The Meaning of Habakkuk 2:17 Explained

Habakkuk 2:17

KJV: For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

YLT: For violence to Lebanon doth cover thee, And spoil of beasts doth affright them, Because of man's blood, and of violence to the land, To the city, and to all dwelling in it.

Darby: For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of beasts which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city, and all that dwell therein.

ASV: For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the violence  of Lebanon  shall cover  thee, and the spoil  of beasts,  [which] made them afraid,  because of men's  blood,  and for the violence  of the land,  of the city,  and of all that dwell  therein. 

What does Habakkuk 2:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Babylon"s violence (ethical and moral injustice) would come back to cover him because he had rapaciously stripped Lebanon of its vegetation and animals. However bloodshed in Lebanon"s main town and the slaughter of its inhabitants was an even more serious crime. "Lebanon" is probably a synecdoche for Israel, as it is elsewhere (cf. 2 Kings 14:9; Jeremiah 22:6; Jeremiah 22:23), and "the town" most likely refers to Jerusalem.
"The Creator of the world has a concern for what is nowadays called ecology; the cultural mandate that he has given to the human race includes the responsible stewardship of plant and animal life." [1]

Context Summary

Habakkuk 2:1-20 - "the Just Shall Live By Faith"
Having prayed, the prophet expected an answer and looked out for it. When it came, there would be no mistaking it. But until we see eye to eye, we must live by simple faith in God. Note that wonderful clause in Habakkuk 2:4, which is referred to so often afterward. See Romans 1:17; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:11. Life in this age, as in that, may be obtained and maintained by faith in the ever-living God. Through long waiting-times the only source of continued life is the faith which draws all from God. From Habakkuk 2:5 onwards, the prophet enumerates Babylon's sins: her pride, love of strong drink, rapacity, and violence. It could not be God's will that the mighty city should flourish on the anguish of the world.
From scenes of anarchy and riot which foretell Chaldea's doom, we pass into Jehovah's temple, where peaceful silence reigns! Let us live in that secret place! "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him!" [source]

Chapter Summary: Habakkuk 2

1  Unto Habakkuk, waiting for an answer, is shown that he must wait by faith
5  The judgment upon the Chaldean for unsatiableness,
9  for covetousness,
12  for cruelty,
15  for drunkenness,
18  and for idolatry

What do the individual words in Habakkuk 2:17 mean?

For the violence [done to] Lebanon will cover you and the plunder of beasts [which] made them afraid because of blood of men and the violence of the land [and] the city and of all who dwell in it -
כִּ֣י חֲמַ֤ס לְבָנוֹן֙ יְכַסֶּ֔ךָּ וְשֹׁ֥ד בְּהֵמ֖וֹת יְחִיתַ֑ן מִדְּמֵ֤י אָדָם֙ וַחֲמַס־ אֶ֔רֶץ קִרְיָ֖ה וְכָל־ יֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ ס

חֲמַ֤ס  the  violence  [done  to] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חָמָס  
Sense: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice.
לְבָנוֹן֙  Lebanon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: לְבָנׄון  
Sense: a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel.
יְכַסֶּ֔ךָּ  will  cover  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
וְשֹׁ֥ד  and  the  plunder 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֹׁד  
Sense: havoc, violence, destruction, devastation, ruin.
בְּהֵמ֖וֹת  of  beasts 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
יְחִיתַ֑ן  [which]  made  them  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine plural
Root: חָתַת  
Sense: to be shattered, be dismayed, be broken, be abolished, be afraid.
מִדְּמֵ֤י  because  of  blood 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
אָדָם֙  of  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
וַחֲמַס־  and  the  violence 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חָמָס  
Sense: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice.
אֶ֔רֶץ  of  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
קִרְיָ֖ה  [and]  the  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: קִרְיָה 
Sense: city, town.
וְכָל־  and  of  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יֹ֥שְׁבֵי  who  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בָֽהּ  in  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation