Habakkuk 2:5-14

5 "Furthermore, ¹wine betrays the ²haughty man, So that he does not ³stay at home. He ⁴enlarges his appetite like Sheol, And he is like death, never satisfied. He also gathers to himself all nations And collects to himself all peoples.

6 "Will not all of these ⁵take up a taunt-song against him, Even mockery and insinuations against him And say, '⁶Woe to him who increases what is not his- For how long * - And makes himself rich with loans?'

7 "Will not your creditors ⁷rise up suddenly, And those who collect from you awaken? Indeed, you will become plunder for them.

8 "Because you have ⁸looted many nations, All the remainder of the peoples will loot you- Because of human bloodshed and violence done to the land, To the town and all its inhabitants.

9 "Woe to him who gets ⁹evil gain for his house To ¹⁰put his nest on high, To be delivered from the hand of calamity!

10 "You have devised a ¹¹shameful thing for your house By cutting off many peoples; So you are ¹²sinning against yourself.

11 "Surely the ¹³stone will cry out from the wall, And the rafter will answer it from the framework.

12 "Woe to him who ¹⁴builds a city with bloodshed And founds a town with violence!

13 "Is it not indeed from the LORD of hosts That peoples ¹⁵toil for fire, And nations grow weary for nothing?

14 "For the earth will be ¹⁶filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2:5-14 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.

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 20:1
• 2. Proverbs 21:24
• 3. 2 Kings 14:10
• 4. Proverbs 27:20; Proverbs 30:16; Isaiah 5:11-15
• 5. Isaiah 14:4-10; Jeremiah 50:13
• 6. Job 20:15-29; Habakkuk 2:12
• 7. Proverbs 29:1
• 8. Isaiah 33:1; Jeremiah 27:7; Zechariah 2:8
• 9. Jeremiah 22:13; Ezekiel 22:27
• 10. Jeremiah 49:16
• 11. 2 Kings 9:26; Nahum 1:14; Habakkuk 2:16
• 12. Jeremiah 26:19
• 13. Joshua 24:27; Luke 19:40
• 14. Micah 3:10; Nahum 3:1
• 15. Isaiah 50:11; Jeremiah 51:58
• 16. Psalms 22:27; Isaiah 11:9; Zechariah 14:9

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "heavy"
• [b]. Lit "those who bite you"
• [c]. Lit "violently shake you"
• [d]. Lit "of the land"
• [e]. Lit "wood"
• [f]. Or "injustice"