Habakkuk 2:9-19

9 1"Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, 2to 3set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!
10 You have devised shame for your house 4by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life.
11 For 5the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.
12 6"Woe to him 7who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity!
13 Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that 8peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing?
14 9For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of 10the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
15 11"Woe to him 12who makes his neighbors drink-- you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze 13at their nakedness!
16 You will have your fill 14of shame instead of glory. 15Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! 16The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and 17utter shame will come upon your glory!
17 18The violence 19done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, 20for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.
18 21"What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, 22a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes 23speechless idols!
19 24Woe to him 25who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and 26there is no breath at all in it.

Habakkuk 2:9-19 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.

Cross References 26

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.