Habakkuk 2

The Lord’s Answer

1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the wall. I will look to see what He will say to me and how I should answer when I am corrected.

2 Then the LORD answered me and said, “Write the vision down, make it plain on tablets so the one who reads it can run with it.

3 The vision is still for the appointed time. It speaks about the end and will not lie. Even if it seems slow, wait for it. It will surely come, it will not delay.

4 Look, the proud one, his soul is not right in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

Woe to the Oppressor

5 Wealth betrays him. He is arrogant and never at rest. He opens his mouth like the grave, like death he has never satisfied. He gathers nations to himself and collects all peoples as his own.

6 Will not all of them mock him and make fun of him, saying, ‘Woe to the one who piles up stolen goods, how long will this go on, and loads himself with debt,’

7 Will not your creditors suddenly rise up, Will not those who make you tremble wake up, Then you will become their prey.

8 Because you plundered many nations, all the survivors will plunder you, because of human bloodshed and violence against lands, cities, and everyone living in them.

9 Woe to the one who builds his house with dishonest gain, setting his nest on high to escape the reach of disaster.

10 You plotted shame for your house by destroying many peoples and bringing sin on yourself.

11 The stones in the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will answer them.

12 Woe to the one who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice.

13 Is it not from the LORD of armies that people labor only for fire and nations exhaust themselves for nothing,

14 The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD like waters covering the sea.

15 Woe to the one who makes his neighbor drink, pouring out wrath until they are drunk so he can stare at their nakedness.

16 You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn, drink and expose yourself. The cup from the LORD’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

17 The violence you did to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you, because of human bloodshed and violence against lands, cities, and everyone living in them.

18 What good is an idol carved by a craftsman, Or an image that teaches lies, The one who made it trusts in it, making idols that cannot speak.

19 Woe to the one who says to wood, ‘Wake up,’ or to silent stone, ‘Get up.’ Can it teach, It is covered with gold and silver, but 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.