Habakkuk 2

1 I will stand [take my position, be stationed] at my guard post [watch, tower] and station [place, set] myself on the ramparts [siege, stronghold]. I will watch [observe, wait] to see what He will say [speak, communicate] to me, and how [what] I should answer [respond, reply] when corrected [reproved, rebuked]. word study 2 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] answered me: “Write down [record, inscribe] this vision [revelation from God, prophetic insight] and clearly [make plain, explain] inscribe it on tablets [polished stones, wooden or metal plates], so that a herald [messenger, runner] may run [move quickly, rush] with it [the message, the prophecy]. word study 3 For the vision [a prophetic revelation from God] awaits an appointed time [a designated meeting or season]; it testifies of the end [the conclusion or final outcome] and does not lie [deceive or speak falsely]. Though it lingers [is delayed or tarries], wait for it [be patient and expectant], since it will surely come [arrive or be fulfilled] and will not delay [tarry or be late]. word study 4 Look [behold, take notice] at the proud one [the man of pride, lifted up]; his soul [the essence of his being, living being] is not upright [straight, smooth] — but the righteous [just, made right with God] will live [have life, be revived] by faith [faithfulness, trust in God, his faith] — word study 5 and wealth [riches, material possessions] indeed betrays [deceives, leads astray] him. He is an arrogant [proud, haughty] man never at rest [without peace, in constant turmoil]. He enlarges [expands, increases] his appetite [desires, longings] like Sheol [the underworld, the grave], and like Death [the destroyer, the terminator], he is never satisfied [content, fulfilled]. He gathers [collects, assembles] all the nations [Gentiles, peoples] to himself and collects [amasses, accumulates] all the peoples [nations, tribes] as his own [possessions, treasures]. word study 6 Will not all [these nations, every one of them] of these take up a taunt [a mocking song, a satire] against him, speaking with mockery [ridicule, scorn] and derision [contempt, disrespect]: ‘Woe [a cry of sorrow, a lament] to him who amasses [gathers, accumulates] what is not his [what belongs to others, unjust gain] and makes himself rich [wealthy, prosperous] with many loans [pledges, debts, usury]! How long [until when, for how much longer] will this go on [continue, persist]?’ word study 7 Will not [certainly, surely] your creditors [those to whom you owe, debtors] suddenly [in an instant, without warning] arise [stand up, take action] and those who disturb [tremble, shake] you awaken [be stirred up, rise up]? Then you will become [be made, come to be] their prey [plunder, spoil, booty]. word study 8 Because you [as a nation] have plundered [spoiled, laid waste to] many nations [Gentile peoples], the remnant [remainder, what is left] of the people will plunder [spoil, take by force] you— because of your bloodshed [shedding of human blood, violence against man] against man [humanity, the man Adam] and your violence [cruelty, injustice] against the land [earth, territory], the city [town, urban area], and all [every single one] their dwellers [inhabitants, those who reside]. word study 9 Woe [a cry of sorrow, deep distress] to him who builds his house [dwelling place, family] by unjust gain [evil covetousness, dishonest profit], to place [set, establish] his nest [resting place, refuge] on high [in a lofty, secure position] and escape [be delivered, rescued] the hand [power, grasp] of disaster [evil, calamity]! word study 10 You have plotted [devised, consulted] shame [a feeling of embarrassment or guilt] for your house [family, dwelling place] by cutting off [destroying, scraping away] many [a large number of] peoples [nations, groups of people] and forfeiting [sinning against, bringing harm to] your life [soul, living being]. word study 11 For [because of this reason] the stones [rocks, precious gems] will cry out [shout for help, proclaim loudly] from the wall [structure, partition], and the rafters [beams, wooden framework] will echo [respond, answer] it from the woodwork [timber, wooden structure]. word study 12 Woe [a cry of sorrow, deep regret] to him who builds [constructs, establishes] a city [a town, a metropolitan area] with bloodshed [violence, slaughter] and establishes [sets up, founds] a town [a city, a community] by iniquity [unrighteousness, wickedness, injustice or moral evil, covering violent deeds and general wrongdoing]! word study 13 Is it not indeed [certainly, truly] from the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, a large group of people] that the labor [hard work, toil] of the people [nations, a community] only feeds [labors for] the fire [burning, flame], and the nations [peoples, a group of people] weary [exhaust, become weak] themselves in vain [for nothing, with no lasting result]? word study 14 For [as a result, because of this] the earth [land, world, creation] will be filled [made full, completely satisfied] with the knowledge [understanding, awareness, recognition] of the glory [honor, splendor, majesty] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] as [just like, similar to] the waters [liquid, source of refreshment] cover [hide, conceal, envelop] the sea [large body of water, ocean]. word study 15 Woe [a cry of sorrow, a warning of judgment] to him who gives drink [to make drunk, to intoxicate] to his neighbors [friends, companions], pouring it from the wineskin [a leather bottle, a vessel for liquor] until they are drunk [intoxicated, in a state of stupor], in order to gaze [to look, to stare] at their nakedness [shame, exposed condition, private parts]! word study 16 You will be filled [satisfied, to the point of excess] with shame [dishonor, humiliation] instead of glory [great honor, splendor]. You too must drink [and become intoxicated, staggering] and expose your uncircumcision [be as one uncircumcised, morally unclean]! The cup in the LORD’s [Yehovah, the supreme God] right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace [intense shame, humiliation] will cover your glory [reputation, honor]. word study 17 For your [cruel, unjust] violence [injustice or cruelty] against Lebanon [the mountain range] will overwhelm you, and the destruction [spoil, ravaging] of animals [beasts, large quadruped mammals] will terrify you, because of your [shedding of] bloodshed against men [human beings, created in God’s image] and your [unjust, cruel] violence [social sin or ruin] against the land [the earth, a country or territory], the city [a town or urban area], and all [everything, every person] their dwellers [inhabitants, those who sit or remain]. word study 18 What use [profit, benefit] is an idol [graven image, false god], that a craftsman [maker, former] should carve [hew, shape] it— or an image [molten image, teachers of lies], a teacher [one who shows or points out] of lies [deception, falsehood]? For its maker [former, creator] trusts [has confidence, relies] in his own creation [formation, work]; he makes [forms, shapes] idols [worthless things, false gods] that cannot speak [are mute, dumb]. word study 19 Woe [a cry of sorrow and judgment] to him who says to wood [a lifeless idol], ‘Awake [to spiritual life]!’ or to silent [mute, unable to speak] stone [an inanimate object], ‘Arise [to new life]!’ Can it [this idol] give guidance [teach or instruct]? Behold [look, see], it is overlaid [covered, adorned] with gold [a precious metal] and silver [a valuable resource], yet there is no breath [spirit, life] in it at all [completely lifeless].” word study 20 But the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is in His holy [set-apart, sacred] temple [the large public building, God’s dwelling place]; let all [everything, the whole earth] the earth [land, country, territory] be silent [hushed, still, quiet] before Him [in His presence, face to face]. word study