדמות 7709 לא 3808 עשׂה 6213 אכל 400 גזר 1504 ממכלה 4356 צאן 6629 ואין 369 בקר 1241 ברפתים׃ 7517
