Habakkuk 2:4-14

4 Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

5 Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous. A haughty man who doesn't stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol, and he is like death, and can't be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations, and heaps to himself all peoples.

6 Won't all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, 'Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?'

7 Won't your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?

8 Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you, because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.

9 Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!

10 You have devised shame to your house, by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.

11 For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.

12 Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!

13 Behold, isn't it of Yahweh of Hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea.

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.