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

16But you will become drunk with shame, not majesty. Now it is your turn to drink and expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup of wine in the Lord’s right hand is coming to you, and disgrace will replace your majestic glory! 17For you will pay in full for your violent acts against Lebanon; terrifying judgment will come upon you because of the way you destroyed the wild animals living there. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them. What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things? 19The one who says to wood, ‘Wake up!’ is as good as dead – he who says to speechless stone, ‘Awake!’ Can it give reliable guidance? It is overlaid with gold and silver; it has no life’s breath inside it. 20But the Lord is in his majestic palace. The whole earth is speechless in his presence!”

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• What profitethיָעַלya‛al · to gainH3276
• the graven imageפֶּ֫סֶלpesel · idolH6459
• that the makerיָצַרyâtsar · to form: formedH3335
• thereof hath gravenפָּסַלpâsal · to hewH6458
• it; the molten imageמַסֵּכָהmassêkâh · molten metalH4541
• and a teacherיָרָהyârâh yârâ' · to showH3384
• of liesשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
• of his workיֵ֫צֶרyêtser · intentionH3336
• trustethבָּטַחbâţach · to trustH982
• therein, to makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• dumbאִלֵּם'illêm · muteH483
• idolsאֱלִיל'ĕlîyl · idolH457

Cross-references for Habakkuk 2:18

• Isaiah 37:38One day, as he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword. They ran away to the land of Ararat; his son Esarhaddon replaced him as king.
• Isaiah 42:17Those who trust in idols will turn back and be utterly humiliated, those who say to metal images, ‘You are our gods.’”
• Isaiah 44:9All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.
• Isaiah 45:16They will all be ashamed and embarrassed; those who fashion idols will all be humiliated.
• Isaiah 46:1Bel kneels down, Nebo bends low. Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals.
• Jeremiah 2:27They say to a wooden idol, ‘You are my father.’ They say to a stone image, ‘You gave birth to me.’ Yes, they have turned away from me instead of turning to me. Yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’
• Jeremiah 10:3For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools.
• Jeremiah 50:2“Announce the news among the nations! Proclaim it! Signal for people to pay attention! Declare the news! Do not hide it! Say: ‘Babylon will be captured. Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be dismayed. Babylon’s idols will be put to shame. Her disgusting images will be dismayed.
• Romans 6:21So what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death.
• Jeremiah 10:8The people of those nations are both stupid and foolish. Instruction from a wooden idol is worthless!
• Jonah 2:8Those who worship worthless idols forfeit the mercy that could be theirs.
• Zechariah 10:2For the household gods have spoken wickedness, the soothsayers have seen a lie, and as for the dreamers, they have disclosed emptiness and give comfort in vain. Therefore the people set out like sheep and become scattered because they have no shepherd.
• Romans 1:23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders,
• 1 Timothy 4:1Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings,
• Revelation 13:11Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but was speaking like 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