Habakkuk · 20 verses
Habakkuk 2
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
A house built by unjust gain acquires a remarkable chorus: its stones cry out from the wall, and its rafters echo from the woodwork.
The watchman and the visionvv. 1–5
Habakkuk takes up his post on the ramparts, waiting to hear what the LORD will say and how he should answer when corrected. The LORD tells him to write the vision plainly on tablets, so a herald may run with it. It has an appointed time; though it lingers, it will surely come. Meanwhile, the proud man is restless and insatiable, enlarging his appetite like Sheol and gathering nations and peoples to himself, while the righteous will live by faith.
The house begins to testifyvv. 6–17
The gathered peoples turn their abundance into a taunt against the man who amassed what was not his and made himself rich with loans. His creditors will arise, and the prey will change sides. Woe follows woe: over plunder, unjustly built houses, cities founded in bloodshed, and the weary labor of nations feeding the fire. The house itself joins the accusation, with stones crying out and rafters answering. Then the drinker's little arrangement reverses splendidly: after giving drink to neighbors so he could gaze at their nakedness, he is told to drink and expose himself. Lebanon appears in the reckoning, amid violence against land, city, dwellers, and animals.
The silent teachervv. 18–20
The chapter's final target is an idol: carved by a craftsman, trusted by its maker, plated with gold and silver, and entirely without breath. Wood is told to awake and stone to arise and give guidance, which is a demanding career for silent material. The LORD, by contrast, is in His holy temple, and the earth falls silent before Him.
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
Hab 2:1I 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.
Hab 2:2Then the LORD answered me: “Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it.
Hab 2:3For 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.
Hab 2:4Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—
Hab 2:5and 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.
Hab 2:6Will 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?’
Hab 2:7Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.
Hab 2:8Because 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.
Hab 2:9Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster!
Hab 2:10You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life.
Hab 2:11For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork.
Hab 2:12Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by iniquity!
Hab 2:13Is 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?
Hab 2:14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
Hab 2:15Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!
Hab 2:16You 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.
Hab 2:17For 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.
Hab 2:18What 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.
Hab 2:19Woe 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.”
Hab 2:20But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 328 passages were voted onto 20 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 3Psalms 27:14Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- 4Romans 1:17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
- 3Hebrews 10:36–37You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
- 3Lamentations 3:25–26The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
- 2Isaiah 30:8Go now, write it on a tablet in their presence and inscribe it on a scroll; it will be for the days to come, a witness forever and ever.
- 3Ezekiel 12:25because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass, declares the Lord GOD.’”
- 4Hebrews 10:38But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
- 14Isaiah 11:9They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.
- 4Galatians 3:11–12Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
- 14Psalms 22:27All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
- 20Zechariah 2:13Be silent before the LORD, all people, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”
- 14Psalms 72:19And blessed be His glorious name forever; may all the earth be filled with His glory. Amen and amen.
- 3Daniel 10:14Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision concerns those days.”
- 3James 5:7–8Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
- 14Isaiah 6:3And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.”
- 20Zephaniah 1:7Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests.
Onward