The Meaning of Habakkuk 2:8 Explained

Habakkuk 2:8

KJV: Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

YLT: Because thou hast spoiled many nations, Spoil thee do all the remnant of the peoples, Because of man's blood, and of violence to the land, To the city, and to all dwelling in it.

Darby: Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the rest of the peoples shall plunder thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city, and all that dwell therein.

ASV: Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder thee, 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

Because thou hast spoiled  many  nations,  all the remnant  of the people  shall spoil  thee; because of men's  blood,  and [for] the violence  of the land,  of the city,  and of all that dwell  therein. 

What does Habakkuk 2:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Babylon would suffer the same punishment it had inflicted on other nations (cf. Proverbs 22:8; Galatians 6:7). Its survivors would loot it because it had looted other peoples. Babylon"s pillaging had involved human bloodshed and ethical wrong ("violence") done to the land of Canaan and to the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants.

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 2:8 mean?

Because you have plundered nations many shall plunder you all the remnant of the people because of blood of men and the violence of the land [and] the city and of all who dwell in it -
כִּֽי‪‬ אַתָּ֤ה שַׁלּ֙וֹתָ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים יְשָׁלּ֖וּךָ כָּל־ יֶ֣תֶר עַמִּ֑ים מִדְּמֵ֤י אָדָם֙ וַחֲמַס־ אֶ֔רֶץ קִרְיָ֖ה וְכָל־ יֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ פ

כִּֽי‪‬  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
שַׁלּ֙וֹתָ֙  have  plundered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַל 
Sense: (Qal) to draw out.
גּוֹיִ֣ם  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
רַבִּ֔ים  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
יְשָׁלּ֖וּךָ  shall  plunder  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַל 
Sense: (Qal) to draw out.
יֶ֣תֶר  the  remnant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
עַמִּ֑ים  of  the  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
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
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation