Habakkuk 2:4

_ _ his soul which is lifted up — the Chaldean’s [Maurer]. The unbelieving Jew’s [Henderson].

_ _ is not upright in him — that is, is not accounted upright in God’s sight; in antithesis to “shall live.” So Hebrews 10:38, which with inspired authority applies the general sense to the particular case which Paul had in view, “If any man draw back (one result of being ‘lifted up’ with overweening arrogancy), my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

_ _ the just shall live by his faith — the Jewish nation, as opposed to the unbelieving Chaldean (compare Habakkuk 2:5, etc.; Habakkuk 1:6, etc.; Habakkuk 1:13) [Maurer]. Henderson’s view is that the believing Jew is meant, as opposed to the unbelieving Jew (compare Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11). The believing Jew, though God’s promise tarry, will wait for it; the unbelieving “draws back,” as Hebrews 10:38 expresses it. The sense, in Maurer’s view, which accords better with the context (Habakkuk 2:5, etc.). is: the Chaldean, though for a time seeming to prosper, yet being lifted up with haughty unbelief (Habakkuk 1:11, Habakkuk 1:16), is not upright; that is, has no right stability of soul resting on God, to ensure permanence of prosperity; hence, though for a time executing God’s judgments, he at last becomes “lifted up” so as to attribute to his own power what is the work of God, and in this sense “draws back” (Hebrews 10:38), becoming thereby a type of all backsliders who thereby incur God’s displeasure; as the believing Jew is of all who wait for God’s promises with patient faith, and so “live” (stand accepted) before God. The Hebrew accents induce Bengel to translate, “he who is just by his faith shall live.” Other manuscripts read the accents as English Version, which agrees better with Hebrew syntax.