Habacuque 3

Habacuque 3

Barnes: The subject of (Jdg 5, Hab 3:3-16, Ps 67:7-9) is the triumphant march of Israel, with the Lord at their head, to take possession of Canaan, and the overthrow of Sihon, Og, and the Midianites. This march commenced from Kadesh, in the immediate neighborhood of Seir. (Habakkuk 3 Commentary) (Comment: Clearly Barnes feels that the Hab 3:3-16 is all past completed history with no eschatological application.) Ps 68:7 O God, when Thou didst go forth before Thy people, When Thou didst march through the wilderness, Selah. 8 The earth quaked; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9 Thou didst shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; Thou didst confirm Thine inheritance, when it was parched. Paran - 10x - 10v: Ge 21:21 Nu 10:12 Nu 12:16 Nu 13:3 Nu 13:26 Dt 1:1 T 33:2 1Sa 25:1 1Ki 11:18 Hab 3:3 Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes that Hab 3:3 places Messiah's initial return (at His Second Coming) in this area. Both Teman and Mount Paran are in the vicinity of see map) and located in the same mountain range of Mount Seir (note). The context is obviously speaking of the Second Coming and that event is said to be in the same area." (The Messianic Bible Study Collection) In another discussion Fruchtenbaum has this comment on Habakkuk 3:3 - Habakkuk pointed out the place of the Second Coming. Teman is a city located in Mount Seir, within the land of Edom or Southern Jordan, just north of the city of Bozrah or Petra; mount Paran is in the southern Negev, across the Arabah from Mount Seir. According to Micah 2:12–13; Isaiah 34:1–6; and 63:1–7, the initial place of the Second Coming will be the city of Bozrah, its Hebrew name, or Petra, its Greek name. This verse gives the route that the Messiah will take. He will first go north of Bozrah or Petra until He comes to Teman; from Teman, He will make His way down Mount Seir, cross the Arabah proper into the Negev Desert, and come by way of Mount Paran; and then into the Land of Israel from the southeast. So as to place, He will return to Israel from the direction of Teman in Edom and mount Paran in the southern Negev. (Ibid) Selah (05542)(selah) is used 3x in this chapter (Hab 3:3, 3:9, 3:13) which are the only uses outside of Psalms where it is found 71 times. Selah invites the reader/singer to stop and think about that thought. This expression is thought to be equivalent to a musical rest in which the reader or singer was instructed to stop and think about what he just sang or read. It affords an opportunity for pause and reflection upon what has been said. Someone has suggested that when we read it, we probably should not vocalize it anymore than a singer would vocalize the rests of a musical composition. Whatever its meaning, an obvious break was intended in the middle of Hab 3:3. For some reason, the ESV choose to place Selah at the end of verse. The NJB translates it as "Pause." (Related - What Does Selah Mean?) Gilbrant - Various theories have been suggested for its meaning: (1) The Septuagint translates it with the Greek word diaspalma, which is usually understood as a "musical interlude." (2) Strong and others have suggested that it be explained as a "pause," claiming that it comes from the verb sālāh in the sense of "to weigh," so that it means "suspension"; thus, a "pause." (3) A Palestinian Jewish tradition adopted by Jerome translated it as "forever," though the basis for this rendering is slim. It was seen as a direction to insert a benediction or chorus at that point. (4) Most commentators believe it is derived from the verb sālal , which means "to lift up," "to exalt." If so, there is still room for discussion as to whether it means to raise one's voice and sing loudly or to lift up the volume of the instrumental accompaniment. (The Complete Biblical Library Hebrew-English Dictionary – Nun-Ayin. Selah - 74x in 74v - Ps. 3:2; Ps. 3:4; Ps. 3:8; Ps. 4:2; Ps. 4:4; Ps. 7:5; Ps. 9:16; Ps. 9:20; Ps. 20:3; Ps. 21:2; Ps. 24:6; Ps. 24:10; Ps. 32:4; Ps. 32:5; Ps. 32:7; Ps. 39:5; Ps. 39:11; Ps. 44:8; Ps. 46:3; Ps. 46:7; Ps. 46:11; Ps. 47:4; Ps. 48:8; Ps. 49:13; Ps. 49:15; Ps. 50:6; Ps. 52:3; Ps. 52:5; Ps. 54:3; Ps. 55:7; Ps. 55:19; Ps. 57:3; Ps. 57:6; Ps. 59:5; Ps. 59:13; Ps. 60:4; Ps. 61:4; Ps. 62:4; Ps. 62:8; Ps. 66:4; Ps. 66:7; Ps. 66:15; Ps. 67:1; Ps. 67:4; Ps. 68:7; Ps. 68:19; Ps. 68:32; Ps. 75:3; Ps. 76:3; Ps. 76:9; Ps. 77:3; Ps. 77:9; Ps. 77:15; Ps. 81:7; Ps. 82:2; Ps. 83:8; Ps. 84:4; Ps. 84:8; Ps. 85:2; Ps. 87:3; Ps. 87:6; Ps. 88:7; Ps. 88:10; Ps. 89:4; Ps. 89:37; Ps. 89:45; Ps. 89:48; Ps. 140:3; Ps. 140:5; Ps. 140:8; Ps. 143:6; Hab. 3:3; Hab. 3:9; Hab. 3:13 The noun diapsalma means musical interlude or break and is the most common word used to translate selah. Diapsalma - 81x all in the Septuagint - Ps. 2:2; Ps. 3:2; Ps. 3:4; Ps. 4:2; Ps. 4:4; Ps. 7:5; Ps. 9:16; Ps. 9:20; Ps. 20:3; Ps. 21:2; Ps. 24:6; Ps. 32:4; Ps. 32:5; Ps. 32:7; Ps. 34:10; Ps. 39:5; Ps. 39:11; Ps. 44:8; Ps. 46:3; Ps. 46:7; Ps. 47:4; Ps. 48:8; Ps. 49:13; Ps. 49:15; Ps. 50:6; Ps. 50:15; Ps. 52:3; Ps. 52:5; Ps. 54:3; Ps. 55:7; Ps. 55:19; Ps. 57:3; Ps. 57:6; Ps. 59:5; Ps. 59:13; Ps. 60:4; Ps. 61:4; Ps. 62:4; Ps. 62:8; Ps. 66:4; Ps. 66:7; Ps. 66:15; Ps. 67:1; Ps. 67:4; Ps. 68:7; Ps. 68:13; Ps. 68:19; Ps. 68:32; Ps. 75:3; Ps. 76:3; Ps. 76:9; Ps. 77:3; Ps. 77:9; Ps. 77:15; Ps. 80:7; Ps. 81:7; Ps. 82:2; Ps. 83:8; Ps. 84:4; Ps. 84:8; Ps. 85:2; Ps. 87:3; Ps. 87:6; Ps. 88:7; Ps. 89:4; Ps. 89:37; Ps. 89:45; Ps. 89:48; Ps. 94:15; Ps. 140:3; Ps. 140:5; Ps. 140:8; Ps. 143:6; Hab. 3:3; Hab. 3:9; Hab. 3:13 TWOT on Selah - Many are the conjectures as to its meaning, but nothing certain is known. Other terms also probably musical but of uncertain meaning are, ʿălāmôt, shemînît, gittît, maḥălat le‘annôt, negînôt, neḥîlôt, higgāyōn, shiggāyôn, lammenaṣṣēaḥ maskîl, miktām. Other enigmatic terms perhaps refer to tunes. (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) Scott feels that Selah "is used in this chapter (vv. 3, 9, 13) as a pause to allow the reader time to reflect upon God’s deliverance of His people." (When Prophets Speak of Judgment) Henry