Habakkuk 2:9

Geneva Bible (1560)

Ho, he that coueteth an euil couetousnesse to his house, that he may set his nest on hie, to escape from the power of euil.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

ה֗וֹי בֹּצֵ֛עַ בֶּ֥צַע רָ֖ע לְבֵית֑וֹ לָשׂ֤וּם בַּמָּרוֹם֙ קִנּ֔וֹ לְהִנָּצֵ֖ל מִכַּף־רָֽע׃

Transliteration

Hôy bōṣēaʿ beṣaʿ rāʿ for his house, to lāśûm bammārôm qinnô, to lĕhinnāṣēl from kap-rāʿ.

Grammar Details

• *hôy*: interjection - woe/alas
• *bōṣēaʿ*: verb, qal participle, masculine singular - cutting off/gaining
• *beṣaʿ*: noun, masculine, singular - unjust gain/profit
• *rāʿ*: adjective, masculine, singular - evil/calamity
• *lāśûm*: preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct - to put/place
• *bammārôm*: preposition + noun, masculine, singular with definite article - in the height
• *qinnô*: noun, masculine, singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his nest
• *lĕhinnāṣēl*: preposition + verb, niphal infinitive construct - to be delivered
• *kap*: noun, feminine, singular construct - palm/power

Word Meanings

• *bōṣēaʿ*: cutting off/gaining/acquiring unjustly
• *beṣaʿ*: unjust gain/profit/dishonest profit
• *bammārôm*: in the height/on high/in a lofty place
• *lĕhinnāṣēl*: to be delivered/rescued/saved
• *kap-rāʿ*: power of evil/hand of calamity

