Habakkuk 2 16

Habakkuk 2:16 kjv

Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

Habakkuk 2:16 nkjv

You are filled with shame instead of glory. You also?drink! And be exposed as uncircumcised! The cup of the LORD's right hand will be turned against you, And utter shame will be on your glory.

Habakkuk 2:16 niv

You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed! The cup from the LORD's right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

Habakkuk 2:16 esv

You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory!

Habakkuk 2:16 nlt

But soon it will be your turn to be disgraced.
Come, drink and be exposed!
Drink from the cup of the LORD's judgment,
and all your glory will be turned to shame.

Habakkuk 2 verses

Habakkuk 2 16 meaning

Habakkuk 2:16 is a pronouncement of divine judgment against the Chaldeans (Babylonians). It declares that they, who oppressed and shamed others, will experience a profound reversal of fortune. Their perceived glory will transform into deep disgrace and utter humiliation. They will be compelled to drink from the cup of the Lord's wrath, leading to their exposure and public shame, analogous to the public display of a drunkard or one utterly debased. The verse underscores God's principle of retributive justice where the oppressor experiences the very same humiliation they inflicted upon their victims.

Habakkuk 2 16 Context

Habakkuk 2:16 is the final "Woe" pronouncement (the fifth in the series from Habakkuk 2:6-20) delivered by God in response to the prophet Habakkuk's lament concerning the Babylonians (Chaldeans). Habakkuk questioned why God would use a nation more wicked than Judah to punish His own people. Chapters 1 and 2 present a dialogue where God assures Habakkuk that while Judah will be chastised, the Chaldean oppressors will not escape divine justice for their arrogance, violence, and cruelty. This specific verse condemns the Chaldean practice of debasing other nations, particularly through forced intoxication, leading to their humiliation. God declares that this same fate of public disgrace and drunken staggering will be visited upon Babylon by God Himself, specifically from "the cup of the Lord’s right hand." The historical context is the looming or current threat of Babylonian power over Judah, shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.

Habakkuk 2 16 Word analysis

• תִּשְׂבַּע (tishba) "You will be filled": This verb implies satiation or being fully satisfied, often used for physical hunger or thirst. Here, it is ironically applied to being filled with disgrace, signifying an abundance of shame. The Chaldeans thought they were filling themselves with conquest and glory, but God promises they will be filled with the exact opposite.
• קָלוֹן (qalon) "disgrace": This Hebrew term denotes ignominy, shame, or contempt. It is a powerful word indicating profound dishonor. Its initial placement in the reversal from "glory" sets the tone for the entire verse.
• מִכָּבוֹד (mi-kabod) "instead of glory": The preposition min here signifies replacement or comparison ("from glory," meaning moving away from glory to shame, or a complete exchange). Kabod means weight, honor, dignity, or splendor – precisely what the Babylonians valued. The phrase dramatically declares a reversal of what they held dear.
• גַּם־אַתָּה (gam-attah) "you yourself also": This emphatic phrase singles out the Chaldean empire. "Even you" emphasizes that despite their might and pride, they will not be exempt from this judgment; the very instrument of divine judgment will itself be judged.
• שְׁתֵה (sheteh) "drink!": An imperative command, directly ordering the Chaldeans to consume the bitter portion of divine judgment. This contrasts with their actions of making others drink intoxicating wine leading to shame.
• גַּם־הֵעָרֵל (gam he'arel) "and show your nakedness!" or "be exposed!": This phrase is significant. The root ערל ('arel) primarily refers to "uncircumcised." In its Niphal stem, it suggests "to be exposed, uncovered, stripped bare" or "to show one's uncircumcised state." It points to a profound vulnerability, moral shame, and public humiliation, perhaps likened to the staggering, debased state of a drunken person, or being revealed in one's pagan, impure nature, utterly defenseless before God. Some interpretations suggest staggering or being stripped bare, exposing deep-seated impurity.
• וְתֵה קֻבַּת יְהוָה (ve-teh kubbat YHWH) "And the cup of the Lord will come": Kubbat refers to a large bowl or cup, used for drink. This is the "cup of divine wrath." The imagery of God holding a cup of judgment for the nations is common in the prophetic literature.
• יְמִין (yemin) "right hand": The right hand of God symbolizes His power, authority, action, and sovereign control. It indicates that this judgment is not by chance but by the deliberate, potent action of the Almighty.
• וְקִיאוֹן קָלוֹן (ve-qiy'on qalon) "and utter disgrace" / "vomiting shame": Qiy'on is a rare and striking word, likely derived from a root meaning "to vomit." It conveys an extremely repulsive form of shame or disgrace, a literal "vomited shame." It intensifies the initial qalon, denoting a loathsome, sickening humiliation that completely obliterates any remnants of former glory.
• עַל־כְּבוֹדֶךָ ('al-kəvod'ekha) "upon your glory": Reinforces the primary theme of reversal. The disgrace will directly target and thoroughly cover their supposed glory, leaving no space for their former honor.

