New Living Translation
Habakkuk 2:17
17You cut down the forests of Lebanon. Now you will be cut down. You destroyed the wild animals, so now their terror will be yours. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence.
Habakkuk 2:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
- New International Version (NIV)The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the violence done to Lebanon will cover you, And the plunder of beasts which made them afraid, Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it.
Context of Habakkuk 2:17
15“What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup on them so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness. 16But soon it will be your turn to be disgraced. Come, drink and be exposed! Drink from the cup of the Lord’s judgment, and all your glory will be turned to shame. You cut down the forests of Lebanon. Now you will be cut down. You destroyed the wild animals, so now their terror will be yours. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence. 18“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk! 19What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside.
Read all of Habakkuk 2Habakkuk 2:17 word by word
כִּ֣י חֲמַ֤ס לְבָנוֹן֙ יְכַסֶּ֔ךָּ וְשֹׁ֥ד בְּהֵמ֖וֹת יְחִיתַ֑ן מִדְּמֵ֤י אָדָם֙ וַחֲמַס־אֶ֔רֶץ קִרְיָ֖ה וְכָל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For the violenceחָמָסchâmâs · violenceH2555
- of Lebanonלְבָנוֹןlebânôn · LebanonH3844
- shall coverכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
- thee, and the spoilשֹׁדshôd shôd · violenceH7701
- of beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- made them afraidחָתַתchâthath · to to be dismayedH2865
- because of men’sאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of the cityקִרְיָהqiryâh · townH7151
- and of all that dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
Cross-references for Habakkuk 2:17
- Zechariah 11:1Open your doors, Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedar forests.
- Habakkuk 2:8Because you have plundered many nations, now all the survivors will plunder you. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence.
- Psalms 55:23But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.
- Psalms 137:8O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us.
- Proverbs 28:17A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into the grave. Don’t protect him!
- Revelation 18:20Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.
- Jeremiah 50:28Listen to the people who have escaped from Babylon, as they tell in Jerusalem how the Lord our God has taken vengeance against those who destroyed his Temple.
- Jeremiah 51:24“I will repay Babylon and the people of Babylonia for all the wrong they have done to my people in Jerusalem,” says the Lord.
Commentaries on Habakkuk 2:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17For the violence of Lebanon - Or, the violence done to Lebanon; to men, to cattle, to Judea, and to Jerusalem. See the note on the parallel place, Habakkuk 2:8; (note). This may be a threatening against Egypt, as the former was against Chaldea.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17For the violence of Lebanon - i. e., done to Lebanon, whether the land of Israel of which it was the entrance and the beauty (See Isaiah 37:24, and, as a symbol, Jeremiah 22:6, Jeremiah 22:23; Ezekiel 17:3; but it is used as a symbol of Sennacherib‘s army, Isaiah 10:34, and the king of Asshur is not indeed spoken of under the name as a symbol (in Ezekiel 21:3,) but is compared to it), or the temple (See the note at Zechariah 12:1), both of which…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. 15-17In the fourth taunt song, the Babylonians face condemnation for their shameful acts against people, animals, and the environment. They are like a man who pretends to be friendly but, after getting his neighbors drunk, takes everything from them. However, the Babylonians will face disgrace after drinking from the cup of the Lord’s judgment (see Jeremiah 25:15–17; compare John 18:11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. the violence of Lebanon--thy "violence" against "Lebanon," that is, Jerusalem (Is 37:24; Jr 22:23; Eze 17:3, 12; for Lebanon's cedars were used in building the temple and houses of Jerusalem; and its beauty made it a fit type of the metropolis), shall fall on thine own head. cover--that is, completely overwhelm. the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid--Maurer explains, "the spoiling inflicted on the beasts of Lebanon (that is, on the people of…Read the comment
Topics related to Habakkuk 2:17
In the dictionaries
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
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