Bible/Habakkuk/2

Habakkuk 2:9

2:8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. blood: Heb. bloods
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! coveteth: or, gaineth and evil gain power: Heb. palm of the hand

KJV

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Woe to him who gets an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!

Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

Woe to him that covets an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

2:10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

What does Habakkuk 2:9 mean?

Habakkuk 2:9 is a verse in the book of Habakkuk, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include הוֹי (hôwy), בָּצַע (bâtsaʻ), רַע (raʻ). It connects to 1 cross-referenced passage elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
Woeהוֹיhôwy/hoh'ee/H1945oh!
to
him
that
covetethבָּצַעbâtsaʻ/baw-tsah'/H1214figuratively, to finish, or (intransitively) stop
an
evilרַעraʻ/rah/H7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
covetousnessבֶּצַעbetsaʻ/beh'-tsah/H1215plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust)
to
his
house,בַּיִתbayith/bah'-yith/H1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
that
he
may
setשׂוּםsûwm/soom/H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
his
nestקֵןqên/kane/H7064a nest (as fixed), sometimes including the nestlings; figuratively, a chamber or dwelling
on
high,מָרוֹםmârôwm/maw-rome'/H4791altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially (aloft)
that
he
may
be
deliveredנָצַלnâtsal/naw-tsal'/H5337to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense
from
the
powerכַּףkaph/kaf/H3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power
of
evil!רַעraʻ/rah/H7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
coveteth:
or,
gaineth
and
evil
gain
power:
Heb.
palm
of
the
hand

Commentary on Habakkuk 2:9

HENRY_FULL · Habakkuk 2:9
apter (as before ch. xvi. and xx. ) is a history of the apostasies of God's people from him and the aggravations of those apostasies under the similitude of corporal whoredom and adultery. Here the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the ten tribes and the two, with their capital cities, Samaria and Jerusalem, are considered distinctly. Here is, I. The apostasy of Israel and Samaria from God ( ver. 1-8 ) and their ruin for it, ver. 9, 10 . II. The apostasy of Judah and Jerusalem from God ( ver. 11-21 ) and sentence passed upon them, that they shall in like manner be destroyed for it, ver. 22-35 . III. The joint wickedness of them both together ( ver. 36-44 ) and the joint ruin of them both, ver. 45-49 . And all that is written for warning against the sins of idolatry, and confidence in an arm of flesh, and sinful leagues and confederacies with wicked people (which are the sins here meant by committing whoredom), is that others may hear and fear, and not sin after the similitude of the transgressions of Israel and Judah. The Sins of Samaria and Jerusalem. ( b. c. 591.)

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Jeremiah 3:7

And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

Topics

CovetousnessOppressionPrideRulers

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Habakkuk 2:9.

Ezekiel 22:27

Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

Genesis 24:2

And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

Genesis 28:22

And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Genesis 31:37

Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. searched: Heb. felt

Genesis 6:14

Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. rooms: Heb. nests

Jeremiah 6:13

For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

Jeremiah 8:10

Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

Proverbs 1:19

So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Frequently asked questions

What does Habakkuk 2:9 say?

Habakkuk 2:9 (King James Version) reads: "Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! coveteth: or, gaineth and evil gain power: Heb. palm of the hand"

Is Habakkuk 2:9 in the Old or New Testament?

Habakkuk 2:9 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Habakkuk.

Reflect

As you read Habakkuk 2:9, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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