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Habakkuk 2:5-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Habakkuk 2:5-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
5 Moreover, wealth[a] is treacherous;
the arrogant do not endure.
They open their throats wide as Sheol;
like Death they never have enough.
They gather all nations for themselves
and collect all peoples as their own.(A)
The Woes of the Wicked
6 Shall not everyone taunt such people and, with mocking riddles, say about them,
“Alas for you who heap up what is not your own!”
How long will you load yourselves with goods taken in pledge?(B)
7 Will not your own creditors suddenly rise
and those who make you tremble wake up?
Then you will be plunder for them.
8 Because you have plundered many nations,
all who survive of the peoples shall plunder you—
because of human bloodshed and violence to the earth,
to cities and all who live in them.(C)
9 “Alas for you who get evil gain for your house,
setting your nest on high
to be safe from the reach of harm!”(D)
10 You have devised shame for your house
by cutting off many peoples;
you have forfeited your life.(E)
11 The very stones will cry out from the wall,
and the rafter will respond from the woodwork.
12 “Alas for you who build a town by bloodshed
and found a city on iniquity!”(F)
13 Is it not from the Lord of hosts
that peoples labor only to feed the flames
and nations weary themselves for nothing?
14 But the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
as the waters cover the sea.(G)
15 “Alas for you who make your neighbors drink,
pouring out your wrath until they are drunk,
in order to gaze on their nakedness!”(H)
16 You will be sated with contempt instead of glory.
Drink, you yourself, and stagger![b]
The cup in the Lord’s right hand
will come around to you,
and shame will come upon your glory!(I)
17 For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you;
the destruction of the animals will terrify you—[c]
because of human bloodshed and violence to the earth,
to cities and all who live in them.(J)
18 What use is an idol
once its maker has shaped it—
a cast image, a teacher of lies?
For its maker trusts in what has been made,
though the product is only an idol that cannot speak!(K)
19 Alas for you who say to the wood, “Wake up!”
to silent stone, “Rouse yourself!”
Can it teach?
See, it is gold and silver plated,
and there is no breath in it at all.(L)
20 But the Lord is in his holy temple;
let all the earth keep silence before him!(M)
Habakkuk 2:5-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Habakkuk 2:5-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
5 Moreover, wine[a] betrays;
an arrogant man is never at rest.[b]
He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,
and like Death he is never satisfied.(A)
He gathers all the nations to himself;
he collects all the peoples for himself.
The Five 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.(B)
7 Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,
and those who disturb you wake up?
Then you will become spoil for them.(C)
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.(D)
9 Woe to him who dishonestly makes
wealth for his house[c]
to place his nest on high,
to escape from the reach of disaster!(E)
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(F) 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!(G)
13 Is it not from the Lord of Hosts
that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire
and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?(H)
14 For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory,
as the waters cover the sea.(I)
15 Woe to him who gives his neighbors drink,
pouring out your wrath[d]
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![e]
The cup in the Lord’s right hand
will come around to you,
and utter disgrace will cover your glory.(J)
17 For your violence against Lebanon
will overwhelm you;
the destruction of animals will terrify you[f]
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)
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 2:5 DSS read wealth
- Habakkuk 2:5 Or man does not endure; Hb obscure
- Habakkuk 2:9 Or dynasty
- Habakkuk 2:15 Or venom
- Habakkuk 2:16 DSS, LXX, Aq, Syr, Vg read and stagger
- Habakkuk 2:17 DSS, LXX, Aq, Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads them
Habakkuk 2:5-20
New International Version
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
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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