Habakkuk 2
2
Habakkuk Waits for God’s Response
1I will stand at my guard post
and station myself on the lookout tower.#1Ch 9:27; 2Ch 8:14; Is 21:6–9
I will watch to see what he will say to me#Ps 85:8
and what I should#2:1 Syr reads what he will reply about my complaint.
God’s Second Answer
2The Lord answered me:
Write down this vision;#1Sm 3:1; Ps 89:19; Pr 29:18; Is 1:1
clearly inscribe it on tablets
so one may easily read it.#2:2 Lit one who reads in it may run
3For the vision is yet for the appointed time;#Gn 18:14; 21:2; 2Kg 4:16–17; Dn 8:19; 11:27,29,35
it testifies about the end and will not lie.
Though it delays, wait for it,
since it will certainly come and not be late.#Dn 10:1,14; 11:35; Heb 10:36–37; 2Pt 3:9; Rv 22:10
4Look, his ego is inflated;#2:4 Hb obscure
he is without integrity.
But the righteous one will live by his faith.#2:4 Or faithfulness#Rm 1:17; Gl 3:11
5Moreover, wine#2:5 DSS read wealth betrays;
an arrogant man is never at rest.#2:5 Or man does not endure; Hb obscure
He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,
and like Death he is never satisfied.#Pr 27:20; 30:15–16; Is 5:14
He gathers all the nations to himself;#Is 13:4; 43:9; 66:18; Jr 3:17; Hs 10:10; Jl 3:2,11; Zph 3:8; Zch 12:3; 14:2; Mt 25:32
he collects all the peoples for himself.
The Five Woe Oracles
6Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him,#Is 14:4; Mc 2:4
with mockery and riddles about him?
They will say,
“Woe to him who amasses what is not his —
how much longer?#1Kg 18:21; Ps 82:2; Pr 1:22; Jr 4:14,21; 23:26; 31:22; Hs 8:5 —
and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”#Dt 24:10–13
7Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,
and those who disturb you wake up?
Then you will become spoil for them.#2Kg 21:14; Is 42:22,24; Jr 49:32
8Since you have plundered many nations,#Is 10:13; Ezk 36:4
all the peoples who remain will plunder you#Zph 3:8 —
because of human bloodshed
and violence#Jr 6:7; Ezk 7:11,23; 8:17; 12:19; 45:9; Mc 6:12; Hab 1:2–3,9; 2:17 against lands, cities,
and all who live in them.#Is 33:1; Jr 25:12,14; Hab 2:17; Rv 13:10
9Woe to him who dishonestly makes
wealth for his house#2:9 Or dynasty#Pr 1:9; 15:27; Jr 6:13; 8:10; Ezk 22:27
to place his nest on high,
to escape the grasp of disaster!#Pr 11:28; Jr 22:13; 49:16; Ob 4; Rv 18:7
10You have planned shame for your house
by wiping out many peoples
and sinning against your own self.
11For the stones will cry out#Lk 19:40 from the wall,
and the rafters will answer them
from the woodwork.
12Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and founds a town with injustice!#Ezk 22:2–3; Mc 3:10
13Is it not from the Lord of Armies
that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire
and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?#Jr 51:58
14For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory,
as the water covers the sea.#Nm 14:21; Ps 33:5; 72:19; 119:64; Is 6:3; 11:9; Jr 23:24
15Woe to him who gives his neighbors drink,
pouring out your wrath#2:15 Or venom
and even making them drunk,
in order to look at their nakedness!
16You will be filled with disgrace instead of glory.
You also — drink,
and expose your uncircumcision!#2:16 DSS, LXX, Aq, Syr, Vg read and stagger
The cup in the Lord’s right hand
will come around to you,
and utter disgrace will cover your glory.#Rv 14:8–10
17For your violence against Lebanon
will overwhelm you;
the destruction of animals will terrify you#2:17 DSS, LXX, Aq, Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads them
because of your human bloodshed and violence
against lands, cities, and all who live in them.
18What use is a carved idol
after its craftsman carves it?
It is only a cast image, a teacher of lies.
For the one who crafts its shape trusts in it
and makes worthless idols that cannot speak.
19Woe to him who says to wood: Wake up!
or to mute stone: Come alive!
Can it teach?
Look! It may be plated with gold and silver,
yet there is no breath#Ex 32:4; Dt 27:15; Jdg 17:4; Is 30:22; 40:18–20; 44:9–20; Jr 10:14 in it at all.
20But the Lord is in his holy temple;#Ps 11:4
let the whole earth
be silent in his presence.#Zph 1:7; Zch 2:13
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Habakkuk 2
2
God's Reply to the Prophet's Complaint
1I will stand at my watchpost,
and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what he#2.1 Syr: Heb I will answer concerning my complaint.
2Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
3For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
4Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith.#2.4 Or faithfulness
5Moreover, wealth#2.5 Other Heb Mss read wine is treacherous;
the arrogant do not endure.
They open their throats wide as Sheol;
like Death they never have enough.
They gather all nations for themselves,
and collect all peoples as their own.
The Woes of the Wicked
6Shall not everyone taunt such people and, with mocking riddles, say about them,
“Alas for you who heap up what is not your own!”
How long will you load yourselves with goods taken in pledge?
7Will not your own creditors suddenly rise,
and those who make you tremble wake up?
Then you will be booty for them.
8Because you have plundered many nations,
all that survive of the peoples shall plunder you—
because of human bloodshed, and violence to the earth,
to cities and all who live in them.
9“Alas for you who get evil gain for your houses,
setting your nest on high
to be safe from the reach of harm!”
10You have devised shame for your house
by cutting off many peoples;
you have forfeited your life.
11The very stones will cry out from the wall,
and the plaster#2.11 Or beam will respond from the woodwork.
12“Alas for you who build a town by bloodshed,
and found a city on iniquity!”
13Is it not from the Lord of hosts
that peoples labor only to feed the flames,
and nations weary themselves for nothing?
14But the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
as the waters cover the sea.
15“Alas for you who make your neighbors drink,
pouring out your wrath#2.15 Or poison until they are drunk,
in order to gaze on their nakedness!”
16You will be sated with contempt instead of glory.
Drink, you yourself, and stagger!#2.16 Q Ms Gk: MT be uncircumcised
The cup in the Lord's right hand
will come around to you,
and shame will come upon your glory!
17For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you;
the destruction of the animals will terrify you—#2.17 Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain
because of human bloodshed and violence to the earth,
to cities and all who live in them.
18What use is an idol
once its maker has shaped it—
a cast image, a teacher of lies?
For its maker trusts in what has been made,
though the product is only an idol that cannot speak!
19Alas for you who say to the wood, “Wake up!”
to silent stone, “Rouse yourself!”
Can it teach?
See, it is gold and silver plated,
and there is no breath in it at all.
20But the Lord is in his holy temple;
let all the earth keep silence before him!
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.