The Meaning of Habakkuk 2:13 Explained

Habakkuk 2:13

KJV: Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

YLT: Lo, is it not from Jehovah of Hosts And peoples are fatigued for fire, And nations for vanity are weary?

Darby: Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?

ASV: Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, [is it] not of the LORD  of hosts  that the people  shall labour  in the very  fire,  and the people  shall weary  themselves for very  vanity? 

What does Habakkuk 2:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This verse is the center of this taunt song structurally. It is significant that it focuses on almighty Yahweh, the Judge. His assessment was that the Babylonians" hard work was in vain; all their labor would amount to nothing. Their works would turn out to be fuel for fire that would burn them up, the fire of His judgment (cf. Jeremiah 51:58).

Context Summary

Habakkuk 2:1-20 - "the Just Shall Live By Faith"
Having prayed, the prophet expected an answer and looked out for it. When it came, there would be no mistaking it. But until we see eye to eye, we must live by simple faith in God. Note that wonderful clause in Habakkuk 2:4, which is referred to so often afterward. See Romans 1:17; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:11. Life in this age, as in that, may be obtained and maintained by faith in the ever-living God. Through long waiting-times the only source of continued life is the faith which draws all from God. From Habakkuk 2:5 onwards, the prophet enumerates Babylon's sins: her pride, love of strong drink, rapacity, and violence. It could not be God's will that the mighty city should flourish on the anguish of the world.
From scenes of anarchy and riot which foretell Chaldea's doom, we pass into Jehovah's temple, where peaceful silence reigns! Let us live in that secret place! "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him!" [source]

Chapter Summary: Habakkuk 2

1  Unto Habakkuk, waiting for an answer, is shown that he must wait by faith
5  The judgment upon the Chaldean for unsatiableness,
9  for covetousness,
12  for cruelty,
15  for drunkenness,
18  and for idolatry

What do the individual words in Habakkuk 2:13 mean?

[is it] not behold of Yahweh of hosts that labor the peoples to feed the fire and nations in vain weary themselves
הֲל֣וֹא הִנֵּ֔ה מֵאֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְיִֽיגְע֤וּ עַמִּים֙ בְּדֵי־ אֵ֔שׁ וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים בְּדֵי־ רִ֥יק ؟ יִעָֽפוּ

הֲל֣וֹא  [is  it]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הִנֵּ֔ה  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֑וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
וְיִֽיגְע֤וּ  that  labor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָגַע  
Sense: to toil, labour, grow weary, be weary.
עַמִּים֙  the  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בְּדֵי־  to  feed 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּדֵי 
Sense: sufficiency, enough.
אֵ֔שׁ  the  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים  and  nations 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: לְאֹם  
Sense: a people, nation.
רִ֥יק  vain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רִיק  
Sense: emptiness, vanity, empty, idle, vain.
؟ יִעָֽפוּ  weary  themselves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָעֵף  
Sense: to be or grow weary, be fatigued, be faint.