Referenced Verses

• Jer 49:16 : 16 Thy feare, and ye pride of thine heart hath deceiued thee, thou that dwellest in the cleftes of the rocke, and keepest the height of ye hil: though thou shouldest make thy nest as hie as the egle, I wil bring thee downe from thece, sayth the Lord.
• Obad 1:4 : 4 Though thou exalt thy selfe as the egle, and make thy nest among the starres, thence will I bring thee downe, sayth the Lord.
• Zech 5:1-4 : 1 Then I turned me, and lifted vp mine eyes and looked, and beholde, a flying booke. 2 And he said vnto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying booke: the length thereof is twentie cubites, and the breadth thereof tenne cubites. 3 Then said he vnto me, This is the curse that goeth foorth ouer the whole earth: for euery one that stealeth, shalbe cut off aswell on this side, as on that: and euery one that sweareth, shall be cut off aswell on this side, as on that. 4 I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thiefe, and into the house of him, that falsely sweareth by my Name: and it shall remaine in the middes of his house, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof, and stones thereof.
• Acts 1:17-25 : 17 For hee was nombred with vs, and had obteined felowship in this ministration. 18 He therefore hath purchased a field with the reward of iniquitie: and when he had throwen downe himselfe headlong, hee brast asunder in the middes, and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it is knowen vnto all the inhabitants of Hierusalem, in so much, that that field is called in their owne language, Aceldama, That is, the field of blood. 20 For it is written in the booke of Psalmes, Let his habitation be void, and let no man dwel therein: also, Let another take his charge. 21 Wherefore of these men which haue companied with vs, all the time that the Lorde Iesus was conuersant among vs, 22 Beginning from the baptisme of Iohn vnto the day that hee was taken vp from vs, must one of them bee made a witnesse with vs of his resurrection. 23 And they presented two, Ioseph called Barsabas, whose surname was Iustus, & Matthias. 24 And they praied, saying, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25 That he may take the roume of this ministration and Apostleship, from which Iudas hath gone astray, to goe to his owne place.
• Jude 1:11 : 11 Wo be vnto them: for they haue followed the way of Cain, and are cast away by the deceit of Balaams wages, and perish in the gainsaying of Core.
• Gen 13:10-13 : 10 So when Lot lifted vp his eyes, he saw that all the plaine of Iorden was watered euery where: (for before the Lorde destroyed Sodom and Gomorah, it was as the garden of the Lorde, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest vnto Zoar) 11 Then Lot chose vnto him all the plaine of Iorden, and tooke his iourney from the East: and they departed the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the lande of Canaan, and Lot abode in the cities of the plaine, and pitched his tent euen to Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked and exceeding sinners against the Lord.
• Gen 19:26-38 : 26 Now his wife behind him looked backe, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 And Abraham rising vp earely in ye morning went to the place, where he had stand before the Lord, 28 And looking towarde Sodom and Gomorah and toward all the land of the plaine, behold, he sawe the smoke of the lande mounting vp as the smoke of a fornace. 29 But yet when God destroyed the cities of the plaine, God thought vpon Abraham, and sent Lot out from the middes of the destruction, when he ouerthrewe the cities, wherein Lot dwelled. 30 Then Lot went vp from Zoar, & dwelt in the mountaine with his two daughters: for he feared to tarie in Zoar, but dwelt in a caue, he, and his two daughters. 31 And the elder saide vnto the yonger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth, to come in vnto vs after the maner of all ye earth. 32 Come, wee will make our father drinke wine, and lie with him, that we may preserue seede of our father. 33 So they made their father drinke wine that night, and the elder went and lay with her father: but he perceiued not, neither whe she lay downe, neither when she rose vp. 34 And on the morowe the elder saide to the yonger, Behold, yester night lay I with my father: let vs make him drinke wine this night also, and goe thou and lie with him, that we may preserue seede of our father. 35 So they made their father drinke wine that night also, and the yonger arose, & lay with him, but he perceiued not, when she lay downe, neither when she rose vp. 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with childe by their father. 37 And the elder bare a sonne, and she called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites vnto this day. 38 And the yonger bare a sonne also, and she called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the Ammonites vnto this day.
• Deut 7:25-26 : 25 The grauen images of their gods shall ye burne with fire, and couet not the siluer and golde, that is on them, nor take it vnto thee, least thou be snared therewith: for it is an abomination before the Lord thy God. 26 Bring not therefore abomination into thine house, lest, thou be accursed like it, but vtterly abhorre it, and count it most abominable: for it is accursed.
• Josh 7:21-26 : 21 I sawe among the spoyle a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundreth shekels of siluer, and a wedge of golde of fiftie shekels weight, and I coueted them, and tooke them: and behold, they lye hid in the earth in the mids of my tent, and the siluer vnder it. 22 Then Ioshua sent messengers, which ran vnto the tent, and beholde, it was hid in his tent, and the siluer vnder it. 23 Therefore they tooke them out of the tent, and brought them vnto Ioshua, and vnto all the children of Israel, and layd them before the Lord. 24 Then Ioshua tooke Achan the sonne of Zerah, and the siluer, and the garment and the wedge of golde and his sonnes, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheepe, and his tent, and all that hee had: and all Israel with him brought them vnto the valley of Achor. 25 And Ioshua said, In as much as thou hast troubled vs, the Lorde shall trouble thee this day: and all Israel threwe stones at him, and burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones. 26 And they cast vpon him a great heape of stones vnto this day: and so the Lord turned from his fierce wrath: therefore hee called the name of that place, The valley of Achor, vnto this day.
• 1 Kgs 21:2-4 : 2 And Ahab spake vnto Naboth, saying, Giue me thy vineyarde, that I may make mee a garden of herbes thereof, because it is neere by mine house: and I will giue thee for it a better vineyarde then it is: or if it please thee, I will giue thee the worth of it in money. 3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord keepe me from giuing the inheritance of my father vnto thee. 4 Then Ahab came into his house heauie & in displeasure, because of the word which Naboth the Izreelite had spoken vnto him. for hee had sayde, I will not giue thee the inheritance of my fathers, and he lay vpon his bed, and turned his face and would eate no bread.
