Habakkuk 2:18 kjv
What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
Habakkuk 2:18 nkjv
"What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it, The molded image, a teacher of lies, That the maker of its mold should trust in it, To make mute idols?
Habakkuk 2:18 niv
"Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
Habakkuk 2:18 esv
"What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!
Habakkuk 2:18 nlt
"What good is an idol carved by man,
or a cast image that deceives you?
How foolish to trust in your own creation ?
a god that can't even talk!
Habakkuk 2 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 20:4 | “You shall not make for yourself a carved image... nor anything in heaven... on earth... or in water." | Command against making idols |
| Lev 19:4 | “Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God." | Forbidden to turn to idols |
| Deut 4:28 | "There you will serve gods made by human hands, objects of wood and stone that neither see nor hear." | Idols are man-made, useless |
| Deut 32:21 | "They made me jealous with what is no god... They provoked me to anger with their worthless idols." | Idols are "no god" |
| Psa 115:4-8 | "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands... Those who make them become like them..." | Mute idols and foolish makers |
| Psa 135:15-18 | "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak..." | Emphasizes idols' muteness |
| Isa 2:8 | "Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands..." | Widespread idol worship |
| Isa 40:19-20 | "An idol? A craftsman casts it... He seeks a skilled artisan to set up an idol that will not topple." | Human effort in creating idols |
| Isa 44:9-20 | Extensive condemnation of idol makers and their foolish reliance on what they made themselves. | Folly of trusting idols |
| Isa 45:20 | "They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols and pray to a god who cannot save." | Idols cannot save |
| Isa 46:5-7 | "To whom will you liken me...? They lavish gold from the purse... they carry it... it cannot save." | Idols are burden, not help |
| Jer 2:28 | "Where are your gods that you made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you..." | Challenge for idols to save |
| Jer 10:3-5 | "The customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree... it cannot speak, it cannot walk..." | Worthlessness of man-made gods |
| Jer 16:20 | "Can man make gods for himself? Such are no gods!" | God's rhetorical challenge |
| Hab 2:19 | "Woe to him who says to a wooden idol, 'Wake up!' or to a silent stone, 'Arise!'" | Continuation of the woe |
| Rom 1:22-23 | "Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images..." | Human foolishness in idolatry |
| 1 Cor 8:4 | "We know that 'an idol is nothing at all in the world' and that 'there is no God but one'." | Idols are nothing |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." | Call to avoid idolatry |
| Gal 5:20 | Idolatry is listed among the works of the flesh. | Idolatry is sinful behavior |
| Col 3:5 | "Put to death... evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry." | Idolatry as misplaced desire |
| Rev 9:20 | "Still did not repent of the works of their hands, nor cease to worship demons and idols..." | Final judgment on idolatry |
| Acts 17:29 | "Therefore, since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold..." | Contrast with God's nature |
Habakkuk 2 verses
Habakkuk 2 18 Meaning
Habakkuk 2:18 questions the worthlessness of man-made idols, emphasizing their utter futility. It highlights the ironic folly of their makers who trust in them, revealing that these crafted objects, whether carved or molten, are nothing more than silent, deceptive "teachers of lies" leading people astray to trust in what has no power. The verse starkly contrasts the vibrant, active Living God with these inanimate, mute creations.
Habakkuk 2 18 Context
Habakkuk chapter 2 follows the prophet's complaint in chapter 1 about God's seeming inaction regarding Judah's wickedness and then His shocking revelation that He would use the Babylonians, an even more wicked nation, to bring judgment. Habakkuk 2 begins with the prophet waiting for God's answer, which comes in a series of "woes" (Hab 2:6, 9, 12, 15, 18) directed against the oppressing nation, Babylon. These woes serve to demonstrate God's ultimate justice and sovereignty over seemingly unhindered evil. Habakkuk 2:18 specifically articulates the fifth woe, aimed at Babylon's reliance on their idols. This verse directly challenges the Babylonian practice of creating and worshipping tangible deities, showing the emptiness and foolishness of trusting in self-made objects rather than the True God. It highlights the stark contrast between human constructs and divine power, underscoring that pride and injustice (seen in the previous woes) often stem from a false foundation of faith in created things.
Habakkuk 2 18 Word analysis
- What profit / What good (מַה־הוֹעִיל - mah-ho'il): A rhetorical question, emphatically stating "no profit" or "no good at all." It challenges the very utility or effectiveness of idols.
- carved image (פֶּסֶל - pesel): Refers to an idol formed by carving wood or stone. This method emphasizes human labor and effort in creating something inanimate.
- when its maker (כִּי פִסְלוֹ יֹצְרוֹ - ki fis'lo yotz'ro): Literally, "for its carver carved it." This highlights the absurd paradox: the object being worshipped is itself a product of human hands and creativity, thus subordinate to its human creator.
- or molten image (מַסֵּכָה - massekah): Refers to an idol formed by melting and casting metal. Alongside pesel, this covers the two primary methods of ancient idol creation, signifying the comprehensive uselessness of all types of human-made gods.
- and a teacher of lies (וּמוֹרֶה שֶׁקֶר - u'moreh sheqer): A powerful personification. The idol's mere existence, the fact that people bow to it, inherently "teaches" falsehoods: that it possesses power, that it can grant blessings, or that security can be found outside of the living God. It's a source of theological deception.
- when its maker (כִּי בָטַח יֹצֵר יִצְרוֹ - ki batach yotzêr yitz'ro): Refers to the trust or reliance placed by the maker upon his own handiwork. The fundamental sin of idolatry is this misplaced trust. The maker depends on what he himself made.
- upon it to make (עָלָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת - 'alav la'asot): Signifies that the maker's confidence in the idol then enables (or perhaps compels) the making of mute idols. The very act of making these idols is driven by this misdirected trust.
- mute idols (אֱלִילִים אִלְּמִים - elilim illemin):
- אֱלִילִים (elilim): A strong pejorative term for idols, often translated as "worthless ones," "things of nought," or "gods of nothingness." It inherently expresses contempt and insignificance.
- אִלְּמִים (illemim): Means "silent" or "mute." This term emphasizes their incapacity to speak, hear, act, save, or provide guidance. It stands in stark contrast to the LORD, who speaks and acts in history. This direct polemic refutes the idol's supposed power and communication.
Habakkuk 2 18 Bonus section
The contrast between "what profit?" (material and spiritual emptiness) and "mute idols" (powerless existence) highlights humanity's persistent struggle to create a manageable deity. By creating a god, mankind inherently attempts to control the divine, reducing an incomprehensible sovereign to a tangible object. This act reflects a deeper spiritual malaise—a refusal to surrender to a God who is utterly transcendent and whose ways are not our ways. The Hebrew term elilim (worthless idols) also implicitly connects to the concept of emptiness and void, mirroring the spiritual void experienced by those who pursue them.
Habakkuk 2 18 Commentary
Habakkuk 2:18 delivers a sharp rhetorical question, not expecting an answer but proclaiming the undeniable truth: idols, regardless of their craftsmanship, provide no benefit or salvation. The profound irony lies in humanity's self-debasement—the creator serves the created, the rational trusts the senseless. An idol's power is imagined, not inherent, serving merely as a "teacher of lies" that falsely promises help or security apart from the one true God. This reliance on created objects leads to moral and spiritual blindness, fostering the arrogance and oppressive actions of nations like Babylon described in the preceding woes. The idol's ultimate indictment is its "muteness"; it cannot speak, intervene, or rescue, unlike the God who revealed Himself to Habakkuk and the Israelites. The verse functions as a strong warning against misplaced faith, demonstrating the utter folly of seeking life and purpose from anything other than the Living God.