Habakkuk 2

Habakkuk · Chapter 2

Habakkuk 2:2

1I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.2And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.4Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.5Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:6Shall 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!7Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?8Because 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.9Woe 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!10Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.11For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.12Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!13Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?14For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!16Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.17For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.18What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?19Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.20But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
2And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.Then the LORD answered me: “Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it.And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he answered meוַיַּעֲנֵ֤נִיvai-ya-'a-NE-niH6030B
to answer

עָנָה (a.nah) 1) to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to answer, respond to 1a2) to testify, respond as a witness 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to make answer 1b2) to be answered, receive answer Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָה "to answer" H6032)

Yahwehיְהוָה֙YAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

and he saidוַיֹּ֔אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

write downכְּת֣וֹבke-TOVH3789
to write

כָּתַב (ka.tav) 1) to write, record, enrol 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to write, inscribe, engrave, write in, write on 1a2) to write down, describe in writing 1a3) to register, enrol, record 1a4) to decree 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be written 1b2) to be written down, be recorded, be enrolled 1c) (Piel) to continue writing Aramaic equivalent: ke.tav (כְּתַב "to write" H3790)

[the] visionחָז֔וֹןcha-ZONH2377
vision

חֱזוּ (che.zev) 1) vision, appearance 1a) vision 1b) appearance

and make [it] clearוּבָאֵ֖רu-va-'ERH0874
to make plain

בָּאַר (ba.ar) 1) (Piel) 1a) to make plain, distinct 1b) to make clear 1c) to declare 1d) letters on a tablet

onעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

the tabletsהַלֻּח֑וֹתha-lu-CHOTH3871
tablet

לוּחַ (lu.ach) 1) board, slab, tablet, plank 1a) tablets (of stone) 1b) boards (of wood) 1c) plate (of metal)

so thatלְמַ֥עַןle-MA-'anH4616
because

מַ֫עַן (ma.an) 1) purpose, intent prep 1a) for the sake of 1b) in view of, on account of 1c) for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to conj 1d) to the end that

he may runיָר֖וּץya-RUTZH7323G
to run: run

רוּץ (ruts) : run/runner/messenger 1) to run 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to run 1a2) runners (participle as subst) 1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry 1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away

[one who] readsק֥וֹרֵאKO-re'H7121J
to call: call to

קָרָא (qa.ra) : call_to/invite/entreat 1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound 1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God) 1a3) to proclaim 1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read 1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow 1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to call oneself 1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named 1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.