Logos Bible Study

Habakkuk 2:6–11

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The Proud Babylonians are as Good as Dead

2:6“But all these nations will someday taunt him21

and ridicule him with proverbial sayings:22

‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead23

(How long will this go on?)24—

he who gets rich by extortion!’25

2:7Your creditors will suddenly attack;26

those who terrify you will spring into action,27

and they will rob you.28

2:8Because you robbed many countries,29

all who are left among the nations30 will rob you.

You have shed human blood

and committed violent acts against lands, cities,31 and those who live in them.

2:9The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead.32

He does this so he can build his nest way up high

and escape the clutches of disaster.33

2:10Your schemes will bring shame to your house.

Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct.34

2:11For the stones in the walls will cry out,

and the wooden rafters will answer back.35

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Footnotes

  1. 21 Heb “Will not these, all of them, take up a taunt against him …?” The rhetorical question assumes the response, “Yes, they will.” The present translation brings out the rhetorical force of the question by rendering it as an affirmation.
  2. 22 Heb “and a mocking song, riddles, against him? And one will say.”
  3. 23 Heb “Woe [to] the one who increases [what is] not his.” The Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy, “woe,” “ah”) was used in funeral laments and carries the connotation of death.
  4. 24 This question is interjected parenthetically, perhaps to express rhetorically the pain and despair felt by the Babylonians’ victims.
  5. 25 Heb “and the one who makes himself heavy [i.e., wealthy] [by] debts.” Though only appearing in the first line, the term הוֹי (hoy) is to be understood as elliptical in the second line.
  6. 26 Heb “Will not your creditors suddenly rise up?” The rhetorical question assumes the response, “Yes, they will.” The present translation brings out the rhetorical force of the question by rendering it as an affirmation. Your creditors will suddenly attack. The Babylonians are addressed directly here. They have robbed and terrorized others, but now the situation will be reversed as their creditors suddenly attack them.
  7. 27 Heb “[Will not] the ones who make you tremble awake?”
  8. 28 Heb “and you will become their plunder.”
  9. 29 Or “nations.”
  10. 30 Or “peoples.”
  11. 31 Heb “because of the shed blood of humankind and violence against land, city.” The singular forms אֶרֶץ (’erets, “land”) and קִרְיָה (qiryah, “city”) are collective, referring to all the lands and cities terrorized by the Babylonians.
  12. 32 Heb “Woe [to] the one who profits unjustly by evil unjust gain for his house.” On the term הוֹי (hoy) see the note on the word “dead” in v. .
  13. 33 Heb “to place his nest in the heights in order to escape from the hand of disaster.” Here the Babylonians are compared to a bird, perhaps an eagle, that builds its nest in an inaccessible high place where predators cannot reach it.
  14. 34 Heb “you planned shame for your house, cutting off many nations, and sinning [against] your life.”
  15. 35 The house mentioned in vv. 9–10 represents the Babylonian empire, which became great through imperialism. Here the materials of this “house” (the stones in the walls, the wooden rafters) are personified as witnesses who testify that the occupants have built the house through wealth stolen from others.

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say,

“Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own—

for how long?—

and loads himself with pledges!”

Will not your debtors suddenly arise,

and those awake who will make you tremble?

Then you will be spoil for them.

Because you have plundered many nations,

all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you,

for the blood of man and violence to the earth,

to cities and all who dwell in them.

“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house,

to set his nest on high,

to be safe from the reach of harm!

You have devised shame for your house

by cutting off many peoples;

you have forfeited your life.

For the stone will cry out from the wall,

and the beam from the woodwork respond.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying,

“ ‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods

and makes himself wealthy by extortion!

How long must this go on?’

Will not your creditors suddenly arise?

Will they not wake up and make you tremble?

Then you will become their prey.

Because you have plundered many nations,

the peoples who are left will plunder you.

For you have shed human blood;

you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

“Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,

setting his nest on high

to escape the clutches of ruin!

You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,

shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.

The stones of the wall will cry out,

and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him,

with mockery and riddles about him?

They will say:

Woe to him who amasses what is not his—

how much longer?—

and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”

Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,

and those who disturb you wake up?

Then you will become spoil for them.

Since you have plundered many nations,

all the peoples who remain will plunder you—

because of human bloodshed

and violence against lands, cities,

and all who live in them.

Woe to him who dishonestly makes

wealth for his house

to place his nest on high,

to escape the grasp of disaster!

You have planned shame for your house

by wiping out many peoples

and sinning against your own self.

For the stones will cry out from the wall,

and the rafters will answer them

from the woodwork.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

“But soon their captives will taunt them.

They will mock them, saying,

‘What sorrow awaits you thieves!

Now you will get what you deserve!

You’ve become rich by extortion,

but how much longer can this go on?’

Suddenly, your debtors will take action.

They will turn on you and take all you have,

while you stand trembling and helpless.

Because you have plundered many nations;

now all the survivors will plunder you.

You committed murder throughout the countryside

and filled the towns with violence.

“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses

with money gained dishonestly!

You believe your wealth will buy security,

putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.

But by the murders you committed,

you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives.

The very stones in the walls cry out against you,

and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Shall not all of these take up a taunt against him,

with ridicule and riddles against him, saying,

‘Woe to him who heaps up what is not his’?

For how long?

And, ‘Woe to him who makes himself heavy with pledges’?

Will not your creditors suddenly rise up

and awaken those who make you tremble?

Then you shall be as plunder for them.

Because you plundered many nations,

all the remaining nations will plunder you

on account of the blood of humanity

and violence against the land,

and against cities and all who live in them.

Woe to him who obtains profit from evil gain for his house,

to set his nest on high,

to be saved from the hand of misfortune!

You have plotted shame for your house,

cutting off many peoples

and sinning against your life.

For the stone will cry out from the wall,

and the plaster from the wood will answer it.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

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 to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!

Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee,

And awake that shall vex thee,

And thou shalt be for booties unto them?

Because thou hast spoiled many nations,

All the remnant of the people shall spoil thee;

Because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land,

Of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house,

That he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

Thou hast consulted shame to thy house

By cutting off many people,

And hast sinned against thy soul.

For the stone shall cry out of the wall,

And the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

Public Domain