Read & explore together
Woe to the Chaldeans
Habakkuk 2:6–20 gives a series of woes against an oppressor. Through taunt, warning and sharp questions, it shows that extortion, bloodshed, shameless abuse and idols will not stand before Yahweh.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
The passage begins with peoples taking up a parable and taunting proverb against the one who has increased what is not his. It then moves through five woes, exposing unjust gain, violent building, disgraceful treatment of others and trust in carved images, before ending with Yahweh in his holy temple.
Habakkuk 2:6–20Main takeaway
This passage teaches that violent gain, disgraceful exploitation and mute idols are worthless, and that all the earth is called to be silent before Yahweh.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A taunt against stolen gainThe first woe is spoken as a taunting proverb against the one who takes what is not his and enriches himself by extortion.
Explanation
The first woe is spoken as a taunting proverb against the one who takes what is not his and enriches himself by extortion. The warning is reversal: debtors will rise, the oppressor will become a victim, and the one who plundered nations will be plundered because of bloodshed and violence.
02High security cannot hide shameThe next woe targets evil gain gathered for a house, as if making a nest on high could bring safety.
Explanation
The next woe targets evil gain gathered for a house, as if making a nest on high could bring safety. Instead, this plan brings shame. The passage says many peoples were cut off, and even the building itself is pictured as testifying, with stone and beam answering the charge.
03Blood-built work comes to nothingAnother woe condemns building a town with blood and establishing a city by iniquity. Labour like this does not last, because peoples labour for the fire and nations weary themselves for vanity.
Explanation
Another woe condemns building a town with blood and establishing a city by iniquity. Labour like this does not last, because peoples labour for the fire and nations weary themselves for vanity. In contrast, the passage points ahead to the earth being filled with the knowledge of Yahweh’s glory.
04Shame returns on the shamerThe next woe condemns giving a neighbour drink in order to gaze at naked bodies. The passage announces reversal again: instead of glory, there will be shame, exposure and the cup of Yahweh’s right hand.
Explanation
The next woe condemns giving a neighbour drink in order to gaze at naked bodies. The passage announces reversal again: instead of glory, there will be shame, exposure and the cup of Yahweh’s right hand. It also speaks of violence done to Lebanon, animals, land, cities and their inhabitants.
05Mute idols and Yahweh in his holy templeThe final woe asks what value an engraved image has. Its maker forms it and trusts in it, yet it is mute and has no breath.
Explanation
The final woe asks what value an engraved image has. Its maker forms it and trusts in it, yet it is mute and has no breath. Wood and stone cannot truly awake, arise or teach. Against that emptiness, the passage ends with Yahweh in his holy temple and the earth called to silence.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does the passage describe the downfall of the one who gained wealth by plunder?
Trace the reversal from extortion and plunder to becoming a victim and being plundered in return.
02What do Habakkuk 2:13–14 say about human labour and Yahweh’s glory?
Compare labour that ends in fire and vanity with the future filling of the earth with the knowledge of Yahweh’s glory.
03Why does the passage say an idol cannot truly teach?
Notice that it is made by human hands, covered with gold and silver, and has no breath within it.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Habakkuk 2:6–20
6Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’
7Won’t your debtors rise up suddenly, and wake up those who make you tremble, and you will be their victim?
8Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples will plunder you because of men’s blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all who dwell in it.
9Woe 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!
10You have devised shame to your house by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.
11For the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork will answer it.
12Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!
13Behold, isn’t it from Yahweh of Armies that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.
15“Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies!
16You are filled with shame, and not glory. You will also drink and be exposed! The cup of Yahweh’s right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.
17For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals will terrify you, because of men’s blood and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.
18“What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols?
19Woe to him who says to the wood, ‘Awake!’ or to the mute stone, ‘Arise!’ Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all within it.
20But Yahweh is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!”