Habakkuk 2
Habakkuk Waits for the Lord’s Answer
1 I will stand at my guard post.I will station myself on the wall.I will watch to see what he will say to meand what answer I will get to my complaint.
The Lord’s Answer
2 Then the Lord answered me,“Write the vision.Make it clear on tabletsso that anyone can read it quickly.3 The vision will still happen at the appointed time.It hurries toward its goal.It won’t be a lie.If it’s delayed, wait for it.It will certainly happen.It won’t be late.4 “Look at the proud person. He is not right in himself.But the righteous person will live because of his faithfulness.t5 Also because wine is treacheroushe is arrogant and never rests.He has a large appetite like the grave.He is like death—never satisfied.He gathers all the nations to himself.He collects all the people to himself.6 Won’t all of them ridicule him,directing clever sayings and riddles at him, like:“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself richwith what is not his ownand makes himself wealthy on loans.How long will this go on?’7 Won’t your creditors suddenly rise upand those who are going to shake you wake up?Then you will become their prize.8 You have looted many nations.All the rest of the people will loot youbecause of the slaughter and violence doneto lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.9 “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who uses violenceto get things for his own householdin order to set his nest up highand save himself from disaster.’10 You have planned disgrace for your householdby cutting off many people and forfeiting your own life.11 A stone in the wall will cry out.A beam in the roof will answer it.12 “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who builds a city by slaughterand founds a town by crime.’13 Isn’t it from the Lord of Armiesthat people grow tired only to feed the flamesand nations exhaust themselves for nothing?14 But the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glorylike the water covers the sea.15 “ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who makes his neighbor drinkfrom the bowl of God’s rage,making him drunk in order to stare at his nakedness.’16 You are filled with disgrace rather than glory.Drink! Yes you! And expose yourself as godless.The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you,and disgrace will cover your glory.17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,and the destruction done to the animals will terrify youbecause of the slaughter and violence doneto lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.18 “What benefit is there in a carved idolwhen its maker has carved it?What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies,when its maker has molded it?The one who formed it trusts himselfto make worthless idols that cannot speak.19 ‘How horrible it will be for the onewho says to a piece of wood, “Wake up!”and to a stone that cannot talk, “Get up!” ’Can that thing teach anyone?Just look at it!It’s covered with gold and silver,but there’s absolutely no life in it.”20 The Lord is in his holy temple.All the earth should be silent in his presence.
Habakkuk 2
1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer concerning my complaint.2 And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.5 Yea, moreover, wine is treacherous, a haughty man, that keepeth not at home; who enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples.6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and that ladeth himself with pledges!7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booty unto them?8 Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder thee, because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.9 Woe to him that getteth an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!10 Thou hast devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and hast sinned against thy soul.11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity!13 Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!16 Thou art filled with shame, and not glory: drink thou also, and be as one uncircumcised; the cup of Jehovah’s right hand shall come round unto thee, and foul shame shall be upon thy glory.17 For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.18 What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he that fashioneth its form trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.20 But Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.