Habakkuk 2:5-20
New Living Translation
5 Wealth[a] is treacherous,
and the arrogant are never at rest.
They open their mouths as wide as the grave,[b]
and like death, they are never satisfied.
In their greed they have gathered up many nations
and swallowed many peoples.
6 “But soon their captives will taunt them.
They will mock them, saying,
‘What sorrow awaits you thieves!
Now you will get what you deserve!
You’ve become rich by extortion,
but how much longer can this go on?’
7 Suddenly, your debtors will take action.
They will turn on you and take all you have,
while you stand trembling and helpless.
8 Because you have plundered many nations,
now all the survivors will plunder you.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
and filled the towns with violence.
9 “What sorrow awaits you who build big houses
with money gained dishonestly!
You believe your wealth will buy security,
putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.
10 But by the murders you committed,
you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives.
11 The very stones in the walls cry out against you,
and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.
12 “What sorrow awaits you who build cities
with money gained through murder and corruption!
13 Has not the Lord of Heaven’s Armies promised
that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes?
They work so hard,
but all in vain!
14 For as the waters fill the sea,
the earth will be filled with an awareness
of the glory of the Lord.
15 “What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk!
You force your cup on them
so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness.
16 But soon it will be your turn to be disgraced.
Come, drink and be exposed![c]
Drink from the cup of the Lord’s judgment,
and all your glory will be turned to shame.
17 You cut down the forests of Lebanon.
Now you will be cut down.
You destroyed the wild animals,
so now their terror will be yours.
You committed murder throughout the countryside
and filled the towns with violence.
18 “What good is an idol carved by man,
or a cast image that deceives you?
How foolish to trust in your own creation—
a god that can’t even talk!
19 What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols,
‘Wake up and save us!’
To speechless stone images you say,
‘Rise up and teach us!’
Can an idol tell you what to do?
They may be overlaid with gold and silver,
but they are lifeless inside.
20 But the Lord is in his holy Temple.
Let all the earth be silent before him.”
Habakkuk 2:5-20
International Standard Version
5 Moreover, just as wine leads astray the proud and powerful man,
he[a] remains restless;
he[b] has expanded his appetite—
like the afterlife[c] or death itself, he[d] is never satisfied.
He[e] gathers to himself all of the nations,
taking captive all of the people for himself.”
Judgment on the Plunderer of Nations
6 “Will not all of these ridicule him
with mocking scorn? They will say,
‘Woe to the one who hordes for himself what isn’t his.
How long will you enrich yourself by extortion?’[f]
7 Won’t your creditors revolt unexpectedly?
Won’t those who make you tremble wake up?
As a result, you’ll become their prey!
8 Because you plundered many nations,
all of their remnants will plunder you.
Human blood has been shed,[g]
and violence has been done to[h] the land,
to the city, and to all who live in it.”
Judgment on Those who Think They are Safe
9 “Woe to the one who amasses profit upon unjust profit
in order to establish his household,
so he can establish a secure place[i] on the heights
and escape from the power of evil.
10 You have brought shame to yourself[j] by killing many people—
you are forfeiting your own life.
11 Indeed, the stone will cry out from the wall
and the rafter will respond from the woodwork.”
Judgment on the Lawless
12 “Woe to the one who founds a city upon bloodshed,
and constructs a city by lawlessness.
13 Is it not because of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies
that people grow tired putting out fires,[k]
and nations weary themselves over nothing?
14 Indeed, the earth will be filled
with knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
as water fills[l] the sea.”
Judgment on the Violent
15 “Woe to the one who supplies his neighbor with a drink!
You are forcing your bottle[m] on him,[n]
making him drunk so you can see them naked.
16 You are filled with dishonor instead of glory.
So go ahead,[o] drink and be naked!
