Habakkuk 2:5-20
Lexham English Bible
5 How much less[a] the defiant;[b]
the arrogant, treacherous man?
He who broadens his throat like Sheol,
and who, like death, is not satisfied,
and who gathers to himself all the nations,
and harvested for himself all the peoples,
will not succeed.
6 Shall not all of these take up a taunt against him,
with ridicule and riddles against him, saying,
‘Woe to him who heaps up what is not his’?
For how long?
And, ‘Woe to him who makes himself heavy with pledges’?
7 Will not your creditors suddenly rise up
and awaken those who make you tremble?
Then you shall be as plunder for them.
8 Because you plundered many nations,
all the remaining nations will plunder you
on account of the blood of humanity
and violence against the land,
and against cities and all who live in them.
9 Woe to him who obtains profit from evil gain for his house,
to set his nest on high,
to be saved from the hand of misfortune!
10 You have plotted shame for your house,
cutting off many peoples
and sinning against your life.
11 For the stone will cry out from the wall,
and the plaster from the wood will answer it.
12 Woe to him who builds a city by bloodguilt,
and who founds a city by wickedness!
13 Look! Is it not from Yahweh of hosts
that people labor for mere fire,
and nations exhaust themselves for mere vanity?
14 For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh,
like the waters covering the sea.
15 Woe to him who gives a drink to his neighbors,
pouring out your wrath and also making them drunk
in order to see their nakedness!
16 You will be sated with shame rather than glory.
Drink also yourself, and expose yourself!
The cup of the right hand of Yahweh
will come around upon you
and disgrace upon your glory.
17 For the violence of Lebanon will cover you,
and the destruction of wild animals will shatter them
on account of the blood of humanity,
and the violence against the land,
against a city and all the inhabitants in it.
18 What value is an idol
when its carver has fashioned it,
a molten idol, a teacher of lies?
For he who fashioned his creation trusts in it,
though making mute idols!
19 Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Wake up!’
And to a lifeless stone, ‘Arise!’
Can he teach?
Look, it is covered with gold and silver,
and there is no breath within it.
20 But Yahweh is in his holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before him.”
Footnotes
- Habakkuk 2:5 Literally “And moreover because”
- Habakkuk 2:5 “Defiant” follows the Dead Sea Scrolls (1QpHab)
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)
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