The Prophet Habakkuk

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the ramparts. I will watch to see what He will say to me, and how I should answer when corrected.

Then the LORD answered me: “Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it.

For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.(a)

Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright (b)— but the righteous will live by faith (c)—

and wealth

(d)

indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own.

Woe to the Chaldeans

Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’

Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.

Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you— because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.

Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster!

You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life.(e)

For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork.

Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by iniquity!

Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts that the labor of the people only feeds the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!

You will be filled with shame instead of glory. You too must drink and expose your uncircumcision!(f) The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory.

For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of animals will terrify you, because of your bloodshed against men and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.

What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.

Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”

But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.

Footnotes

(a)2:3 Or Though He lingers, wait for Him, since He will surely come and will not delay; see also LXX; cited in Hebrews 10:37.

(b)2:4 LXX If he should draw back, My soul has no pleasure in him

(d)2:5 DSS; MT wine

(e)2:10 Literally sinning against your soul

(f)2:16 DSS, LXX, and Syriac and stagger

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.

The LORD answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.

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.

Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous: an arrogant man who doesn’t stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol;(a) he is like death and can’t be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations and heaps to himself all peoples.

Woe to the Chaldeans

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?’

Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?

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.

Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!

You have devised shame to your house by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.

For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.

Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!

Behold, isn’t it from the LORD of Armies that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.

“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!

You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink and be exposed! The cup of the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals will terrify you, because of men’s blood and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.

“What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?

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.

But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!”

Footnotes

(a)2:5 Sheol is the place of the dead.