Habakkuk 2:6-20

The 5 Woe Oracles

6 Won't all of these take up a taunt against him, with mockery and riddles about him? They will say: Woe to him who amasses what is not his- how much longer?- and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.^[a]

7 Won't your creditors suddenly arise, and those who disturb you wake up? Then you will become spoil for them.^[b]

8 Since you have plundered many nations, all the peoples who remain will plunder you- because of human bloodshed and violence against lands, cities, and all who live in them.

9 Woe to him who unjustly gains wealth for his house^[c] to place his nest on high, to escape from the reach of disaster!

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 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!^[d]

13 Is it not from the Lord of Hosts, that the peoples labor [only] to fuel the fire and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?^[e]

14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory, as the waters cover the sea.^[f]

15 Woe to him who gives his neighbors drink, pouring out your wrath^[g] 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!^[h] The cup in the Lord's right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory.^[i]

17 For [your] violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you; the destruction of animals will terrify you,^[j] 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 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 in it at all.

20 But the Lord is in His holy temple; let everyone on earth be silent in His presence.^[k]

Habakkuk 2:6-20 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Dt 24:10-13
• [b]. 2 Kg 21:14; Isa 42:22,24
• [c]. Or dynasty
• [d]. Ezk 22:2-3; Mc 3:10
• [e]. Jr 51:58
• [f]. Ps 72:19; Isa 6:3; 11:9
• [g]. Or venom
• [h]. DSS, LXX, Aq, Syr, Vg read and stagger
• [i]. Rv 14:8-10
• [j]. DSS, LXX, Aq, Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads them
• [k]. Zph 1:7; Zch 2:13