Habakkuk Waits for God’s Response
1I will stand at my guard post
I will watch to see what he will say to me2:1 Ps 85:8
and what I should2:1 Syr reads what he will reply about my complaint.
God’s Second Answer
2The Lord answered me:
clearly inscribe it on tablets
so one may easily read it.2:2 Lit one who reads in it may run
it testifies about the end and will not lie.
Though it delays, wait for it,
4Look, his ego is inflated;2:4 Hb obscure
he is without integrity.
5Moreover, wine2:5 DSS read wealth betrays;
an arrogant man is never at rest.2:5 Or man does not endure; Hb obscure
He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,
He gathers all the nations to himself;2:5 Is 13:4; 43:9; 66:18; Jr 3:17; Hs 10:10; Jl 3:2,11; Zph 3:8; Zch 12:3; 14:2; Mt 25:32
he collects all the peoples for himself.
The Five Woe Oracles
with mockery and riddles about him?
They will say,
“Woe to him who amasses what is not his —
and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”2:6 Dt 24:10–13
7Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,
and those who disturb you wake up?
all the peoples who remain will plunder you2:8 Zph 3:8 —
because of human bloodshed
and violence2:8 Jr 6:7; Ezk 7:11,23; 8:17; 12:19; 45:9; Mc 6:12; Hab 1:2–3,9; 2:17 against lands, cities,
9Woe to him who dishonestly makes
to place his nest on high,
10You have planned shame for your house
by wiping out many peoples
and sinning against your own self.
and the rafters will answer them
from the woodwork.
12Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and founds a town with injustice!2:12 Ezk 22:2–3; Mc 3:10
13Is it not from the Lord of Armies
that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire
and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?2:13 Jr 51:58
14For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory,
15Woe to him who gives his neighbors drink,
pouring out your wrath2:15 Or venom
and even making them drunk,
in order to look at their nakedness!
16You will be filled with disgrace instead of glory.
You also — drink,
and expose your uncircumcision!2:16 DSS, LXX, Aq, Syr, Vg read and stagger
The cup in the Lord’s right hand
will come around to you,
and utter disgrace will cover your glory.2:15–16 Rv 14:8–10
17For your violence against Lebanon
will overwhelm you;
the destruction of animals will terrify you2:17 DSS, LXX, Aq, Syr, Tg, Vg; MT reads them
because of your human bloodshed and violence
against lands, cities, and all who live in them.
18What 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 worthless idols that cannot speak.
19Woe 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 breath2:19 Ex 32:4; Dt 27:15; Jdg 17:4; Is 30:22; 40:18–20; 44:9–20; Jr 10:14 in it at all.
let the whole earth
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