Habakkuk 1:12-2:4
New International Version
Habakkuk’s Second Complaint
12 Lord, are you not from everlasting?(A)
My God, my Holy One,(B) you[a] will never die.(C)
You, Lord, have appointed(D) them to execute judgment;
you, my Rock,(E) have ordained them to punish.
13 Your eyes are too pure(F) to look on evil;
you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.(G)
Why then do you tolerate(H) the treacherous?(I)
Why are you silent while the wicked
swallow up those more righteous than themselves?(J)
14 You have made people like the fish in the sea,
like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
15 The wicked(K) foe pulls all of them up with hooks,(L)
he catches them in his net,(M)
he gathers them up in his dragnet;
and so he rejoices and is glad.
16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net
and burns incense(N) to his dragnet,
for by his net he lives in luxury
and enjoys the choicest food.
17 Is he to keep on emptying his net,
destroying nations without mercy?(O)
2 I will stand at my watch(P)
and station myself on the ramparts;(Q)
I will look to see what he will say(R) to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.[b](S)
The Lord’s Answer
2 Then the Lord replied:
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 1:12 An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition; Masoretic Text we
- Habakkuk 2:1 Or and what to answer when I am rebuked
- Habakkuk 2:2 Or so that whoever reads it
- Habakkuk 2:3 Or Though he linger, wait for him; / he
- Habakkuk 2:4 Or faith
Habakkuk 1:12-2:4
King James Version
12 Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
15 They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
2 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 1:12-2:4
New King James Version
The Prophet’s Second Question
12 Are You not (A)from everlasting,
O Lord my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die.
O Lord, (B)You have appointed them for judgment;
O Rock, You have marked them for (C)correction.
13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,
And cannot look on wickedness.
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours
A person more righteous than he?
14 Why do You make men like fish of the sea,
Like creeping things that have no ruler over them?
15 They take up all of them with a hook,
They catch them in their net,
And gather them in their dragnet.
Therefore they rejoice and are glad.
16 Therefore (D)they sacrifice to their net,
And burn incense to their dragnet;
Because by them their share is [a]sumptuous
And their food plentiful.
17 Shall they therefore empty their net,
And continue to slay nations without pity?
The Just Shall Live by Faith
2 I will (E)stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.
The Just Live by Faith
2 Then the Lord answered me and said:
(F)“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3 For (G)the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will (H)not lie.
Though it tarries, (I)wait for it;
Because it will (J)surely come,
It will not tarry.
4 “Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the (K)just shall live by his faith.
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 1:16 Lit. fat
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.