The Meaning of Habakkuk 2:2 Explained

Habakkuk 2:2

KJV: And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

YLT: And Jehovah answereth me and saith: 'Write a vision, and explain on the tables, That he may run who is reading it.

Darby: And Jehovah answered me and said, Write the vision, and engrave it upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.

ASV: And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  answered  me, and said,  Write  the vision,  and make [it] plain  upon tables,  that he may run  that readeth  it. 

What does Habakkuk 2:2 Mean?

Study Notes

run that readeth it
Not, as usually quoted, "that he that runneth may read," but, "that he may run that readeth"; i.e. as a messenger of the "vision." Cf. Zechariah 2:4 ; Zechariah 2:5

Verse Meaning

Yahweh did respond and told the prophet to make a permanent, easy-to-read record of the vision, which He would give him, on tablets (of clay, stone, or metal; cf. Exodus 31:18; Exodus 32:15-16; Deuteronomy 9:10; Deuteronomy 27:8). Having received and recorded the vision, Habakkuk , and other messengers, should then run to tell their fellow citizens what God"s answer was.
"The matter was to be made so clear that whoever read it might run and publish it." [1]
"It [2] could involve passers-by, who will be able to read the message as they go by and then pass the message on informally to those they meet, or it could mean a herald, whose specific function will be to spread the message throughout the land (so NEB, NIV)." [3]

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 2:2 mean?

And answered me Yahweh and said Write the vision and make [it] plain on tablets that he may run who reads it
וַיַּעֲנֵ֤נִי יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר כְּת֣וֹב חָז֔וֹן וּבָאֵ֖ר עַל־ הַלֻּח֑וֹת לְמַ֥עַן יָר֖וּץ ק֥וֹרֵא בֽוֹ

וַיַּעֲנֵ֤נִי  And  answered  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיֹּ֔אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כְּת֣וֹב  Write 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
חָז֔וֹן  the  vision 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָזׄון  
Sense: vision.
וּבָאֵ֖ר  and  make  [it]  plain 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בָּאַר  
Sense: (Piel).
הַלֻּח֑וֹת  tablets 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: לוּחַ  
Sense: board, slab, tablet, plank.
לְמַ֥עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יָר֖וּץ  he  may  run 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּץ 
Sense: to run.
ק֥וֹרֵא  who  reads 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.