# Habakkuk 2 --- ## The LORD Answers Again - 1 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. - 2 Then the LORD answered me: - “Write down this vision - and clearly inscribe it on tablets, - so that a herald may run with it. - 3 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. {Or "Though He lingers, wait for Him, since He will surely come and will not delay" ; see also LXX; cited in [[Hebrews_10|Hebrews 10.37]]} - 4 Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright {LXX "If he should draw back, My soul has no pleasure in him"} — - but the righteous will live by faith {Or "faithfulness" ; cited in [[Romans_01|Romans 1.17]], [[Galatians_03|Galatians 3.11]], and [[Hebrews_10|Hebrews 10.38]]} — - 5 and wealth {DSS; MT "wine" } 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 - {The Lord's answer continues} - 6 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?’ - 7 Will not your creditors suddenly arise - and those who disturb you awaken? - Then you will become their prey. - 8 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. - 9 Woe to him who builds his house - by unjust gain, - to place his nest on high - and escape the hand of disaster! - 10 You have plotted shame for your house - by cutting off many peoples - and forfeiting your life. {Literally "sinning against your soul "} - 11 For the stones will cry out from the wall, - and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork. - 12 Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed - and establishes a town by iniquity! - 13 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? - 14 For the earth will be filled - with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD - as the waters cover the sea. - 15 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! - 16 You will be filled with shame instead of glory. - You too must drink - and expose your uncircumcision! {DSS, LXX, and Syriac "and stagger"} - The cup in the LORD’s right hand - will come around to you, - and utter disgrace will cover your glory. - 17 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. - 18 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. - 19 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.” - 20 But the LORD is in His holy temple; - let all the earth be silent before Him. --- - Previous chapter: [[Habakkuk_01]] - Next chapter: [[Habakkuk_03]] - TOC: [[TOC_Habakkuk]] --- The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible (https://bereanbible.com), BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub (https://biblehub.com), Discovery Bible (https://discoverybible.com), OpenBible.com (https://openbible.com), and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0). ---