New: Plus articles on faith, family and the Bible. Read them →

About this chapterHabakkuk waits at his watchpost, and the Lord answers: write the vision plainly, for it awaits its appointed time and will surely come, so wait for it. The proud are not upright, but the righteous person will live by faith, a line quoted in Romans, Galatians and Hebrews. Five woes follow against the plunderer: those who build wealth by extortion, unjust gain, bloodshed, drunkenness and shame, and idolatry. The chapter ends by pointing out that idols made by human hands are lifeless and can teach nothing, while the earth will one day be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory, and the Lord is in his holy temple, so let all the earth be silent.

Habakkuk waits at his watchpost, and the Lord answers: write the vision plainly, for it awaits its appointed time and will surely come, so wait for it. The proud are not upright, but the righteous person will live by faith, a line quoted in Romans, Galatians and Hebrews. Five woes follow against the plunderer: those who build wealth by extortion, unjust gain, bloodshed, drunkenness and shame, and idolatry. The chapter ends by pointing out that idols made by human hands are lifeless and can teach nothing, while the earth will one day be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory, and the Lord is in his holy temple, so let all the earth be silent.

Themes

  • Waiting for the vision
  • Living by faith
  • Woes on the oppressor
  • The Lord in his temple

Key verses

Audio Bible · Habakkuk 2

Listen while you go about your day.

Habakkuk 2

Berean Standard Bible20 verses · 3 min read

1I 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. 2Then the LORD answered me: “Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it. 3For 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. 4Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright — but the righteous will live by faith — 5and wealth 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. 6Will 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?’ 7Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey. 8Because 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. 9Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster! 10You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life. 11For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork. 12Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by iniquity! 13Is 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? 14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 15Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! 16You will be filled with shame instead of glory. You too must drink and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory. 17For 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. 18What 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. 19Woe 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.” 20But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.

Pray for them

Real requests from the YESHVA community

  • WAQAS

    🙏 Please Pray for Me Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please keep me and my family in your prayers. 🙏 I have neither my mother nor my father. I am trying my best to support my family, and my brother also…

  • Luciano

    🙏❤️ **Prayer Request for Santiago** Today we ask you to join us in prayer for little Santiago, son of Maho and David, who will undergo two surgeries. God has led them through miracle after miracle, and today we trust…

  • David

    🙏 I ask for your prayers for my broken heart after a recent breakup. I'm struggling with sadness, anxiety, and loneliness. Please pray that God will give me peace, strength, and emotional healing during this time.…

Verses in Habakkuk 2

Chapters of Habakkuk

All books