King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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!
Complete Jewish Bible:
"'Woe to him who seeks unjust gain for his household, putting his nest on the heights, in order to be safe from the reach of harm.
Berean Standard Bible:
Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster!
American Standard Version:
Woe to him that getteth an evil gain for his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil!
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Woe{H1945} to him that coveteth{H1214} an evil{H7451} covetousness{H1215} to his house{H1004}, that he may set{H7760} his nest{H7064} on high{H4791}, that he may be delivered{H5337} from the power{H3709} of evil{H7451}!
Cross-References (KJV):
Jeremiah 49:16
- Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, [and] the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 22:13
- Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; [that] useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;
Jeremiah 22:19
- He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
Genesis 13:10
- ¶ And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it [was] well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, [even] as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Genesis 13:13
- But the men of Sodom [were] wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
Deuteronomy 7:25
- The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold [that is] on them, nor take [it] unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it [is] an abomination to the LORD thy God.
Deuteronomy 7:26
- Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: [but] thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it [is] a cursed thing.
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Commentary for Habakkuk 2:9
Habakkuk 2:9 is part of the Old Testament prophetic book of Habakkuk, which is attributed to the prophet Habakkuk, believed to have lived in the 7th century BCE. The book is a theological dialogue in which Habakkuk questions God about the presence of evil and injustice in the world, particularly concerning the oppression of the righteous by the wicked.
In the historical context, Judah was experiencing significant moral decline, with social injustice and idolatry being rampant. The verse itself is a pronouncement of woe, a common prophetic form used to warn of impending judgment. The "evil covetousness" refers to the greedy and unjust acquisition of wealth and power, often at the expense of others. The prophet condemns those who seek to elevate their status ("set his nest on high") through ill-gotten gains, thinking that such actions will protect them from the consequences of their wrongdoing ("that he may be delivered from the power of evil").
The themes of this verse include the folly of seeking security through unrighteous means, the inevitability of divine judgment on the wicked, and the temporary nature of wealth accumulated through exploitation. Habakkuk emphasizes that true security does not come from amassing wealth or power but from trusting in God's righteousness and justice. The verse serves as a moral warning that those who engage in corrupt practices for personal gain will ultimately face ruin, as their actions cannot shield them from the broader "power of evil" that God will ultimately judge.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1945
There are 48 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הוֹי
Transliteration: hôwy
Pronunciation: hoh'ee
Description: a prolonged form of הוֹ (akin to אוֹי); oh!; ah, alas, ho, O, woe. - Strong's Number: H1214
There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּצַע
Transliteration: bâtsaʻ
Pronunciation: baw-tsah'
Description: a primitive root to break off, i.e. (usually) plunder; figuratively, to finish, or (intransitively) stop; (be) covet(-ous), cut (off), finish, fulfill, gain (greedily), get, be given to (covetousness), greedy, perform, be wounded. - Strong's Number: H7451
There are 623 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רַע
Transliteration: raʻ
Pronunciation: rah
Description: from רָעַע; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral); adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, [phrase] not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.). - Strong's Number: H1215
There are 23 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֶּצַע
Transliteration: betsaʻ
Pronunciation: beh'-tsah
Description: from בָּצַע; plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust); covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit. - Strong's Number: H1004
There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּיִת
Transliteration: bayith
Pronunciation: bah'-yith
Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). - Strong's Number: H7760
There are 550 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׂוּם
Transliteration: sûwm
Pronunciation: soom
Description: or שִׂים; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. - Strong's Number: H7064
There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קֵן
Transliteration: qên
Pronunciation: kane
Description: contracted from קָנַן; a nest (as fixed), sometimes including the nestlings; figuratively, a chamber or dwelling; nest, room. - Strong's Number: H4791
There are 52 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָרוֹם
Transliteration: mârôwm
Pronunciation: maw-rome'
Description: from רוּם; altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially (aloft); (far) above, dignity, haughty, height, (most, on) high (one, place), loftily, upward. - Strong's Number: H5337
There are 194 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָצַל
Transliteration: nâtsal
Pronunciation: naw-tsal'
Description: a primitive root; to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense; [idiom] at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, [idiom] without fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save, spoil, strip, [idiom] surely, take (out). - Strong's Number: H3709
There are 180 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כַּף
Transliteration: kaph
Pronunciation: kaf
Description: from כָּפַף; the 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; branch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.