Habakkuk 2:5

Habakkuk 2:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
• New International Version (NIV)indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Moreover, wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest. His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man, And he does not stay at home. Because he enlarges his desire as hell, And he is like death, and cannot be satisfied, He gathers to himself all nations And heaps up for himself all peoples.

Context of Habakkuk 2:5

3This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. 4“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. Wealth is treacherous, and the arrogant are never at rest. They open their mouths as wide as the grave, and like death, they are never satisfied. In their greed they have gathered up many nations and swallowed many peoples. 6“But soon their captives will taunt them. They will mock them, saying, ‘What sorrow awaits you thieves! Now you will get what you deserve! You’ve become rich by extortion, but how much longer can this go on?’ 7Suddenly, your debtors will take action. They will turn on you and take all you have, while you stand trembling and helpless.

Habakkuk 2:5 word by word

וְאַף֙ כִּֽי־הַיַּ֣יִן בּוֹגֵ֔ד גֶּ֥בֶר יָהִ֖יר וְלֹ֣א יִנְוֶ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֩ הִרְחִ֨יב כִּשְׁא֜וֹל נַפְשׁ֗וֹ וְה֤וּא כַמָּ֙וֶת֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׂבָּ֔ע וַיֶּאֱסֹ֤ף אֵלָיו֙ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וַיִּקְבֹּ֥ץ אֵלָ֖יו כָּל־הָעַמִּֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Yea also, because he transgressethבָּגַדbâgad · to act treacherouslyH898
• by wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• a proudיָהִירyâhîyr · proudH3093
• manגָּבֶרgeber · great manH1397
• neither keepeth at homeנָוָהnâvâh · to dwellH5115
• who enlargethרָחַבrâchab · to enlargeH7337
• his desireנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: appetiteH5315
• as hellשְׁאוֹלshe'ôl she'ôl · hell: SheolH7585
• as deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• and cannot be satisfiedשָׂבֵעַώâba‛ ώâbêa‛ · to satisfyH7646
• but gatherethאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
• unto him all nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• and heapethקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
• unto him all peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971

Cross-references for Habakkuk 2:5

• Proverbs 20:1Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
• Proverbs 23:29Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
• Proverbs 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol.
• Isaiah 5:11What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.
• Isaiah 21:5Look! They are preparing a great feast. They are spreading rugs for people to sit on. Everyone is eating and drinking. But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle. You are being attacked!
• Jeremiah 51:39And while they lie inflamed with all their wine, I will prepare a different kind of feast for them. I will make them drink until they fall asleep, and they will never wake up again,” says the Lord.
• Daniel 5:1Many years later King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.
• Nahum 1:9Why are you scheming against the Lord? He will destroy you with one blow; he won’t need to strike twice!
• Habakkuk 2:4“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.
• Psalms 138:6Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.
• Proverbs 30:13They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances.
• Isaiah 2:11Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.
• Isaiah 16:6We have heard about proud Moab— about its pride and arrogance and rage. But all that boasting has disappeared.
• Jeremiah 50:29“Send out a call for archers to come to Babylon. Surround the city so none can escape. Do to her as she has done to others, for she has defied the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
• Daniel 5:20But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
• James 4:6And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Commentaries on Habakkuk 2:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Because he transgresseth by wine - From the present translation, it is not easy to see either reason or meaning in the first clause of this verse. Newcome translates, "Moreover, as a mighty man transgresseth through wine, he is proud, and remaineth not at rest." Houbigant thus: "For he, though he be a despiser, and powerful, and proud, yet shall he not have rest." Nebuchadnezzar is here represented in his usual character, proud, haughty, and ambitious…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5This general rule the prophet goes on to apply in words which belong in part to all oppressors and in the first instance to the Chaldaean, in part yet more fully to the end and to antichrist. “Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine” (or better, “Yea, how much more, since wine is a deceiver, as Solomon says, Proverbs 20:1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever erreth thereby shall not be wise;” and Proverbs 23:32, “In the end it…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. 2-5Habakkuk's mission was to tell people that God's justice may seem slow, but it will definitely come.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Yea also, because--additional reason why the Jews may look for God punishing their Chaldean foe, namely, because ... he is a proud man--rather, this clause continues the reason for the Jews expecting the punishment of the Chaldeans, "because he transgresseth by wine (a besetting sin of Babylon, compare Da 5:1-31, and Curtius [5.1]), being a proud man." Love of wine often begets a proud contempt of divine things, as in Belshazzar's case, which was the…Read the comment

Topics related to Habakkuk 2:5

• Ambition
• Covetousness
• Hell
• Oppression
• Pride
• Rulers
• Wine

In the dictionaries

• Blood
• Consult
• Put
• Teach
• Weary
• Wood
• Habakkuk
• Heap
• Sheol

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