They all come for violence,
Habakkuk 1:9-11
all their faces forward.
They gather captives like sand.
At kings they scoff,
and at rulers they laugh.
They laugh at every fortress,
for they pile up earth and take it.
Then they sweep by like the wind and go on,
guilty men, whose own might is their god!
The Babylonian hoard is on the move. Who could possibly stand in their way? Habakkuk continues describing them and their attitudes towards those they will conquer.
A Laughing Matter
Two sets of parallel phrases appear in verse 10, describing the Babylonian’s attitude towards their enemies. They laugh at the feeble attempts of other nations to stop their advance.
The Hebrew word for “scoff” (קָלַס, kalas) does not appear very often. It is used in 2 Kings 2:23 to describe Elisha being jeered by some youths. Additionally, Ezekiel uses it to describe the result of the horrible actions committed in Jerusalem: “Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery (kalasah) to all the countries. Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock (kalas) you; your name is defiled; you are full of tumult” (Ezekiel 22:4-5).
In parallel, they laugh (שָׂחַק, sachak) at rulers and fortresses. Another spelling of this verb, appearing almost exclusively in Genesis and Exodus, is tzachak. This is the root of Isaac’s name (Yitzchak, see Genesis 17:17-19). Abraham and Sarah laugh at the thought of having a son at such an old age, so God instructs them to name their son “laughter” in response.
Sachak is also translated in other ways. It describes a turning of fortunes, turning mourning into laughter (Job 8:21, Psalm 126:2). Zechariah envisions a day when “the city shall be full of boys and girls playing (sachak) in its streets” (Zechariah 8:5). The Psalmist says that God created the seas and all the creatures in them, where ships go and Leviathan (a sea monster) plays (Psalm 104:26). It also describes celebrating (2 Samuel 6:21, Jeremiah 30:19). All of these hint at times of joy and gladness.
The Laughter of Babylon
What does Babylon laugh at? They consider resistance to them a joke. They, gather numerous captives, using common imagery of sand to describe a large, uncountable quantity. God describes Abraham’s descendants as more numerous than the sand (Genesis 22:17, 32:13, 1 Kings 4:20, Isaiah 10:22, Jeremiah 33:16, Hosea 2:1). Large armies are also compared to the sand (Joshua 11:4, Judges 7:12, 1 Samuel 13:5). Joseph gathered grain like sand (Genesis 41:49).
Fortifications are a joke to the Babylonians. They pile up dirt to build siege ramps, a common warfare tactic to overcome a wall.
Where does Babylon get its power? They attribute their might to themselves. They worship their own power. Alternatively, they could be ascribing their power to their god, Marduk. (translate “as their god” or “to their god”). Either way, they do not recognize that the Lord is the ultimate source of strength.
God Laughs
However, the Lord says he will have the last laugh. “He who sits in the heavens laughs” (Psalm 2:4). Despite their plotting, God “laughs at the wicked” (Psalm 37:13). Despite his enemies surrounding him, David says the Lord laughs at them (Psalm 59:8). Babylon may think they are something special, but they are nothing against the Almighty God.
To Ponder…
When you look at obstacles around you, what is your reaction? Are they something to hide from or conquer? Do you believe that God is bigger than anything you encounter?
What is the source of your strength? Who has given you your skills? Do you acknowledge the Lord’s role in your life?
May we continually remember the Lord is the source of strength who will get the last laugh.