Habakkuk 2

Habakkuk Waits for God’s Response

1 I will stand at my guard post

and station myself on the lookout tower.  * 2:1 1Ch 9:27; 2Ch 8:14; Is 21:6–9

I will watch to see what he will say to me  * 2:1 Ps 85:8

and what I should  * 2:1 Syr reads what he will reply about my complaint.

God’s Second Answer

2 The Lord answered me:

Write down this vision;  * 2:2 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

3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time;  * 2:3 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.  * 2:3 Dn 10:1,14; 11:35; Heb 10:36–37; 2Pt 3:9; Rv 22:10

4 Look, 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,* 2:4 Rm 1:17; Gl 3:11

5 Moreover, 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.  * 2:5 Pr 27:20; 30:15–16; Is 5:14

He gathers all the nations to himself;  * 2:5 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

6 Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him,  * 2:6 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?  * 2:6 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."  * 2:6 Dt 24:10–13

7 Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,

and those who disturb you wake up?

Then you will become spoil for them.  * 2:7 2Kg 21:14; Is 42:22,24; Jr 49:32

8 Since you have plundered many nations,  * 2:8 Is 10:13; Ezk 36:4

all the peoples who remain will plunder you  * 2:8 Zph 3:8  —

because of human bloodshed

and violence  * 2:8 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.  * 2:8 Is 33:1; Jr 25:12,14; Hab 2:17; Rv 13:10

9 Woe to him who dishonestly makes

wealth for his house  * 2:9 Or dynasty,* 2:9 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!  * 2:9 Pr 11:28; Jr 22:13; 49:16; Ob 4; Rv 18:7

10 You have planned shame for your house

by wiping out many peoples

and sinning against your own self.

11 For the stones will cry out  * 2:11 Lk 19:40 from the wall,

and the rafters will answer them

from the woodwork.

12 Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

and founds a town with injustice!  * 2:12 Ezk 22:2–3; Mc 3:10

13 Is it not from the  Lord of Armies

that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire

and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?  * 2:13 Jr 51:58

14 For the earth will be filled

with the knowledge of the  Lord’s glory,

as the water covers the sea.  * 2:14 Nm 14:21; Ps 33:5; 72:19; 119:64; Is 6:3; 11:9; Jr 23:24

15 Woe 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!

16 You 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.  * 2:15–16 Rv 14:8–10

17 For 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.

18 What 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.

19 Woe 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  * 2:19 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.

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple;  * 2:20 Ps 11:4

let the whole earth

be silent in his presence.  * 2:20 Zph 1:7; Zch 2:13