Parallel Verses
NET Bible
Be sure of this! The Lord who commands armies has decreed: The nations' efforts will go up in smoke; their exhausting work will be for nothing.
New American Standard Bible
That peoples
And nations grow weary for nothing?
King James Version
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
Holman Bible
that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire
and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?
International Standard Version
Is it not because of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies that people grow tired putting out fires, and nations weary themselves over nothing?
A Conservative Version
Behold, is it not of LORD of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
American Standard Version
Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
Amplified
“Is it not indeed from the Lord of hosts
That peoples labor [only] for the fire [that will destroy their work],
And nations grow weary for nothing [that is, things which have no lasting value]?
Bible in Basic English
See, is it not the pleasure of the Lord of armies that the peoples are working for the fire and using themselves up for nothing?
Darby Translation
Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?
Julia Smith Translation
Behold, is it not from Jehovah of armies, and the peoples shall labor in a sufficiency of fire, and the peoples shall be wearied in a sufficiency of emptiness?
King James 2000
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labor to feed the fire, and the people shall weary themselves in vain?
Lexham Expanded Bible
Look! [Is it] not from Yahweh of hosts that people labor for mere fire, and nations exhaust themselves for mere vanity?
Modern King James verseion
Behold, is it not for Jehovah of Hosts that the people labor only for fire; yea, the nations weary themselves only for vanity?
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Shall not the LORD of Hosts bring this to pass, that the laborers of the people shall be burnt with a great fire, and that the thing whereupon the people have wearied themselves, shall be lost?
New Heart English Bible
Behold, isn't it of the LORD of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
The Emphasized Bible
Lo! is it not from Yahweh of hosts - that peoples labour for fire, and, populations, for emptiness, weary themselves?
Webster
Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that the people shall labor in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
World English Bible
Behold, isn't it of Yahweh of Armies that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity?
Youngs Literal Translation
Lo, is it not from Jehovah of Hosts And peoples are fatigued for fire, And nations for vanity are weary?
Themes
Glory » Whose glory becomes shame
Iniquity » Those that build a city with iniquity
Labour » fields of activity » Worldly, sometimes disappointing
Profit » Those that profit from violence
Shame » Whose glory becomes shame
Toil » Worldly, sometimes disappointing
Word Count of 20 Translations in Habakkuk 2:13
Verse Info
Context Readings
Doom On The Unrighteous
12 The one who builds a city by bloodshed is as good as dead -- he who starts a town by unjust deeds. 13 Be sure of this! The Lord who commands armies has decreed: The nations' efforts will go up in smoke; their exhausting work will be for nothing. 14 For recognition of the Lord's sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea.
Cross References
Isaiah 50:11
Look, all of you who start a fire and who equip yourselves with flaming arrows, walk in the light of the fire you started and among the flaming arrows you ignited! This is what you will receive from me: you will lie down in a place of pain.
Jeremiah 51:58
This is what the Lord who rules over all says, "Babylon's thick wall will be completely demolished. Her high gates will be set on fire. The peoples strive for what does not satisfy. The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed."
Genesis 11:6-9
And the Lord said, "If as one people all sharing a common language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be beyond them.
2 Samuel 15:31
Now David had been told, "Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, "Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!"
Job 5:13-14
He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning is brought to a quick end.
Psalm 39:6
Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away."
Psalm 127:1-2
A song of ascents, by Solomon. If the Lord does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.
Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom and there is no understanding, and there is no counsel against the Lord.
Isaiah 41:5-8
The coastlands see and are afraid; the whole earth trembles; they approach and come.
Isaiah 55:2
Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food!
Jeremiah 51:64
Then say, 'In the same way Babylon will sink and never rise again because of the judgments I am ready to bring upon her; they will grow faint.'" The prophecies of Jeremiah end here.
Malachi 1:4
Edom says, "Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places." So the Lord who rules over all responds, "They indeed may build, but I will overthrow. They will be known as the land of evil, the people with whom the Lord is permanently displeased.