Habakkuk 2 · Verse 4

Habakkuk 2:4

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 2:4, King James Version

Habakkuk 2:4 in other translations

BSBLook at the proud one; his soul is not upright— but the righteous will live by faith—
WEBBehold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.
ASVBehold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.
YLTLo, a presumptuous one! Not upright is his soul within him, And the righteous by his stedfastness liveth.
DARBYBehold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright within him: but the just shall live by his faith.
BBEAs for the man of pride, my soul has no pleasure in him; but the upright man will have life through his good faith.
WebsterBehold, his soul which is lifted up, is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

What does Habakkuk 2:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. his soul which is lifted up--the Chaldean's [Maurer]. The unbelieving Jew's [Henderson]. is not upright in him--that is, is not accounted upright in God's sight; in antithesis to "shall live." So He 10:38, which with inspired authority applies the general sense to the particular case which Paul had in view, "If any man draw back (one result of being 'lifted up' with overweening arrogancy), my soul shall have no pleasure in him." the just shall live by his faith--the Jewish nation, as opposed to the unbelieving Chaldean (compare Ha 2:5, &c.; Ha 1:6, &c.; Ha 1:13) [Maurer]. Henderson's view is that the believing Jew is meant, as opposed to the unbelieving Jew (compare Ro 1:17; Ga 3:11). The believing Jew, though God's promise tarry, will wait for it; the unbelieving "draws back," as He 10:38 expresses it. The sense, in Maurer's view, which accords better with the context (Ha 2:5, &c.). is: the Chaldean, though for a time seeming to prosper, yet being lifted up with haughty unbelief (Ha 1:11, 16), is not upright; that is, has no right stability of soul resting on God, to ensure permanence of prosperity; hence, though for a time executing God's judgments, he at last becomes "lifted up" so as to attribute to his own power what is the work of God, and in this sense "draws back" (He 10:38), becoming thereby a type of all backsliders who thereby incur God's displeasure; as the believing Jew is of all who wait for God's promises with patient faith, and so "live" (stand accepted) before God. The Hebrew accents induce Bengel to translate, "he who is just by his faith shall live." Other manuscripts read the accents as English Version, which agrees better with Hebrew syntax.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up - He that presumes on his safety without any special warrant from God, is a proud man; and whatever he may profess, or think of himself, his mind is not upright in him. But he that is just by faith shall live - he that believes what God hath said relative to the Chaldeans besieging Jerusalem, shall make his escape from the place, and consequently shall save his life. The words in the New Testament are accommodated to the salvation which believers in Christ shall possess. Indeed, the just - the true Christians, who believed in Jesus Christ's words relative to the destruction of Jerusalem, when they found the Romans coming against it, left the city, and escaped to Pella in Coelesyria, and did live - their lives were saved: while the unbelieving Jews, to a man, either perished or were made slaves. One good sense is, He that believes the promises of God, and has found life through believing, shall live by his faith.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Habakkuk 2:1-4

When tossed and perplexed with doubts about the methods of Providence, we must watch against temptations to be impatient. When we have poured out complaints and requests before God, we must observe the answers God gives by his word, his Spirit, and providences; what the Lord will say to our case. God will not disappoint the believing expectations of those who wait to hear what he will say unto them. All are…

Read the full comment on Habakkuk 2:1-4 →

Habakkuk 2:4 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.

הִנֵּ֣הhi.Nehthere!H2009
עֻפְּלָ֔ה'u.pe.Lahit is swollenH6075
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
יָשְׁרָ֥הya.she.Rahit is uprightH3474
נַפְשׁ֖וֹnaf.Shoself hisH5315
בּ֑וֹboin him
וְצַדִּ֖יקve.tza.Dikand [the] righteousH6662
בֶּאֱמוּנָת֥וֹbe.'e.mu.na.Toby faithfulness hisH530
יִחְיֶֽה\׃yich.Yehhe will liveH2421

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

Cross references for Habakkuk 2:4

  • Romans 1:17

    For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

  • Hebrews 10:38

    Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

  • Galatians 3:11-12

    But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

  • Galatians 2:16

    Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

  • John 3:36

    He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

  • 1 John 5:10-12

    He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

  • Luke 18:14

    I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

  • Daniel 4:37

    Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

  • Daniel 5:20-23

    But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

  • 1 Peter 5:5

    Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
his.
Job 40:11,12; Da 4:30,37; 5:20-23; Lu 18:14; 2Th 2:4; 1Pe 5:5
but.
Joh 3:36; Ro 1:17; Ga 2:16; 3:11,12; Heb 10:38; 1Jo 5:10-12

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

Context

  • Habakkuk 2:3

    For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

  • Habakkuk 2:4

    Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

  • Habakkuk 2:5

    Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

Read all of Habakkuk 2

Habakkuk 2:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
He aquí se enorgullece aquel cuya alma no es derecha en él: mas el justo en su fe vivirá.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Voici, son âme enflée d’orgueil n’est pas droite en lui; mais le juste vivra par sa foi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Siehe, aufgeblasen, nicht aufrichtig ist in ihm seine Seele. Der Gerechte aber wird durch seinen Glauben leben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Ecce qui incredulus est, non erit recta anima ejus in semetipso; justus autem in fide sua vivet.