Habakkuk 2:13

Habakkuk 2:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, 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?
• New International Version (NIV)Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts That the peoples labor to feed the fire, And nations weary themselves in vain?

Context of Habakkuk 2:13

11For the stone will cry out from the wall [to accuse you—built in sin!] And the rafter will answer it out of the woodwork. 12“Woe (judgment is coming) to him who builds a city with bloodshed And establishes a town by violence! Is it not indeed from the Lord of hosts That peoples labor [only] for the fire [that will destroy their work], And nations grow weary for nothing [that is, things which have no lasting value]? 14But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea. 15“Woe (judgment is coming) to you who make your neighbors drink, Who mix in your venom to make them drunk So that you may look at their nakedness!

Habakkuk 2:13 word by word

הֲל֣וֹא הִנֵּ֔ה מֵאֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְיִֽיגְע֤וּ עַמִּים֙ בְּדֵי־אֵ֔שׁ וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים בְּדֵי־רִ֥יק יִעָֽפוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• not of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• that the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• shall labourיָגֵעַyâga‛ · be weary/toilH3021
• in the veryדַּיday · sufficiencyH1767
• fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• and the peopleלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
• shall wearyיָעֵףyâ‛aph · to faintH3286
• vanityרִיקrîyq · vainH7385

Cross-references for Habakkuk 2:13

• Genesis 11:6And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one [unified] people, and they all have the same language. This is only the beginning of what they will do [in rebellion against Me], and now no evil thing they imagine they can do will be impossible for them.
• 2 Samuel 15:31David was told, “Ahithophel [your counselor] is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “O Lord, I pray You, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”
• Job 5:13He catches the [so-called] wise in their own shrewdness, And the advice of the devious is quickly thwarted.
• Psalms 39:6Surely every man walks around like a shadow [in a charade]; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; Each one builds up riches, not knowing who will receive them.
• Psalms 127:1Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.
• Proverbs 21:30There is no [human] wisdom or understanding Or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.
• Isaiah 41:5The islands and coastlands have seen and they fear; The ends of the earth tremble; They have drawn near and have come.
• Isaiah 50:11Listen carefully, all you who kindle your own fire [devising your own man-made plan of salvation], Who surround yourselves with torches, Walk by the light of your [self-made] fire And among the torches that you have set ablaze. But this you will have from My hand: You will lie down in [a place of] torment.
• Isaiah 55:2Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, And your earnings for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight in abundance.
• Jeremiah 51:58Thus says the Lord of hosts, “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely overthrown and the foundations razed And her high gates will be set on fire; The peoples will labor in vain, And the nations become exhausted [only] for fire [that will destroy their work].”
• Malachi 1:4Though [impoverished] Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins.” Thus says the Lord of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the Wicked Territory, the people against whom the Lord is indignant forever.”

Commentaries on Habakkuk 2:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13The people shall labor in the very fire - All these superb buildings shall be burnt down. See the parallel passage, Jeremiah 51:58; (note), and the note there. Shall weary themselves for very vanity? - For the gratification of the wishes of ambition, and in buildings which shall be brought to naught.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that (the) people (nations) shall labor - o In (for) the very fire - literally, to suffice the fire? By God‘s appointment, the end of all their labor is for the fire, what may suffice it to consume. This is the whole result of their labor; and so it is as if they had toiled for this; they built ceiled palaces and gorgeous buildings, only for the fire to consume them. And the peoples shall weary themselves for very…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-14Verses 5-14 The prophet reads the doom of all proud and oppressive powers that bear hard upon God's people. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, are the entangling snares of men; and we find him that led Israel captive, himself led captive by each of these. No more of what we have is to be reckoned ours, than what we come honestly by. Riches are but clay, thick clay; what are gold and silver but white and yellow earth? Those…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-14In the third taunt song, the Babylonians face condemnation for their murder and corruption, which they used to gain wealth and build their cities. God will turn their apparent gain into a total loss. Earth will be filled: Unlike violence and stolen wealth, the awareness of the Lord's glory will spread as widely as water in the ocean (Isaiah 11:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. is it not of the Lord of hosts--Jehovah, who has at His command all the hosts of heaven and earth, is the righteous author of Babylon's destruction. "Shall not God have His turn, when cruel rapacious men have triumphed so long, though He seem now to be still?" [Calvin]. people ... labour in the ... fire ... weary themselves for ... vanity--The Chaldeans labor at what is to be food for the fire, namely, their city and fortresses which shall be burnt…Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 2:13

• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Lord of Hosts
• Blood
• Consult
• Put
• Teach
• Weary
• Wood
• Faint
• Habakkuk

Commentaries on Habakkuk 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings