Habakkuk 2:9 kjv

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!

Habakkuk 2:9 nkjv

"Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the power of disaster!

Habakkuk 2:9 niv

"Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin!

Habakkuk 2:9 esv

"Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!

Habakkuk 2:9 nlt

"What sorrow awaits you who build big houses
with money gained dishonestly!
You believe your wealth will buy security,
putting your family's nest beyond the reach of danger.

Habakkuk 2 verses

Habakkuk 2 9 Meaning

Habakkuk 2:9 proclaims a divine judgment, a "woe," against anyone who accumulates wealth through unjust means, specifically "evil profit." The verse highlights the perverse motivation behind such gain: to establish an elevated and seemingly secure position ("set his nest on high") with the intent of protecting oneself and one's household from any misfortune or retribution ("to be safe from the reach of harm"). It condemns the act of building one's security and future upon the foundation of ill-gotten riches, asserting that such human-engineered fortresses are ultimately futile against God's sovereign justice.

Habakkuk 2 9 Context

Habakkuk 2:9 is the fourth of five "woe" oracles (Hab 2:6-20) delivered by God through the prophet Habakkuk. These woes are divine judgments primarily directed against the oppressive Chaldeans (Babylonians), who are God's chosen instrument of judgment against Judah but who themselves act with excessive cruelty and pride. This particular "woe" targets the Babylonian Empire's voracious appetite for plunder and unjust acquisition. The Chaldeans amassed vast wealth by conquering nations and seizing their riches, building their empire through exploitation. This verse critiques their illusion that such ill-gotten gains could provide lasting security or impunity from divine justice, likening their false sense of safety to a bird building its nest impossibly high. The broader context of the book explores Habakkuk's wrestling with God's perceived inaction concerning injustice (Hab 1) and God's ultimate response demonstrating His sovereignty and justice, culminating in the "woe" pronouncements and a future vision of His glory (Hab 3).

Habakkuk 2 9 Word analysis

• Woe (Hebrew: הוֹי, `hoy`): This is an interjection serving as a lament or an exclamation of pain, sorrow, or grief. In prophetic literature, it consistently introduces a pronouncement of divine judgment, often a curse, directed at specific sinful behaviors or groups. It signifies impending doom and God's displeasure.
• him who gains evil profit (Hebrew: בֹּצֵ֥עַ בֶּ֖צַע רָ֑ע, `botsea betsa ra`):
  • `botsea` (בֹּצֵעַ): Participle of the verb `batsa` (בָּצַע), meaning "to cut off," "to complete," "to profit," often implying "to make gain unjustly," or "to behave covetously." It suggests a harsh, even violent, taking or seizure.
  • `betsa` (בֶּצַע): "gain," "profit," "lucre," but often with the negative connotation of "unjust gain," "extortion," "rapacious profit."
  • `ra` (רָע): "evil," "bad," "wicked," "harmful." This explicitly qualifies the gain as morally wrong and destructive. The phrase collectively denotes a ruthless accumulation of wealth through corrupt, dishonest, or violent means.
• for his house (Hebrew: לְבֵית֑וֹ, `le-veito`): The preposition `le` means "for" or "to." `Beito` is "his house." This indicates that the primary purpose of the evil gain is to benefit one's personal dwelling, family, lineage, or establishment. It speaks to establishing a secure and prosperous legacy built upon injustice, signifying a foundation rooted in covetousness for familial gain, not for God's glory or righteous living.
• to set his nest on high (Hebrew: לָשׂוּם בַּמָּר֤וֹם קִנּוֹ֙, `lasum ba-marom qinno`):
  • `lasum` (לָשׂוּם): Infinitive construct of `sum` (שׂוּם), "to set," "to place," "to put." It describes the act of placing.
  • `ba-marom` (בַּמָּר֤וֹם): "in the height" or "on high." `Marom` (מָרוֹם) signifies a high place, an elevated position, implying inaccessibility, exaltation, and pride. It conveys a sense of being above ordinary reach or consequence.
  • `qinno` (קִנּוֹ): "his nest." The imagery of a bird's nest in a high place (like an eagle's nest on a high cliff) symbolizes extreme security, safety, and invulnerability. It evokes a sense of self-reliance and untouchable might. The intention is to place oneself beyond threat, just as the powerful eagle nests where it feels safe.
• to be safe from the reach of harm (Hebrew: לְהִנָּצֵ֖ל מִכַּף־רָֽע, `le-hinatzel mi-kaf-ra`):
  • `le-hinatzel` (לְהִנָּצֵ֖ל): Infinitive construct of `natsal` (נָצַל), "to be delivered," "to be rescued," "to be snatched away," specifically in the passive (Niphal) here. It expresses the desire for escape or complete safety.
  • `mi-kaf-ra` (מִכַּף־רָֽע): "from the hand of evil." `Mi` (מִן) is "from." `Kaf` (כַּף) is "palm of the hand," or metonymically, "power," "control," "reach." `Ra` (רָֽע) again means "evil," "harm," "calamity." This phrase signifies a desire to escape any consequence, calamity, or destructive power that evil (or divine judgment responding to evil) might bring.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "Woe to him who gains evil profit for his house": This phrase powerfully declares judgment upon individuals (or nations like Babylon) whose very prosperity is built on a foundation of injustice and greed. The "house" emphasizes that the entire legacy, family security, and material future are tainted by corrupt means.
  • "to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm": This clause reveals the wicked intention and misguided belief behind the unjust gain. The motivation is not just wealth for its own sake, but a false sense of absolute security and invincibility—a hubris that trusts in accumulated earthly treasures rather than in God's provision or protection. This represents an attempt to bypass divine and human accountability by building a fortress of ill-gotten gains.

Habakkuk 2 9 Bonus section

The imagery of "setting one's nest on high" in Habakkuk 2:9 carries significant biblical echoes, most notably found in passages addressing the pride and overconfidence of Edom (Jer 49:16; Obad 1:4). Edom, famous for its dwelling in high, rocky fortresses, epitomized the belief that physical elevation guaranteed impregnable security. By applying this same imagery to the Babylonian oppressors, the prophet underscores their similar spiritual pride and self-exaltation. This high nest represents not only physical security but also a deluded sense of moral superiority and invulnerability, an attempt to elevate oneself above God's law and the reach of divine judgment. The irony is poignant: the Babylonians, who brought down the houses and nests of many nations, now sought to build their own impregnable nest, only to find it vulnerable to the same divine power they were, perhaps unwittingly, defying. Their covetousness was intrinsically linked to their pride and self-sufficient defiance against God's ultimate authority.

Habakkuk 2 9 Commentary

Habakkuk 2:9 delivers a powerful indictment against the pursuit of unjust gain and the deceptive security it promises. It functions as a prophetic curse, or "woe," pronounced upon those who exploit others to enrich themselves and their households. The core sin condemned here is the deep-seated covetousness that drives one to acquire wealth by immoral means. This evil profit is then intended to construct an unassailable fortress, metaphorically depicted as "setting one's nest on high," mimicking an eagle's inaccessible eyrie. The ultimate aim is self-preservation—to escape all potential harm, consequences, or divine retribution for their wicked deeds.

However, the divine pronouncement immediately implies the futility of such efforts. No matter how high or how seemingly secure a human-made stronghold built on injustice may be, it cannot stand against the sovereign justice of God. This woe serves as a stark reminder that true security comes only from God, not from earthly possessions, especially those acquired through sin. It speaks to the universal truth that those who trust in riches for safety are ultimately building upon sand, destined for collapse. The prosperity gained through wickedness is inherently cursed and cannot deliver on its promise of lasting safety.

Practical Examples: A business that consistently underpays its workers, uses deceptive accounting, or engages in fraud to accumulate immense wealth and establish an impressive corporate empire, believing that their financial and legal defenses will shield them from any form of justice or hardship. Or an individual who accumulates a vast fortune through illegal activities like racketeering or bribery, then invests it in multiple properties and secure compounds, trusting these assets to insulate them and their family from any negative fallout.