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Habakkuk 2:4-14

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4 "Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but 1the righteous shall live by his faith.[a]
5 "Moreover, wine[b] is 2a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest.[c] His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death 3he has never enough. 4He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples."

Woe to the Chaldeans

6 Shall not all these 5take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, 6"Woe to him 7who heaps up what is not his own-- for 8how long?-- and 9loads himself with pledges!"
7 10Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them.
8 11Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, 12for the blood of man and 13violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.
9 14"Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, 15to 16set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!
10 You have devised shame for your house 17by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life.
11 For 18the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.
12 19"Woe to him 20who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity!
13 Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that 21peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing?
14 22For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of 23the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
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Habakkuk 2:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HABAKKUK 2

This chapter contains an answer from the Lord to the expostulations, pleadings, and reasonings of the prophet, in the name of the people. The preparation of the prophet to receive this answer is described, Hab 2:1 then follows the answer itself, in which he is bid to write and make plain the vision he had, that it might be easily read, Hab 2:2 and a promise is made, that vision should still be continued to the appointed time, at which time the Messiah would come; and this the righteous man, in opposition to the vain and proud man, is encouraged to live in the faith of, Hab 2:3,4 and then the destruction of the enemies of the people of God is threatened for their pride, ambition, covetousness, oppression, and murder, Hab 2:5-12 which would be unavoidable, Hab 2:13 and issue in the spread of the knowledge of the glory of God in the world, Hab 2:14 and also the ruin of other enemies is threatened, for drawing men into apostasy, and for their violence and idolatry, Hab 2:15-19 upon which would follow an universal silence in the earth, Hab 2:20.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

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Cross References 23

  • 1. Cited Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38; [John 3:36]
  • 2. Habakkuk 1:13; Isaiah 21:2
  • 3. [Proverbs 27:20]
  • 4. Jeremiah 27:7; [Habakkuk 1:6; Daniel 2:37, 38]
  • 5. Micah 2:4; See Numbers 23:7
  • 6. ver. 19; Isaiah 5:8
  • 7. [Habakkuk 1:6]
  • 8. See Zechariah 1:12
  • 9. [Ezekiel 18:7]
  • 10. See Isaiah 21:5-9
  • 11. [Isaiah 33:1]
  • 12. ver. 17
  • 13. [Isaiah 33:1]
  • 14. [See ver. 6 above]
  • 15. [Isaiah 14:13]
  • 16. Jeremiah 49:16; [Numbers 24:21]
  • 17. [Habakkuk 1:17]
  • 18. [Luke 19:40]
  • 19. [See ver. 6 above]
  • 20. See Micah 3:10
  • 21. Jeremiah 51:58
  • 22. Isaiah 11:9
  • 23. Psalms 72:19

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or faithfulness
  • [b]. Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll wealth
  • [c]. The meaning of the Hebrew of these two lines is uncertain
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.