The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Habakkuk 2
1 I will stand at my watch and set myself
on the ramparts, and will look out to see
what he will say to me, and what I will
answer concerning my complaint.
2 Yahweh answered me, “Write the vision,
and make it plain on tablets, that he
who runs may read it.
3 For the vision is yet for the appointed
time, and it hurries toward the end, and
won’t prove false. Though it takes time,
wait for it, because it will surely come. It
won’t delay.
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: an
arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home,
who enlarges his desire as Sheol;† 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,thathemay sethisnest onhigh,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 from Yahweh of Armies
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 Yahweh’s glory, as the
waters cover the sea.
15 “Woe to him who gives his neighbor
drink, pouring your inflaming wine until
they are drunk, so that you may gaze at
their naked bodies!
16 You are filled with shame, and not
glory. You will also drink and be exposed!
The cup of Yahweh’s right hand will come
around to you, and disgrace will cover
your glory.
17 For the violence done to Lebanon will
overwhelm you, and the destruction of the
animals will terrify you, because of men’s
bloodandfor the violencedone to the land,
to every city and to those who dwell in
them.
18 “What value does the engraved image
have, that its maker has engraved it; the
molten image, even the teacher oflies, that
he who fashions its form trusts in it, to
make mute idols?
19 Woe to him who says to the wood,
‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall
this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold
and silver, and there is no breath at all
within it.
20 But Yahweh is in his holy temple. Let
all the earth be silent before him!”