Habakkuk 2:18

Habakkuk 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)What 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?
• New International Version (NIV)“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!
• New King James Version (NKJV)“What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it, The molded image, a teacher of lies, That the maker of its mold should trust in it, To make mute idols?

Context of Habakkuk 2:18

16You will be filled with disgrace rather than honor. Now you yourself drink and expose your own nakedness. The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, And utter disgrace will come upon your glory. 17For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, And the devastation of its beasts by which you terrified them, Because of human bloodshed and violence done to the land, To the town and all its inhabitants. “What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it, Or an image, a teacher of falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own handiwork When he fashions speechless idols. 19Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ And that is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, And there is no breath at all inside it. 20But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”

Habakkuk 2:18 word by word

מָֽה־הוֹעִ֣יל פֶּ֗סֶל כִּ֤י פְסָלוֹ֙ יֹֽצְר֔וֹ מַסֵּכָ֖ה וּמ֣וֹרֶה שָּׁ֑קֶר כִּ֣י בָטַ֞ח יֹצֵ֤ר יִצְרוֹ֙ עָלָ֔יו לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֱלִילִ֥ים אִלְּמִֽים׃ סRead the interlinear

• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• profitיָעַלya‛al · to gainH3276
• idolפֶּ֫סֶלpesel · idolH6459
• whenכִּיkîy · forH3588
• its makerיָצַרyâtsar · to form: formedH3335
• has carvedפָּסַלpâsal · to hewH6458
• an imageמַסֵּכָהmassêkâh · molten metalH4541
• teacherיָרָהyârâh yârâ' · to showH3384
• of falsehoodשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
• trustsבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
• handiworkיֵ֫צֶרyêtser · intentionH3336
• When he fashionsעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• speechlessאִלֵּם'illêm · muteH483
• idolsאֱלִיל'ĕlîyl · idolH457

Cross-references for Habakkuk 2:18

• Isaiah 37:38It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.
• Isaiah 42:17They will be turned back and be utterly put to shame, Who trust in idols, Who say to molten images, “You are our gods.”
• Isaiah 44:9Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.
• Isaiah 45:16They will be put to shame and even humiliated, all of them; The manufacturers of idols will go away together in humiliation.
• Isaiah 46:1Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over; Their images are consigned to the beasts and the cattle. The things that you carry are burdensome, A load for the weary beast.
• Jeremiah 2:27Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to Me, And not their face; But in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise and save us.’
• Jeremiah 10:3For the customs of the peoples are delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
• Jeremiah 50:2“Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a standard. Do not conceal it but say, ‘Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.’
• Romans 6:21Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
• Jeremiah 10:8But they are altogether stupid and foolish In their discipline of delusion--their idol is wood!
• Jonah 2:8Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness,
• Zechariah 10:2For the teraphim speak iniquity, And the diviners see lying visions And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep, They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.
• Romans 1:23and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
• 1 Timothy 4:1But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
• Revelation 13:11Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.

Commentaries on Habakkuk 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18What profiteth the graven image - This is against idolatry in general, and every species of it, as well as against those princes, priests, and people who practice it, and encourage others to do the same. See on Isaiah 44:9-10; (note); Isaiah 46:2; (note). Dumb idols? - אלמים אלילים elilim illemim, "dumb nothings." This is exactly agreeable to St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 8:4, who says, "An idol is nothing in the world." What signify the idols worshipped by the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18What profiteth - (Hath profited) הועיל מה. Samuel warned them, “Serve the Lord with all your heart, and turn ye not aside; for (it would be) after vanities which will not profit nor deliver for they are vain:” and Jeremiah tells their past; “their prophets prophesied by Baal; and after things יועילי לא which profit not, have they gone.” Elsewhere the idol is spoken of as a thing “which will not profit” (future) “My people hath changed its glory יועיל בלא…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 A severe woe is pronounced against drunkenness; it is very fearful against all who are guilty of drunkenness at any time, and in any place, from the stately palace to the paltry ale-house. To give one drink who is in want, who is thirsty and poor, or a weary traveller, or ready to perish, is charity; but to give a neighbour drink, that he may expose himself, may disclose secret concerns, or be drawn into a bad bargain, or for any such…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-20In the fifth taunt song, the Babylonians face criticism for worshiping idols. Whether people carve or cast idols, they cannot save or teach their worshipers (Isaiah 42:17). Only the Lord truly deserves worship (Habakkuk 2:20; Exodus 20:2–6; compare Ecclesiastes 5:1–2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. The powerlessness of the idols to save Babylon from its doom is a fitting introduction to the last stanza (Ha 2:19), which, as the former four, begins with "Woe." teacher of lies--its priests and prophets uttering lying oracles, as if from it. make dumb idols--Though men can "make" idols, they cannot make them speak.Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 2:18

• Carving
• Idol
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Maker
• Graven image
• Molten, Image
• Blood
• Consult
• Put
• Teach
• Weary
• Wood
• Dumb

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