Be silent - Literally, "hush all flesh, before the Lord" (see at Habakkuk 2:20, p. 207); man in his weakness Genesis 6:3; 2 Chronicles 32:8; Job 10:4; Psalm 56:4; Psalm 78:39; Isaiah 31:3; Jeremiah 17:5, "flesh and blood" in the language of the New Testament Matthew 16:17; 1 Corinthians 15:50; Galatians 1:16, before God his Maker. "All flesh," the whole human race Genesis 6:12; Psalm 65:3; Psalm 145:21; Isaiah 40:5-6; Isaiah 49:26; Isaiah 66:23; Joel 3:1; Ezekiel 21:4, Ezekiel 21:9-10, is to be hushed before God, because His judgments, as His mercies, are over all.

For God ariseth - God seemeth to be quiescent, as it were, when He bears with us; to arise, when He puts forth His power, either for us, when we pray, "Lord, awake to help me" (Psalm 59:4, add Psalm 7:7; Psalm 44:24); or in displeasure. His "holy habitation" is alike the tabernacle 1 Samuel 2:29, 1 Samuel 2:32; Psalm 26:9; Psalm 68:6, temple 2 Chronicles 36:15, heaven Deuteronomy 26:15; Jeremiah 25:30; 2 Chronicles 30:27, since His presence is in all.

Be silent, O all flesh - Let all the nations of the world be astonished at this. God will arise, and deliver this ancient people, and bring them into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord,.... Be filled with fear, awe, and astonishment, at the wonderful work of God; the destruction of antichrist; the conversion of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles: let them not open their mouths, or dare to say one word against it. The Targum interprets the words of the wicked, and paraphrases them thus,

"let all the wicked be consumed before the Lord;''

see Psalm 104:35 and it seems to design the rest of the people, who will not be converted; called flesh, being not only frail and mortal, but corrupt and sinful; and so not able to contend with God, who is mighty in strength, and glorious in holiness, and a God doing wonders. A like phrase is in Habakkuk 2:20,

for he is raised up out of his holy habitation: which is heaven, Isaiah 63:15 where he seemed to have been as it were asleep for many hundreds of years, even during the reign of antichrist; but now he will be as a man awaked out of his sleep, and will arise to take vengeance on his and his church's enemies, and to help them, and make them happy and glorious.

Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

2:13 Be silent - Reverence and adore God, and expect the accomplishment of his word. All flesh - Both Jew and Gentile. He is raised up - God is on this work already, and he will not sit down again, 'till he has accomplished his whole work.

his...: Heb. the habitation of his holiness

13. Be silent, O all flesh-(Hab 2:20). "Let all in silent awe and reverence await the Lord's coming interposition in behalf of His people!" The address is both to the Gentile foes, who prided themselves on their power as if irresistible, and to the unbelieving Jews, who distrusted God's promises as incredible. Three reasons why they must be silent are implied: (1) they are but "flesh," weak and ignorant; (2) He is Jehovah, all-wise and all-powerful; (3) He is already "raised up out of His place," and who can stand before Him? [Pembellus], (Ps 76:8, 9).

he is raised up out of his holy habitation-that is, out of heaven (De 26:15; 2Ch 30:27; Isa 63:15), to judge and avenge His people (Isa 26:21); or, "out of His holy" temple, contemptible and incomplete as it looked then when Zechariah urged them to rebuild it [Calvin]. But the call to all to "be silent" is rather when God has come forth from heaven where so long He has dwelt unseen, and is about to inflict vengeance on the foe, before taking up His dwelling in Zion and the temple. However, Ps 50:1, 2 ("Out of Zion"), Ps 50:3 (compare Hab 2:3), Ps 50:4, favors Calvin's view. God is now "silent" while the Gentile foe speaks arrogance against His people; but "our God shall come and no longer keep silence"; then in turn must all flesh "be silent" before Him.

2:10-13 Here is a prediction of the coming of Christ in human nature. Many nations in that day would renounce idolatry, and God will own those for his people who join him with purpose of heart. Glorious times are foretold as a prophecy of our Lord's coming and kingdom. God is about to do something unexpected, and very surprising, and to plead his people's cause, which had long seemed neglected. Silently submit to his holy will, and patiently wait the event; assured that God will complete all his work. He will ere long come to judgment, to complete the salvation of his people, and to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their sins.