• 1 Kgs 21:19-24 : 19 Therefore shalt thou say vnto him, Thus sayth the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also gotten possession? And thou shalt speake vnto him, saying, Thus sayth the Lorde, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shal dogs licke euen thy blood also. 20 And Ahab sayd to Eliiah, Hast thou found mee, O mine enemie? And he answered, I haue found thee: for thou hast solde thy selfe to worke wickednes in the sight of the Lord. 21 Beholde, I will bring euill vpon thee, and wil take away thy posteritie, and wil cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, as well him that is shut vp, as him that is left in Israel, 22 And I wil make thine house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahiiah, for the prouocation wherewith thou hast prouoked, and made Israel to sinne. 23 And also of Iezebel spake the Lorde, saying, The dogs shall eate Iezebel, by the wall of Izreel. 24 The dogs shall eate him of Ahabs stocke, that dyeth in the citie: and him that dyeth in the fieldes, shall the foules of the ayre eate.
• 2 Kgs 5:20-27 : 20 And Gehazi the seruant of Elisha the man of God sayde, Beholde, my master hath spared this Aramite Naaman, receiuing not those things at his hand that he brought: as the Lord liueth, I will runne after him, and take somewhat of him. 21 So Gehazi followed speedily after Naaman; when Naaman sawe him running after him, he light downe from the charet to meete him, and said, Is all well? 22 And he answered, All is well: my master hath set me, saying, Behold, there be come to me, euen nowe from mount Ephraim two yong men of the children of the Prophets: giue them, I pray thee, a talent of siluer, & two change of garmets. 23 And Naaman saide, Yea, take two talents: and he compelled him, and bound two talents of siluer in two bagges, with two change of garments, and gaue them vnto two of his seruants, that they might beare them before him. 24 And when he came to the towre, he tooke them out of their handes, and laide them in the house, & sent away the men: & they departed. 25 Then he went in, and stoode before his master; Elisha said vnto him, Whence commest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy seruant went no whither. 26 But he saide vnto him, Went not mine heart with thee when the man turned againe fro his charet to meete thee? Is this a time to take money, and to receiue garments, and oliues, and vineyardes, and sheepe, and oxen, and men seruants, and maide seruants? 27 The leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee, and to thy seede for euer; he went out from his presence a leper white as snowe.
• Job 20:19-28 : 19 For he hath vndone many: he hath forsaken the poore, and hath spoyled houses which he builded not. 20 Surely he shall feele no quietnes in his bodie, neither shall he reserue of that which he desired. 21 There shall none of his meate bee left: therefore none shal hope for his goods. 22 When he shalbe filled with his abundance, he shalbe in paine, and the hand of all the wicked shall assaile him. 23 He shall be about to fill his belly, but God shall sende vpon him his fierce wrath, and shall cause to rayne vpon him, euen vpon his meate. 24 He shall flee from the yron weapons, and the bow of steele shal strike him through. 25 The arrowe is drawen out, and commeth forth of the body, & shineth of his gall, so feare commeth vpon him. 26 All darkenes shalbe hid in his secret places: the fire that is not blowen, shall deuoure him, and that which remaineth in his tabernacle, shalbe destroyed. 27 The heauen shal declare his wickednes, & the earth shal rise vp against him. 28 The increase of his house shal go away: it shal flow away in the day of his wrath.
• Ps 10:3-6 : 3 For the wicked hath made boast of his owne heartes desire, and the couetous blesseth himselfe: he contemneth the Lord. 4 The wicked is so proude that hee seeketh not for God: hee thinketh alwayes, There is no God. 5 His wayes alway prosper: thy iudgements are hie aboue his sight: therefore defieth he all his enemies. 6 He saith in his heart, I shall neuer be moued, nor be in danger.
• Ps 49:11 : 11 Yet they thinke, their houses, and their habitations shall continue for euer, euen from generation to generation, and call their lands by their names.
• Ps 52:7 : 7 Beholde the man that tooke not God for his strength, but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches, and put his strength in his malice.
• Prov 18:11-12 : 11 The rich mans riches are his strong citie: and as an hie wall in his imagination. 12 Before destruction the heart of a man is hautie, and before glory goeth lowlines.
• Isa 28:15 : 15 Because ye haue said, We haue made a couenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement: though a scourge runne ouer, and passe through, it shal not come at vs: for we haue made falshood our refuge, & vnder vanitie are we hid,
• Isa 47:7-9 : 7 And thou saidest, I shal be a ladie for euer, so that thou diddest not set thy mind to these things, neither diddest thou remeber ye latter end therof. 8 Therefore nowe heare, thou that art giuen to pleasures, and dwellest carelesse, Shee sayeth in her heart, I am and none els: I shall not sit as a widowe, neither shall knowe the losse of children. 9 But these two thinges shall come to thee suddenly on one day, the losse of children and widowhoode: they shall come vpon thee in their perfection, for the multitude of thy diuinations, and for the great abundance of thine inchanters.
• Jer 22:13-19 : 13 Wo vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse, and his chambers without equitie: he vseth his neighbour without wages, and giueth him not for his worke. 14 He saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers: so he will make him selfe large windowes, and feeling with cedar, and paint them with vermilion. 15 Shalt thou reigne, because thou closest thy selfe in cedar? Did not thy father eate and drinke and prosper, when he executed iudgement and iustice? 16 When he iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore, he prospered: was not this because he knewe me, saith the Lorde? 17 But thine eyes and thine heart are but only for thy couetousnesse, and for to sheade innocent blood, and for oppression, and for destruction, euen to doe this. 18 Therefore thus saith the Lorde against Iehoiakim, the sonne of Iosiah king of Iudah, They shall not lament him, saying, Ah, my brother, or ah, sister: neither shall they mourne for him, saying, Ah, lord, or ah, his glorie. 19 He shalbe buryed, as an asse is buryed, euen drawen and cast foorth without the gates of Ierusalem.