Habakkuk 2:1

Habakkuk 2:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I 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.
• New International Version (NIV)I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.

Context of Habakkuk 2:1

I will stand at my place on the wall of the city. I will watch from there. I will wait to see what God will say to me. I have complained to him and now I will see how he answers me. 2The Lord answered me. He said: ‘Write down what I will show to you. Make it very clear on the page where you write it. Then someone can easily read it, and he can tell the message to other people. 3What I will show to you must happen at the time that I have decided. That is a future time, but it will certainly happen, as I have said. It may not happen very soon, but you must be patient. What I show to you will certainly happen at the right time, so wait for it.

Habakkuk 2:1 word by word

עַל־מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֣י אֶעֱמֹ֔דָה וְאֶֽתְיַצְּבָ֖ה עַל־מָצ֑וֹר וַאֲצַפֶּ֗ה לִרְאוֹת֙ מַה־יְדַבֶּר־בִּ֔י וּמָ֥ה אָשִׁ֖יב עַל־תּוֹכַחְתִּֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I will standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• upon my watchמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
• and setיָצַבyâtsab · to standH3320
• me upon the towerמָצוֹרmâtsôr mâtsûr · siegeH4692
• and will watchצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
• to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• what he will sayדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto me, and what I shall answerשׁוּבshûb · to return: replyH7725
• when I am reprovedתּוֹכַ֫חַתtôkêchâh tôkachath · argumentH8433

Cross-references for Habakkuk 2:1

• Psalms 73:16When I thought about all this, it was so hard for me to understand.
• Isaiah 21:8Then the guard shouted, ‘Lord God, I am standing every day on the tower where I watch. I stand at my place every night.
• 2 Samuel 18:24David was sitting between the two gates of Mahanaim city. A man went up to the top of the wall, on the roof above the gate. He was watching the road. As he looked, he saw a man who was running towards the city. He was running alone.
• 2 Kings 9:17A guard was standing on the tower in Jezreel to watch for enemies. He saw Jehu's soldiers coming towards the city. He shouted, ‘I can see a group of soldiers who are coming here on horses.’ King Joram said, ‘Send out a man on a horse to meet the soldiers. Ask them. “Are you coming to us as friends?” ’
• 2 Kings 17:9They secretly did things that the Lord their God said were not right. In all their towns, they built altars to worship false gods. They built them everywhere, in small villages and in strong cities.
• Isaiah 21:5Look! They are preparing a feast. They put down carpets for people to sit on. They are eating and they are drinking. Officers, stand up! Make your shields ready for battle!
• Isaiah 62:6I have put guards on your walls, Jerusalem. They should never be quiet, during the day and during the night. You people who cause the Lord to remember his promises, never stop and rest!
• Habakkuk 1:12Lord, you have always been God, since the beginning. You are the God that I worship as holy, and you will never die. Lord, you have chosen the Babylonians as your weapon to punish your people. You are a strong rock to protect us, but you have decided to use them to punish us.
• Psalms 85:8Now I will listen to what the Lord God says. He will give peace to his people, to those who serve him. But they must not turn back to do foolish things again.
• 2 Corinthians 13:3That will tell you what you want to know about me. You will surely know that I speak with the authority of Christ himself. Christ is not weak when he works in you. He shows his power among you.
• Galatians 1:16He decided to show his Son clearly to me, so that I could tell the Gentiles about him. When God chose me to do that, I did not talk about it with any person.
• Job 23:5Then I would know how he would answer me. I would understand what he would say to me.
• Job 31:35I want someone to listen to me! All the things that I say are true. Almighty God should give me an answer! I need to know what I have done that is wrong. He should write down the reason why I am guilty!
• Jeremiah 12:1Lord, when I complain to you, you always do what is right. But I must ask you about your justice. Why do wicked people have success in life? Why do people who cheat their friends live in comfort?

Commentaries on Habakkuk 2:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1I will stand upon my watch - The prophets are always represented as watchmen, watching constantly for the comfort, safety, and welfare of the people; and watching also to receive information from the Lord: for the prophetic influence was not always with them, but was granted only at particular times, according to the will of God. When, in doubtful cases, they wished to know what God was about to do with the country, they retired from society and gave…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1I will stand - , i. e. I would stand now, as a servant awaiting his master, Upon my watch - or, keep (Isaiah 21:8. משׁמר in the same sense Jeremiah 51:12), and “set me (plant myself firmly) upon the tower” (literally, fenced place, but also one straitened and narrowly hemmed in), “and will watch” (it is a title of the prophets, as spying by God‘s enabling, things beyond human ken); I will spy out, to see a long way off, to see with the inward eye, what He…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Habakkuk must wait in faith. (1-4) Judgments upon the Chaldeans. (5-14) Also upon drunkenness and idolatry. (15-20) Verses 1-4 When tossed and perplexed with doubts about the methods of Providence, we must watch against temptations to be impatient. When we have poured out complaints and requests before God, we must observe the answers God gives by his word, his Spirit, and providences; what the Lord will say to our case. God will not disappoint the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1I will stand at my guard post: Like a sentinel on duty (a guard who watches for danger), Habakkuk waited with care and expectation to see how the Lord would answer his complaint. He was ready to listen, even if the Lord corrected him (see also 2 Samuel 18:24–28; 2 Kings 9:17–20; Ezekiel 33:2–6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. stand upon ... watch--that is, watch-post. The prophets often compare themselves, awaiting the revelations of Jehovah with earnest patience, to watchmen on an eminence watching with intent eye all that comes within their view (Is 21:8, 11; Jr 6:17; Eze 3:17; 33:2, 3; compare Psa 5:3; 85:8). The "watch-post" is the withdrawal of the whole soul from earthly, and fixing it on heavenly, things. The accumulation of synonyms, "stand upon ... watch ... set me…Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 2:1

• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Blood
• Consult
• Put
• Teach
• Weary
• Wood
• Fortification; Fort; Fortified Cities; Fortress
• Habakkuk
• Jehoiakim
• Revelation

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