Habakkuk 2:11
"For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

For the stone shall cry out of the wall,.... Of their own house; some from among themselves, that truly feared God, seeing the evil practices done among them, and abhorring them, such as their covetousness, ambition, murders, excommunications, and anathemas, should cry out against them in their sermons and writings; such as were lively stones, eminent for religion and godliness, as Bernard, Wickliff, Huss, and others: and the beam out of the

timber shall answer it; such as were of eminent note in things civil, as beams and rafters in the house; emperors and governors of provinces, who observed the complaints of godly ministers and people, answered to them, and checked the evil bishops and clergy, and hindered them in the pursuit of their schemes, and so brought them to shame and confusion. Aben Ezra observes, that the word signifies the hard place in the wood; or the harder part of it, the knotty part, or the knot in it; and which is confirmed by the use of the word in the Arabic language, as Hottinger (g) observes; and so may have respect to such persons as were raised up at the beginning of the Reformation, who were of rough dispositions, and hardy spirits, fit to go through the work they were called to; such as Luther, and others, who answered and were correspondent to the doctrines of those before mentioned, who preceded them: for not a beetle, as the Septuagint version, which breeds, and lives not in wood, and so represents heretics, as Jerom; much better, as some other Greek versions, a "worm"; though rather the word may signify a brick, as it is used by the Talmudists (h) for one of a span and a half, which answers well enough to a stone in the former clause; nor is it unusual with heathen writers (i) to represent stones and timbers speaking, when any criminal silence is kept; see Luk 19:40 . (g) Smegma Orientale, l. 1. c. 7. p. 163. (h) T. Bava Metzia, fol. 117. 2. & Bathra, fol. 3. 1. (i) "----Secretum divitis ullum Esse putas? servi ut taceant, jumenta loquentur, Et canis, et postes, et marmora.----" Juvenal. Satyr. 9.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (7 words)

H3588 כִּי
Definition:

Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic, Phoenicianכ. Probably from the same demonstrative basis found inhere, and in certain pronouns, as Aramaicדֵּךְthis(WSG 110 f.); perhaps also ultimately akin withthat, in order that, andthen, enclitic,

Possible Meanings:
  • for (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
  • when (semantic_range)
H0068 אֶבֶן
Definition:

2(masculine1Samuel 17:40?) stone (Assyrianabnu, = the sharp, projecting ? see DlW, Pr 107; Phoenicianאבן; Aramaicאֶבֶן,; EthiopicSabean [ם]אבנDHMZMG 1883, 341) —׳אabsoluteGenesis 28:22+;אָ֑בֶןGenesis 2(masculine1Samuel 17:40?) stone (Assyrianabnu, = the sharp, projecting ? see DlW, Pr 107; Phoenicianאבן; Aramaicאֶבֶן,; EthiopicSabean [ם]אבנDHMZMG 1883, 341) —׳אabsoluteGenesis 28:22+;אָ֑בֶןGenesis

Possible Meanings:
  • wheel (semantic_range)
  • disc (semantic_range)
  • wheel (semantic_range)
  • bearing-stool (semantic_range)
  • midwife’s stool (semantic_range)
H7023 קִיר
Definition:

4wall(√ unknown); — absolute׳קNumbers 22:25+,קִרIsaiah 22:5; constructקִיר1 Kings 6:5+; pluralקִירוֺת1 Kings 6:16+, constructid.,1 Kings 6:5+; suffixקִירֹתָיוExodus 30:3+, etc.; —wall, especially as f 4wall(√ unknown); — absolute׳קNumbers 22:25+,קִרIsaiah 22:5; constructקִיר1 Kings 6:5+; pluralקִירוֺת1 Kings 6:16+, constructid.,1 Kings 6:5+; suffixקִירֹתָיוExodus 30:3+, etc.; —wall, especially as f

H2199 זָעַק
Definition:

19; 1singularזָעַקְתִּיPsalm 142:6; 3pluralזָָֽעֲקוּJudges 6:73t.;וְזָעֲקוּconsecutiveJudges 11:112t.; 2 masculine pluralוּזְעַקְתֶּםconsecutive1 Samuel 8:18;Imperfect3masculine singularיִזְעָ֑קIsaiah 19; 1singularזָעַקְתִּיPsalm 142:6; 3pluralזָָֽעֲקוּJudges 6:73t.;וְזָעֲקוּconsecutiveJudges 11:112t.; 2 masculine pluralוּזְעַקְתֶּםconsecutive1 Samuel 8:18;Imperfect3masculine singularיִזְעָ֑קIsaiah

Possible Meanings:
  • cry (semantic_range)
  • call (semantic_range)
H3714 כָּפִיס
Definition:

11for a stone out of the wall crieth out,מֵעֵץ יַעֲנֶנָּה׳וְכand a rafter out of the timber-work answereth it.Topical LexiconDefinition and Linguistic SettingKapis denotes a length of timber—commonly 11for a stone out of the wall crieth out,מֵעֵץ יַעֲנֶנָּה׳וְכand a rafter out of the timber-work answereth it.Topical LexiconDefinition and Linguistic SettingKapis denotes a length of timber—commonly

Possible Meanings:
  • girder (semantic_range)
H6086 עֵץ
Definition:

9tree, trees, wood; —׳עabsoluteGenesis 3:3+, constructGenesis 3:24+,עֵץֿGenesis 2:16+; suffixֵ˜עצְךָDeuteronomy 28:42, etc.; pluralעֵצִיםJudges 9:8+, constructעֲצֵיIsaiah 7:2+, suffixעֵצֶיךָDeuteronom 9tree, trees, wood; —׳עabsoluteGenesis 3:3+, constructGenesis 3:24+,עֵץֿGenesis 2:16+; suffixֵ˜עצְךָDeuteronomy 28:42, etc.; pluralעֵצִיםJudges 9:8+, constructעֲצֵיIsaiah 7:2+, suffixעֵצֶיךָDeuteronom

H6030 עָנָה
Definition:

A primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. Pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extens. To begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce -- give account, A primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. Pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extens. To begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce -- give account,

Possible Meanings:
  • answer (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

---

Get the daily verse delivered free

Create Free Account

Automatic daily verse emails after signup

← Chapter 2 All Chapters