Habakkuk 2:1-13

2:1 I will stand at my watch post;

I will remain stationed on the city wall.

I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me

and can know how I should answer

when he counters my argument.

The Lord Assures Habakkuk

2:2 The Lord responded:

“Write down this message! Record it legibly on tablets,

so the one who announces it may read it easily.

2:3 For the message is a witness to what is decreed;

it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out.

Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently;

for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late.

2:4 Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion,

but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness.

2:5 Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man!

His appetite is as big as Sheol’s;

like death, he is never satisfied.

He gathers all the nations;

he seizes all peoples.

The Proud Babylonians are as Good as Dead

2:6 “But all these nations will someday taunt him

and ridicule him with proverbial sayings:

‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead

(How long will this go on?) –

he who gets rich by extortion!’

2:7 Your creditors will suddenly attack;

those who terrify you will spring into action,

and they will rob you.

2:8 Because you robbed many countries,

all who are left among the nations will rob you.

You have shed human blood

and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them.

2:9 The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead.

He does this so he can build his nest way up high

and escape the clutches of disaster.

2:10 Your schemes will bring shame to your house.

Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct.

2:11 For the stones in the walls will cry out,

and the wooden rafters will answer back.

2:12 The one who builds a city by bloodshed is as good as dead –

he who starts a town by unjust deeds.

2:13 Be sure of this! The Lord who commands armies has decreed:

The nations’ efforts will go up in smoke;

their exhausting work will be for nothing.