Habakkuk

Habakkuk 2:18–20

¹⁸What use is an idol,

that a craftsman should carve it —

or an image,

a teacher of lies?

For its maker trusts in his own creation;

he makes idols that cannot speak.

¹⁹Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’

or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’

Can it give guidance?

Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

yet there is no breath in it at all.”

²⁰But the LORD is in His holy temple;

let all the earth be silent before Him.

Read all of Habakkuk 2

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Habakkuk 2:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
What	מָֽה־	māh-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
use	הוֹעִ֣יל	hō·w·‘îl	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3276 profit, avail, benefit
is an idol	פֶּ֗סֶל	pe·sel	Noun - masculine singular	H6459 idol, image
that	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
a craftsman	יֹֽצְר֔וֹ	yō·ṣə·rōw	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3335 form, fashion
should carve it	פְסָלוֹ֙	p̄ə·sā·lōw	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H6458 hew, hew into shape
an image	מַסֵּכָ֖ה	mas·sê·ḵāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4541 molten metal, or image
a teacher	וּמ֣וֹרֶה	ū·mō·w·reh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H3384 throw, shoot
of lies	שָּׁ֑קֶר	šā·qer	Noun - masculine singular	H8267 deception, disappointment, falsehood
For	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
its maker	יֹצֵ֤ר	yō·ṣêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3335 form, fashion
trusts	בָטַ֞ח	ḇā·ṭaḥ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H982 trust
in his own creation	יִצְרוֹ֙	yiṣ·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3336 form, framing, purpose
he makes	לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת	la·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
idols	אֱלִילִ֥ים	’ĕ·lî·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H457 felt to suggest
that cannot speak	אִלְּמִֽים׃ס	’il·lə·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H483 dumb

Habakkuk 2:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Woe	ה֣וֹי	hō·w	Interjection	H1945 Ah, Alas, Ha
to him who says	אֹמֵ֤ר	’ō·mêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to wood	לָעֵץ֙	lā·‘êṣ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6086 tree, trees, wood
Awake	הָקִ֔יצָה	hā·qî·ṣāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H6974 awake
or to silent	דּוּמָ֑ם	dū·mām	Adverb	H1748 silence
stone	לְאֶ֣בֶן	lə·’e·ḇen	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct	H68 stone
Arise	ע֖וּרִי	‘ū·rî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular	H5782 rouse oneself, awake
Can it	ה֣וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
give guidance	יוֹרֶ֔ה	yō·w·reh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3384 throw, shoot
Behold	הִנֵּה־	hin·nêh-	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
it	ה֗וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
overlaid	תָּפוּשׂ֙	tā·p̄ūś	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H8610 lay hold of, wield
with gold	זָהָ֣ב	zā·hāḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H2091 gold
and silver	וָכֶ֔סֶף	wā·ḵe·sep̄	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3701 silver, money
yet there is no	אֵ֥ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
breath	ר֖וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
in	בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃	bə·qir·bōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7130 inward part, midst
it at all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all

Habakkuk 2:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But the LORD	וַֽיהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
is in His holy	קָדְשׁ֑וֹ	qā·ḏə·šōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
temple	בְּהֵיכַ֣ל	bə·hê·ḵal	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1964 palace, temple
let all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the earth	הָאָֽרֶץ׃פ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
be silent	הַ֥ס	has	Interjection	H2013 hush
before Him	מִפָּנָ֖יו	mip·pā·nāw	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Habakkuk 2:18 Jeremiah 10:8 · 1 Corinthians 12:2 · Isaiah 44:9–10 · Zechariah 10:2 · Jeremiah 2:27–28 · Isaiah 42:17 · Isaiah 45:16 · Psalm 115:4–8 · Psalm 135:15–18 · Jonah 2:8 · Jeremiah 10:14–15 · 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11

Habakkuk 2:19 Psalm 135:17 · Jeremiah 10:4 · Jeremiah 10:9 · 1 Kings 18:26–29 · Daniel 3:1 · Revelation 17:4 · Isaiah 44:17 · Daniel 3:7 · Psalm 97:7 · Jeremiah 10:14 · Acts 17:29 · Daniel 5:23

Habakkuk 2:20 Zechariah 2:13 · Zephaniah 1:7 · Psalm 46:10 · Psalm 11:4 · Isaiah 6:1 · Jonah 2:7 · Micah 1:2 · Psalm 76:8–9 · Psalm 132:13–14 · Ephesians 2:21–22 · Psalm 115:3 · Isaiah 66:1

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.