Words-group analysis:

• "You will be filled with disgrace instead of glory.": This sets the overarching theme of reversal. The Chaldeans’ greedy pursuit of power and renown will ironically lead to an overflow of public contempt.
• "Drink, yourself, and show your nakedness!": A direct command mimicking their actions towards others. The phrase implies total lack of control, exposure, and public humiliation, like a drunk stripped bare of all dignity and self-respect.
• "The cup of the Lord’s right hand will come around to you": Identifies the source and instrument of this judgment. It is not an accident or human retaliation alone, but a decisive act of God's power and righteous wrath.
• "and utter disgrace will cover your glory.": This final emphatic statement reiterates the totality and repulsiveness of their forthcoming judgment. All their previous achievements and imperial splendor will be completely overshadowed and defiled by a vile and sickening disgrace.

Habakkuk 2 16 Bonus section

The dual mention of "disgrace" (qalon followed by qiy'on qalon) serves to amplify the intensity and repugnance of the judgment. While qalon signifies general dishonor, qiy'on qalon suggests a profound, sickening disgrace akin to "vomited shame," emphasizing the utter revulsion associated with their downfall. This isn't just loss of status; it's being publicly and repulsively discredited. The specific mention of "nakedness" (הֵעָרֵל - he'arel) ties into a broader prophetic theme where God uses the imagery of stripping clothes or revealing nakedness to denote extreme humiliation, vulnerability, and exposure of sin and weakness, especially for nations or individuals who prided themselves on their finery or might (e.g., in Isa 47:2-3, Ezek 16:37, Hos 2:3). This prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment in the historical downfall of Babylon, when their glory was indeed consumed by a humiliating end (e.g., Dan 5).

Habakkuk 2 16 Commentary

Habakkuk 2:16 encapsulates God's unwavering commitment to justice, demonstrating that no nation, however mighty or divinely used, can escape accountability for its pride, violence, and abuse of power. The verse exposes the futility of worldly glory when it is achieved through injustice. The Chaldeans reveled in humiliating others by making them drink "the cup of poison," revealing their weakness and depravity. God promises to turn the tables, compelling the Chaldeans to drink from His cup of wrath, delivered by His powerful "right hand." This is a judgment of exact retribution, where their perceived glory is not just diminished but utterly obliterated and replaced by repulsive shame (a "vomiting shame"). The public "exposure" (showing nakedness or staggering in humiliation) signifies a complete loss of honor and vulnerability, mirroring the suffering they inflicted. This serves as a timeless principle that unchecked human pride and cruelty ultimately face divine condemnation and a profound reversal of fortune.

Example: Just as a bully, after years of tormenting others, eventually faces public exposure of their own weaknesses and receives a taste of their own medicine. The nation's arrogance in conquest and their reveling in the debasement of others would become their own experience.