Habakkuk: Habakkuk 2:10-The Babylonians Forfeited Their Empire by Plotting the Destruction of Many Peoples

Habakkuk 2:10 You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. (NIV)

Habakkuk 2:10 “You plotted the destruction of many peoples resulting in bringing shame against your house. Consequently, you simultaneously forfeited your life.” (Pastor’s translation)

As we noted in our studies of Habakkuk 2:2-9, Habakkuk 2:2-20 contains the fourth major section of the book of Habakkuk.

The first section was Habakkuk 1:2-4, which records the prophet Habakkuk complaining on behalf of himself and the faithful remnant of Judah that the Lord had failed to judge the unrepentant, apostate individuals in the southern kingdom of Judah.

However, the second section in Habakkuk 1:5-11 records the Lord’s response to these complaints by asserting that He will send the Babylonians as His instrument to judge these unrepentant, apostate individuals in the southern kingdom of Judah.

The third section of the book is found in Habakkuk 1:12-17, which records Habakkuk questioning the Lord’s choice of the Babylonians as His instrument of judgment to discipline the apostate citizenry of the southern kingdom of Judah in 605 B.C.

Now, the fourth section recorded in Habakkuk 2:2-20 contains the Lord’s response to Habakkuk’s argument against His decision to use the Babylonians as His instrument to discipline the apostate citizenry of the southern kingdom of Judah at the end of the seventh century B.C.

This section records the Lord’s decision to judge the Babylonian empire in the future for their unrepentant sinful behavior.

Habakkuk 2:2-3 form a prologue presenting the context for this vision and Habakkuk 2:4-20 contains the content of this vision.

So therefore, Habakkuk 2:10 continues this fourth major section of the book of Habakkuk.

As was the case in Habakkuk 2:5-9, this prophecy in Habakkuk 2:10 is communicated by the Lord God of Israel and is addressed to the faithful citizens of the southern kingdom of Judah in 605 B.C.

The subject of course is the Babylonians.

This verse begins with a statement which asserts that the Babylonians plotted the destruction of many peoples who were the citizens of the various nations in the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian regions of the world at the end of the seventh century B.C. and at the beginning of the sixth century B.C.

Now, although Habakkuk received this revelation from the Lord in 605 B.C., these peoples were not only those conquered by the Babylonians at the end of the seventh century B.C. but also at the beginning of the sixth century B.C.

This is indicated by the fact that this statement is prophetic of what the Babylonians were about to do and not only what they had accomplished at the time Habakkuk received this revelation from the Lord.

The Lord then asserts that shame came against the house of the Babylonians as a result of them having plotted the destruction of many peoples.

The reference to the house of the Babylonians speaks of their world empire and dynasty.

Therefore, their empire and dynasty will be infamous among the nations of the world for their cruel and sinful treatment of the nations they conquered and plundered.

Habakkuk 2:10 ends with a result clause which presents the result of the previous statement which asserts that the Babylonians plotted the destruction of many peoples resulting in bringing shame against their empire and this result clause asserts that the Babylonians will forfeit their lives.

Therefore, this indicates that the Babylonians plotted the destruction of many peoples resulting in bringing shame against their house and “consequently” they forfeited their lives, which means that the God of Israel will judge them for plotting the destruction of many peoples.

Verse 10 asserts that while the Babylonians plotted the destruction of many peoples resulting in bringing shame against their house, they simultaneously forfeited their lives.

In other words, while the Babylonians plotted the destruction of many peoples resulting in bringing shame against their house, they simultaneously placed themselves under the wrath or judgment of the God of Israel.

This interpretation is indicated by the fact that the participle conjugation of the verb ḥā·ṭā(ʾ) (חָטָא) indicates simultaneous action with the act of the Babylonians plotting the destruction of many peoples.

Now, the reason why the Babylonians forfeited their lives as a result plotting the destruction of the many citizens in the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian regions of the world in the seventh and sixth centuries B.C. is presented in Habakkuk 2:8-9.

Habakkuk 2:8 “Because you plundered many nations, each and every one left from among these peoples will plunder you on account of murdering innocent civilian members of the human race. Namely, for committing violent acts against a land, a city, that is, for committing violent acts against each and every one of the inhabitants in them. 9 Disaster to the one who by violence profits from evil, unjust gain for the benefit of his house in order to set his nest in the highest location in order to protect himself from the hand of evil.” (Pastor’s translation)

Therefore, a comparison of Habakkuk 2:8-9 with Habakkuk 2:10 indicates that the reason why the God of Israel would judge the Babylonian Empire is that they plundered other nations and murdered innocent civilians by committing violent acts against these civilians for unjust gain to benefit themselves.

Habakkuk 2:10, like Habakkuk 2:6-9 was fulfilled in history when the Medo-Persian Empire invaded Babylon and overthrew Belshazzar as recorded in Daniel chapter five.

The Babylonian Empire was plundered by the Medo-Persian Empire and her allies.

Therefore, what Babylon did to other nations was done to her.

Babylon’s punishment would correspond to the crimes they committed against other nations.

In other words, the punishment of the Babylonians would fit their crimes they committed against God and other nations.

This principle is called lex telionis and the law of retribution.

Babylon’s punishment would correspond to the crimes they committed against other nations or in other words, the punishment of the Babylonians would fit their crimes they committed against God and other nations.

Habakkuk 2:6-20 bring into view the spiritual law or principle called “the law of retribution.”

This law or principle means that because of the unjustified violent acts committed by the citizens of Babylon against other nations and because of God’s holy character, the citizens of Babylon would be treated in the same manner they treated other nations.

These verses also bring into view another spiritual law or principle, namely “the law of retaliation,” which means that to the degree to which the Babylonians treated other nations and rebelled against God, the Lord would retaliate against them by expressing His righteous indignation against them for their unrepentant ungodly behavior.

He would do so by employing a wicked evil nation like themselves, namely the Medo-Persian Empire and her allies.

Therefore, these verses teach that God not only holds individuals accountable for their conduct but also nations.

Jeremiah 51 is a tremendous prophecy concerning the God of Israel’s intention to treat Babylon as Babylon treated other nations like the southern kingdom of Judah.

In this prophecy, the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah expresses His intention to have the nations Babylon plundered, plunder the Babylonians.

This chapter vividly illustrates the law of retribution and that the God of Israel is not only the judge of Israel but also all nations including Babylon.

Therefore, Habakkuk 2:2-20 and Jeremiah teach that the Babylonians reaped what they sowed (cf. Gal. 6:8).

Their sinful, cruel and evil treatment of the various peoples in the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian regions of the world at the end of the seventh century B.C. and at the beginning of the sixth century B.C. brought about their own demise as a nation or in other words, they committed spiritual suicide.

They were to blame for their own demise because they violated God’s holy standards and in particular the Ten Commandments which were written on their hearts according to Romans 2:14-15.