Habakkuk 2:9-The Second Woe Spoken by the Lord Against the Babylonian Empire

Habakkuk 2:9 “Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin!” (NIV)

Habakkuk 2:9 “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.” (My translation)

The Lord here in Habakkuk 2:9 continues His response to Habakkuk’s argument against His choice of the Babylonians to discipline the apostate citizenry of the southern kingdom of Judah and which argument is recorded in Habakkuk 1:12-17.

This response began in Habakkuk 2:2 and ends in Habakkuk 2:20.

Habakkuk 2:2-20 presents the Lord’s decision to judge the Babylonian empire in the future for their unrepentant sinful behavior.

Specifically, He will judge them because of their evil treatment of those nations they conquered 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.

In Habakkuk 2:9, the Lord solemnly proclaims disaster to the one who by violence profits from evil, unjust gain for the benefit of his house and this refers in context of course to the Babylonians.

The reference to the Babylonians profiting by violence and evil, unjust gain speaks of them plundering the various nations of the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian regions of the world at the end of the seventh century B.C.

This plundering of these nations by the Babylonians is referred to in Habakkuk 2:8.

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.” (My translation)

Then, in Habakkuk 2:9, the Lord presents the purpose for which the Babylonians who by violence profit from evil, unjust gain, namely in order to set their nest in the highest location.

The Lord then presents the purpose for which the Babylonians did this, namely they did so in order to protect themselves from the hand of evil in the sense of avoiding a catastrophe or calamitous event.

Like an eagle building its nest in an inaccessible high place where predators cannot reach it, the Babylonians attempted to build an empire so intimidating and imposing that no nation would dare attempt to attack them.

Therefore, the “house” and the “nest” of the Babylonians here in verse 9 are references to their world empire.

Also, the reference to them setting their nest in the highest location in order to protect themselves from an attack from their enemies means that they built a powerful, intimidating world empire by plundering the various nations in the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian regions of the world at the end of the seventh century B.C. so as to make themselves impregnable or invulnerable to attack.

Thus, Habakkuk 2:9 is describing the great pride and arrogance of the Babylonians.

Faithlife Study Bible writes “The Chaldean empire’s thirst for loot and spoil arose from their proud desire to build a great empire. Just as a bird strives to achieve security by building a nest on high (Hab 2:9), the king of Babylon strove to protect his dynasty. According to one of his own inscriptions, Nebuchadnezzar said that one of the chief purposes for strengthening the walls of Babylon was to make an everlasting name for his reign. It seems that King Nebuchadnezzar’s primary goal was to build an empire that would last forever—one that would be beyond enemy conquest.”[1]

Pride is often emphasized as the cardinal sin of the nations, resting in their own power and opposing Yahweh (e.g., Isa 14:13–15; Jer 48:29; Ezek 28:1; compare note on Isa 2:12–18).[2]

In the Scriptures, pride is a great evil because it involves pretending to a greatness and glory that belongs rightly to God alone and is condemned as evil (1 Samuel 15:23; Proverbs 21:4; James 4:16; cf. Mark 7:22-23; Romans 1:29-30; 2 Corinthians 12:20; 2 Timothy 3:1-2; 1 John 2:16).

It is a characteristic of Satan (Ezekiel 28:2; 1 Timothy 3:6; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:4, the antichrist).

Arrogance is an attitude of the heart (Mark 7:21-22; cf. Job 35:12; Psalm 10:2-11; 73:3-12; 86:14; 94:3-7; Malachi 3:15; Romans 1:28-31) and it arises from self-confidence (Isaiah 9:9-10; Daniel 4:29-30; Revelation 18:7; cf. Exodus 15:9; 1 Kings 20:11; 2 Kings 14:10; 2 Chronicles 25:19; Isaiah 28:15; Ezekiel 16:49; Hosea 12:8; Habakkuk 2:4-5; Luke 18:9; Acts 8:9-10; 2 Peter 2:10-12).

Arrogance expresses itself in words (Psalm 17:10; 119:51; James 3:5; cf. 1 Samuel 2:3; Psalm 31:18; 119:69; 123:4; Proverbs 17:7; 21:24; Jeremiah 43:1-2).

