Habakkuk 1 · Verse 2

Habakkuk 1:2

O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Habakkuk 1:2, King James Version

Habakkuk 1:2 in other translations

BSBHow long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?
WEBLORD, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save?
ASVO Jehovah, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save.
YLTTill when, O Jehovah, have I cried, And Thou dost not hear? I cry unto Thee--‘Violence,' and Thou dost not save.
DARBYJehovah, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee, Violence! and thou dost not save.
BBEHow long, O Lord, will your ears be shut to my voice? I make an outcry to you about violent behaviour, but you do not send salvation.
WebsterO LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out to thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

What does Habakkuk 1:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Habakkuk 1:2-3
2-3. violence ... Why dost thou show me iniquity?--Similar language is used of the Chaldeans (Ha 1:9, 13), as here is used of the Jews: implying, that as the Jews sinned by violence and injustice, so they should be punished by violence and injustice (Pr 1:31). Jehoiakim's reign was marked by injustice, treachery, and bloodshed (Jr 22:3, 13-17). Therefore the Chaldeans should be sent to deal with him and his nobles according to their dealings with others (Ha 1:6, 10, 11, 17). Compare Jeremiah's expostulation with Jehovah, Jr 12:1; 20:8; and Job 19:7, 8.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry - The prophet feels himself strongly excited against the vices which he beheld; and which, it appears from this verse, he had often declaimed against, but in vain; the people continued in their vices, and God in his longsuffering. Habakkuk begins his prophecy under a similar feeling, and nearly in similar words, as Juvenal did his Satires: - Semper ego auditor tantum? Nunquamne reponam? Vexatus toties rauci Theseide Codri? Sat. 1:1. "Shall I always be a hearer only? Shall I never reply? So often vexed?" Of violence - The most unlawful and outrageous acts.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Habakkuk 1:1-11

The servants of the Lord are deeply afflicted by seeing ungodliness and violence prevail; especially among those who profess the truth. No man scrupled doing wrong to his neighbour. We should long to remove to the world where holiness and love reign for ever, and no violence shall be before us. God has good reasons for his long-suffering towards bad men, and the rebukes of good men. The day will come when the cry of…

Read the full comment on Habakkuk 1:1-11 →

Habakkuk 1:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
אָ֧נָה'A.nahwhen?H575
יְהוָ֛הYah.wehO YahwehH3068
שִׁוַּ֖עְתִּיshi.Va'.tihave I cried for helpH7768
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
תִשְׁמָ֑עtish.Ma'you will hearH8085
אֶזְעַ֥ק'ez.'AkI cry outH2199
אֵלֶ֛יךָ'e.Lei.khato youH413
חָמָ֖סcha.MasviolenceH2555
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
תוֹשִֽׁיעַ\׃to.Shi.a'you saveH3467

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Habakkuk 1:2

  • Psalms 22:1-2

    To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

  • Psalms 13:1-2

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

  • Lamentations 3:8

    Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

  • Jeremiah 14:9

    Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.

  • Psalms 94:3

    Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

  • Revelation 6:10

    And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

  • Psalms 74:9-10

    We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
how.
Ps 13:1,2; 74:9,10; 94:3; Re 6:10
and thou wilt not save.
Ps 22:1,2; Jer 14:9; La 3:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Habakkuk 1:1

    The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

  • Habakkuk 1:2

    O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

  • Habakkuk 1:3

    Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Read all of Habakkuk 1

Habakkuk 1:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Hasta cuándo, oh Jehová, clamaré, y no oirás; y daré voces á ti á causa de la violencia, y no salvarás?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Jusques à quand, Éternel, crierai-je, et tu n’entendras pas? Je crie à toi: Violence! et tu ne sauves pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wie lange, Jehova, habe ich gerufen, und du hörst nicht! Ich schreie zu dir: Gewalttat! und du rettest nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Usquequo, Domine, clamabo, et non exaudies? vociferabor ad te, vim patiens, et non salvabis?