Habakkuk 2:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

How can we understand this? The Babylonian, having launched an assault on the cities of Judah and beyond, set ablaze all the dwellings within. As a result, the stones were shattered, and the walls fell apart, along with trees and roofs that, due to their significant deterioration, became infested with insects. Therefore, it is said that everything he had destroyed would bear witness to his brutality; these included the stones strewn across the streets and the charred trees, which, through their decay, testified to the age of the cities. The crime of the Babylonian lay in the destruction of such ancient cities, the razing of homes, and the apparent annihilation of their residents. Notably, while some commentators use the phrase ‘the bark of the tree,’ others interpret it as ‘the bindings of the tree.’

This aligns with the Gospel, where the Lord rebukes the Pharisees who criticized Him for not silencing the children who cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matt. 21:9, 16; Ps. 8:3): “Have you not read what is written: ‘Out of the mouths of babes and infants, you have ordained praise?’ And if they were silent, the stones would cry out” (Ps. 8:3). While many interpret this passage to imply that if the Jews were silent, the multitude of Gentiles would proclaim Me, it may be more rightly understood that, even if men were to be quiet and envy would not proclaim the miracles I have performed, these stones, the very foundation of the walls, and the essential elements of the buildings might still declare My greatness.

To clarify further, we can draw parallels from secular literature. Crispus (Sallustius) in his history notes that the people of Sagunta are renowned for their faith and hardships, their suicides and toils more than their wealth, as they witness the actions of the Carthaginians through the crumbled walls, vacant homes, and charred temples. Cicero also remarks to Caesar about Marcella: “The boundaries of this curia will bear witness, with Phidias, joyfully hastening to give you thanks that, in a short while, the significance of their ancestors will be restored among them.” The phrase that we have translated as “And the wood in the bonds of the building shall answer,” is rendered by the Seventy as “And the beetle of the wood shall speak as follows,” while Simmachus expresses it more clearly as “and the wooden bond of the building will proclaim.” Theodotion and the Fifth Edition translate it similarly, aligning with Simmachus and our own version; this is because the Hebrew term chaphis (כסּּיס) refers to “wood,” which supports the walls and is frequently described by the Greeks as ίμάντωσις.

Thus, in a historical context, the prophetic word conveys that the stones of the walls you have destroyed and the burned wood will testify against your cruelty. Beyond the best-known translations, such as those by Aquila, Symmachus, and the Seventy, I have found additional versions that similarly state, “For the stone in the hedge shall cry out as the worm murmurs in the tree,” and in another version, “For the stone shall cry out from the hedge, and the worm from the tree shall speak.” Aquila uses a phrasing that differs from ours, stating, “And a piece of dough from the tree will answer.” We may utilize any interpretation we prefer within the commentaries of the Seventy. They often use “Oh!” instead of “Woe!” directing their address either towards the devil, Antichrist, or heretics who manifest ungodly greed.

This greed is deemed wicked in contrast to the righteous kind, such as the earnestness of a church teacher, who remains insatiable in their quest for followers, becoming more fervent in doctrine as they gather more. Therefore, woe to him who harbors the greed of the wicked within himself, as he attempts to gather the corrupt into his home, building his nest on high to escape the wicked. Indeed, the devil, Antichrist, and heretics deceive by promising bliss in heaven to those who accept their teachings while shielding them from the flames of Gehenna. However, such promises will ultimately be revealed as false, leading to disgrace, and their households will become places of dishonor when their untruths are laid bare at the end of time, revealing that their counsel bore confusion rather than salvation.

As previously mentioned, this corrupt instructor will bring ruin upon many nations, and the more followers he gathers, the more he sins against his own soul. The chief stones of this church and the “beetle” of wood will denounce the insatiability of the proud one, as he leads astray all the tribes through his persuasive power. The stones can be understood as the hardened hearts of those misled by heretical doctrines, while the beetle of wood symbolizes the corrupt teachers who speak from their own desires, profiting from the message of the cross. Their god is their belly, and all they do is for the sake of material gain. They engage with the cross only to use their serpentine tongues to promote the avarice and arrogance of their master, the devil.

If you witness heretics speaking secret and hidden doctrines contrary to the Church, preferring the house of Christ over that of the devil, you ought to declare, “The stone out of the hedge cries out, and the beetle out of the tree speaks.” A certain author observed that the beetle represents heretics, for their teachings resemble refuse. This parallels the Apostle’s view that he considers the old doctrines as refuse (Phil. 3:8). This is not an assertion that the Old Law, which is one with the Gospel, should be regarded as rubbish; to do so would be heretical since both stem from the same Divine Source. Rather, it is the doctrines of the Pharisees and human commandments that the Apostle deems as excrement.

Some of our brethren interpret the stone crying out from the hedge as representative of the Lord Savior, and the beetle from the tree as the thief who reviled Him. While this is a commendable perspective, it does not appear to fit well with the entirety of the prophetic message. Additionally, there are those who suggest that the beetle speaking from the tree may also refer to the face of the Savior; yet this interpretation is flawed in light of the arrangement of the speech itself. The words, “the beetle of the tree shall speak it,” are not intended in a benevolent sense but rather denote the wicked avarice of the one who brings hardship upon his dwelling and brings confusion to the devil, as well as all that preceded his wrongdoing.

In Aquila’s words, “And a piece of dough from the tree will answer,” the term “dough” evokes the warning given by the Lord in the Gospel, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” (Matt. 16:11), and when the Apostles were uncertain about its meaning, the Evangelist clarified it as pertaining to the teaching of the Pharisees. Thus, the doctrine of heretics is rightly perceived as emanating from the tree, for they can influence others only by disguising their corruption with the splendor of the tree of the cross. Furthermore, in the expressions we translated, “For the stone of the hedge shall cry out as the worm murmurs in the wood,” some of our interpreters suggest that the worm from the wood refers to the one who declares in the Psalm, “I am a worm, and not a man” (Ps. 21:7). This interpretation may also apply to the solitary sparrow on the roof, which echoes “I have become like a lonely bird” (Ps. 101:7-8) and other similar expressions.