Habakkuk

Habakkuk 2:18

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.

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.

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

Cross-references

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

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

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.