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Hab.2:1. I will stand on my watch, and I will mount the stone, and I will look to see what is said in me, and what I answer to my reproof. This is similar to what was said by blessed David: this work is before me, until I enter into the sanctuary of God, and I mean their last (Psalm 73:16, 17). For here too the Prophet says: I will remain in the rank to which I have been elevated, and I will not leave the stronghold. But standing on the same stone on which God placed the great Moses, with prophetic eyes I will see the solution of what is being sought. And from this we clearly understand that such questions were proposed not by the divine Prophet, but by others; because the Prophet says: I will see what the Lord says to me, and what I answer to my reproof. For I need to know what answer I should give to those who want to know this from me. Hab.2:2. And the Lord answered to me and said: write the vision, show it on the tablet, so that whoever reads it may comprehend it. Hab.2:3. Zane is still a vision for a long time, and will shine in the end, and not in vain. Do not now speak these words only to those who doubt this; but also give a written monument about this to those who will come after. It is better to say that what will be said applies to the future more than to the present; because after a long time this prophecy will come to fulfillment. Then the Prophet advises to expect the end, and not to doubt it for the reason that a lot of time will pass before the fulfillment. If he delays, be patient with him, for the one who is coming will come and will not delay. The word of this prophecy is true; Therefore, do not doubt, although after a long time you will not see the end; because it will certainly be accomplished and will not remain unfulfilled. Hab.2:4. If he doubts, My soul is not pleased with him: but My righteous man will live by faith. Whoever doubts the omens coming from Me is not worthy of My care for him. And whoever believes what I say and goes through life in accordance with this faith, he will reap the fruit of life. Therefore, knowing this, accept with faith what was announced to you about the king of Babylon. Then the Prophet describes his pride and insatiable greed. Hab.2:5. A disdainful and offended husband and a majestic one will die in vain. Therefore, know this: whoever is driven by self-conceit, thinks highly of himself, and neglects My long-suffering, will not long enjoy this dominion over others. Who, like hell, has expanded his soul, and this one, like death, is unsatisfied: and he will gather all the tongues to himself, and will receive all people to himself; because, like hell and death, it does not realize satiety in itself, and while subjugating all people to itself, it cannot satisfy its desire to rule. Hab.2:6. Will this not be the whole parable against him, and fortune-telling in his story? and they say: Woe to him who multiplies himself, for how long shall he not exist? and aggravating the burden of his burden. Every sane person will compare his gluttony with hell and death, but he will also mourn him for the fact that he increases his wealth with other people’s misfortunes, and does not recognize satiety in himself, but burdens those under his control with rent and tribute; Why will everyone say: how long will it take not to be satisfied with your gluttony? But he will also involuntarily stop doing lies. Hab.2:7. For suddenly those who bite him will rise up: and your accusers will take courage, and you will be their plunder. Hab.2:8. Even though you have captivated many countries, all the remaining people will captivate you. Having conquered many, you will be overthrown by few. Those who have endured your torment for a long time, as if rising from sleep, will arrange your destruction; You will be punished for thousands of murders, for great wickedness, for lawless acts with the cities that were desolate, having been deprived of their inhabitants by you. Hab.2:9. Woe to him who covets evil covetousness to his house, who has built his nest on high, who has been plucked out of the hands of the wicked. Truly unfortunate, and thrice unfortunate, is the one who desires more, tries to enrich his home with such means, and strives to become higher than all people. Such a one will suffer a greater fall, like one falling from a greater height into the depths. Hab.2:10. You intended to bring shame to your house, you killed many people, and your soul sinned. Having caused thousands of evils to many peoples, you pierced your soul with sins, and covered your whole house with shame. Hab.2:11. Before the stone shall cry out from the wall, and the wood shall cry out from the tree. Not only those gifted with reason, but also inanimate and unreasonable creatures will cry out about your unreason and fury. It is obvious that the stone and the Khrushchev are mentioned to enhance the speech; for the Lord also said to the Jews about the children: Amen I say to you, if these keep silent, the stone will cry out (Luke 19:40). Instead of the word: Khrushchev, Symmachus used: tree connection. Hab.2:12. It is fierce to him who creates a hail with blood, and to him who prepares a hail with untruths. Hab.2:13. Isn’t this the essence from the Lord Almighty? and the people became impoverished with fire, and the nations became faint. Hab.2:14. For the earth will be filled with the vision of the glory of the Lord, as the sea is covered with abundant water. Truly you are worthy of tears and lamentation, having spread your kingdom through unrighteous murders, and not realizing that the God of all will demand an account from those who act unlawfully. And if you acquired this knowledge; then he would not have used his strength, like some kind of fire, against many nations, subjecting them to excessive executions. And do not think that acquiring the knowledge of God is difficult; on the contrary, know that the entire human race will very soon receive this ray and be illuminated by the light of knowledge of God so that the bitter sea of ​​unbelief will be covered with the sweet waters of knowledge. Hab.2:15. Woe to the one who intoxicates his girlfriend with muddy corruption, and to the one who becomes intoxicated, as if he looks towards their caves. Hab.2:16. The satiety of dishonor from glory drank and you, too, were shaken and shaken. Because, looking for buried treasures, like some kind of muddy drink, you prepared execution for others; then you yourself take the drink that you have dissolved, and, tasting it, put aside your former glory, and, clothed with dishonor, mourn the sudden change. The cup of the right hand of the Lord hath taken care of you, and dishonor has been heaped upon your glory. God's righteous punishment has befallen you. For the Prophet calls punishment by cup and wine, as we have said many times. Hab.2:17. Before then the wickedness of Lebanon will cover you, and the passion of the beasts will terrify you, for the sake of mankind and the wickedness of the land, and the city, and all those living on it. You will suffer punishment for what you dared to do against Jerusalem (for the Prophet called Jerusalem Lebanon). And like some beasts you will be betrayed to your enemies, bearing punishment for all kinds of evil you have caused. Hab.2:18. Why do you use something sculptured as if it were sculptured? Having created a merger, a false dream, like the one who created his trust in his creation to create dumb idols. What is more senseless than this - to worship man-made idols? to see matter and art before oneself, and out of stupidity to honor them as gods? Hab.2:19. He who speaks fiercely to the tree: take courage, arise: and to the stone: rise up: and this is a dream, and this is the binding of gold and silver, and there is no spirit in them. Who will not justly weep for those who agree to pray to gods made of gold and silver? They are not ashamed to wake them up as if they were sleepy, and, moreover, knowing that they are completely inanimate and incapable of acting with the instruments of sense visible to them. Hab.2:20. The Lord is in His holy church: let all the earth fear at His presence. For idols are mute and devoid of all power; and for our Lord, heaven serves as a kind of church, and on earth in Jerusalem He has a place dedicated to Him. And in all respects it is fair that He accepts honor from all creation. It is obvious that this was also spoken to the king of Babylon, who despised the Existing God, and gave His divine church to fire, and honored him with every service of idols built by human hands. So the blessed Prophet, having given the speech a special image and presented it in the form of a question and answer, bewilderment and solution to what led to bewilderment, and, having shown the truthfulness of God and how God punishes the Jews through the Babylonians, and the Babylonians through other nations, again changes the speech into song and prayer, in the form of prayer again foretelling the future.