Arrogance is essentially rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 1:43; 1 Samuel 15:23; cf. Nehemiah 9:16-17,29; Job 36:8-9; Psalm 5:5; 119:85; Hosea 5:4-5; 7:10; Zephaniah 3:1-4).

It may even be found in the church (2 Corinthians 12:20; cf. 1 Corinthians 4:18; 1 Timothy 6:17).

The Christian should reject arrogance (Proverbs 8:13; Jeremiah 9:23-24; cf. Jeremiah 13:15; Romans 11:20; 1 Corinthians 1:28-31; 4:7; 13:4; Ephesians 2:8-9).

God punishes the arrogant whether they are a believer or a non-believer (Isaiah 2:17-18; Exodus 18:11; 1 Samuel 15:23).

There are several examples of pride in the Bible and the most notable are Satan (Ezek. 28:11-19; Is. 14:12-14), and Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4).

The pride and arrogance of the Babylonians is first mentioned in the book of Habakkuk in Habakkuk 1:7, 10 and 2:4.

Habakkuk 1:7 They are terrifying as well as feared. They determine for themselves their own justice as well as their own authority. (My translation)

Habakkuk 1:10 Indeed, for their own enjoyment, they repeatedly mock their kings so that rulers are an object of laughter for their enjoyment. They laugh at each and every fortified city while they build siege ramps and then they capture them. (My translation)

Habakkuk 2:4 Look! He is characterized as being proud and arrogant. His soul within him is by no means characterized as being upright. However, in contrast to him, a righteous person will live by means of their faith. (My translation)

Habakkuk 2:9 contains the second of five “woes” which appear in Habakkuk 2:2-20.

The first of these “woes” is found in Habakkuk 2:6.

Habakkuk 2:6 Will not in fact these, each and every one of them take up a taunt against him accompanied by a mocking poem, enigmatic sayings against him? Specifically saying, “Disaster to the one who amasses absolutely nothing belonging to him. How long will this go on? Namely, disaster to the one who for his own benefit is rich by extortion.” (My translation)

Now, in both Habakkuk 2:6 and 9, the interjection hôy indicates dissatisfaction and discomfort and occurs entirely in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament with one exception (1 Kings 13:30).

It can be translated “woe, alas” but in today’s English a better translation would be “disaster” since the word pertains to a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction.

The word is expressing the idea of promising that disaster would strike the Babylonians, who by violence profit from evil unjust gain in order to set their nest on high in order to protect themselves from the hand of evil in the sense of avoiding a catastrophe or calamitous event.

Also, in both instances, the interjection hôy has eschatological implications meaning it is used to announce a prophecy.

The word expresses God’s dissatisfaction with the Babylonian people expressing the fact that God will surely judge them by bringing disaster to them resulting in their experiencing tremendous adversity and suffering for their unrepentant sinful lives.

So this interjection is being used by the Lord to emphasize His threat to judge the Babylonians if they do not repent.

This repentance would involve a change attitude toward the God of Israel by trusting in Him.

It would also involve a change of conduct in that after becoming a part of His covenant people by faith in Him, they would live according to His holy standards which are expressed in His Word.

By using this interjection, the Lord is mourning in advance the downfall of the Babylonians if they choose not to repent since He desires all people to repent and be saved through faith in Him (cf. 2 Pet. 3:9).

This attitude of the Lord to all people is manifested in the Old Testament by His sending the prophet Jonah to the Ninevites who like the Babylonians were cruel and warlike people.

Like Habakkuk, the prophet Obadiah used the imagery of an eagle nesting in high locations to avoid predators for the nation of Edom.

Obadiah 1 Obadiah’s vision. This is what my Sovereign Lord says concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord. Consequently, an envoy has been dispatched among the nations: “Arise! Yes, let us rise up against her for war! 2 Behold, I will surely cause you to be insignificant among the nations. You will be greatly despised! 3 Your presumptuous heart has caused you to enter the state of self-deception, you who live in the rock-cliffs, your lofty dwelling place, who say within your heart, ‘Who will cause me to be brought down to the ground?’ 4 Even if you were to soar high like the eagle, indeed, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, from there, I could cause you to be brought down!” declares the Lord. (My translation)

[1] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Hab 2:9). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[2] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ob 3). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.