The Lord[p] will turn against you,
and utter disgrace will debase your reputation.[q]
17 Indeed, the violence done to Lebanon will overtake you,
and the destruction of the beasts will terrorize you—[r]
because you shed human blood
and did violence to[s] the land, to the city, and to all who live in it.”
Judgment on the Idol Maker
18 “Where is the benefit in owning[t] a carved image,
that motivates its maker to carve[u] it?
It is only a cast image—
a teacher that lies—
because the engraver entrusts himself to his carving,
crafting speechless idols.
19 “Woe to the one who says to a tree, ‘Wake up!’
or ‘Arise!’ to a speechless stone.
Idols[v] like this can’t teach, can they?
Look, even though it is overlaid with gold and silver,
there’s no breath in it at all.”
The Lord’s Final Counsel to Habakkuk
20 “The Lord is in his holy Temple.
All the earth—be quiet in his presence.”
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 2:5 I.e. Babylonian invaders personified in their king
- Habakkuk 2:5 I.e. Babylonian invaders personified in their king
- Habakkuk 2:5 Lit. Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead
- Habakkuk 2:5 I.e. Babylonian invaders personified in their king
- Habakkuk 2:5 I.e. Babylonian invaders personified in their king
- Habakkuk 2:6 Lit. by loans
- Habakkuk 2:8 The Heb. lacks has been shed
- Habakkuk 2:8 Lit. violence of
- Habakkuk 2:9 Lit. establish his nest
- Habakkuk 2:10 Lit. to your house
- Habakkuk 2:13 Lit. tired for the sufficiency of fire
- Habakkuk 2:14 Lit. covers
- Habakkuk 2:15 Lit. wine skin
- Habakkuk 2:15 The Heb. lacks on him
- Habakkuk 2:16 The Heb. lacks go ahead
- Habakkuk 2:16 Lit. The power of the Lord’s right hand
- Habakkuk 2:16 Lit. will come upon your glory
- Habakkuk 2:17 The Heb. lacks you
- Habakkuk 2:17 Lit. violence of
- Habakkuk 2:18 The Heb. lacks owning
- Habakkuk 2:18 Lit. because its maker carved
- Habakkuk 2:19 Lit. Things
Habakkuk 2:5-20
New International Version
5 indeed, wine(A) betrays him;
he is arrogant(B) and never at rest.
Because he is as greedy as the grave
and like death is never satisfied,(C)
he gathers to himself all the nations
and takes captive(D) all the peoples.
6 “Will not all of them taunt(E) him with ridicule and scorn, saying,
“‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods
and makes himself wealthy by extortion!(F)
How long must this go on?’
7 Will not your creditors suddenly arise?
Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
Then you will become their prey.(G)
8 Because you have plundered many nations,
the peoples who are left will plunder you.(H)
For you have shed human blood;(I)
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.(J)
9 “Woe to him who builds(K) his house by unjust gain,(L)
setting his nest(M) on high
to escape the clutches of ruin!
10 You have plotted the ruin(N) of many peoples,
shaming(O) your own house and forfeiting your life.
11 The stones(P) of the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
12 “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed(Q)
and establishes a town by injustice!
13 Has not the Lord Almighty determined
that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire,(R)
that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?(S)
14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory(T) of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.(U)
15 “Woe to him who gives drink(V) to his neighbors,
pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk,
so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!
16 You will be filled with shame(W) instead of glory.(X)
Now it is your turn! Drink(Y) and let your nakedness be exposed[a]!(Z)
The cup(AA) from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you,
and disgrace will cover your glory.
17 The violence(AB) you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
and your destruction of animals will terrify you.(AC)
For you have shed human blood;(AD)
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
18 “Of what value(AE) is an idol(AF) carved by a craftsman?
Or an image(AG) that teaches lies?
For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;
he makes idols that cannot speak.(AH)
19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’
Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’(AI)
Can it give guidance?
It is covered with gold and silver;(AJ)
there is no breath in it.”(AK)
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 2:16 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) and stagger
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