“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about building a secure home; it's about the motive behind that desire for security. The "evil covetousness" isn't just about acquiring wealth, but about using it to create a fortress of personal safety, an "eagle's nest" so high it's meant to be unreachable by any trouble or judgment.
“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!
English Standard Version (ESV)
Habakkuk is wrestling with God about why injustice is allowed to flourish. In the preceding verses, God reveals He's about to raise up the Babylonians, a brutal and swift people, to judge Judah and other nations. This verse pronounces a "woe" upon those who, like the Babylonians, amass wealth through wicked means, building up their power and security with the plunder of others, believing their elevated position will shield them from any consequence.
Why does the prophet warn against something that seems to benefit a family? What is this 'evil gain' and who is it really for?
Habakkuk condemns those who 'covet an evil covetousness to his house.' This isn't just about acquiring wealth; it's about the way wealth is acquired and the motive behind it.
Sinister Motives
What does the image of a 'nest on high' truly represent, and why is this 'safety' ultimately a deception?
The prophet uses the powerful imagery of a bird's nest, often built in high, inaccessible places, to describe the false security sought by the greedy.
A Deceptive Fortress
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This verse speaks to the self-serving ambition of those who plunder nations to build their own security and wealth, a practice exemplified by the Babylonian empire that was rising to power and devastating Judah during Habakkuk's ministry.
c. 627-586 BC
Reign of Jehoiakim
Habakkuk prophesied during a turbulent period in Judah, likely towards the end of Josiah's reign or during the reign of his successor, Jehoiakim. This era was marked by political instability and the rising power of Babylon.
605 BC
Battle of Carchemish
This pivotal battle saw the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, decisively defeat the Egyptians and Assyrians, establishing Babylon as the dominant power in the region. This event significantly impacted Judah's political future.
605 BC— this verse
First Babylonian Deportation
Following their victory at Carchemish, the Babylonians began deporting prominent citizens of Judah to Babylon. This marked the beginning of Judah's subjugation to Babylonian rule and intensified the prophet's questions about God's justice.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Another wave of exiles, including King Jehoiachin and many of the elite, were taken to Babylon. This further dismantled Judah's sovereignty and deepened the sense of crisis.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and scattering the remaining population. This ultimate catastrophe stands as the grim backdrop to Habakkuk's prophetic warnings.
This passage also denounces a ruler who unjustly builds his house and gains wealth through exploitation, drawing a parallel to Habakkuk's condemnation of acquiring wealth for one's household through wicked means.
Proverbs 28:20This proverb speaks of the desire to be rich quickly through ill-gotten gains, directly reflecting the 'evil gain' mentioned in Habakkuk and the negative consequences associated with it.
Obadiah 1:4This verse uses a similar metaphor of building a nest high up for security, directly paralleling Habakkuk's imagery of setting one's nest on high to escape harm, highlighting the futility of such pride and false security.
Luke 12:15Jesus warns against greed and the illusion of security that possessions provide, echoing Habakkuk's message that wealth gained unjustly offers no true protection from impending doom.
Psalm 49:6-7This psalm questions the wisdom of those who trust in their wealth and power to save them, directly addressing the false sense of security that the 'nest set on high' is meant to provide, and showing its ultimate failure.
gillHabakkuk 2:9: "Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!"
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house,.... The bishops of Rome, being enriched by the donations of Constantine, were not satisfied, but coveted more; these are the greedy dogs Isaiah speaks of, that could never have enough, Isaiah 56:11 but were still seeking and gaping after more for themselves and families, and for…
barnesHabakkuk 2:9: "Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!"
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house - (or, with accents, "that coveteth covetousness or unjust gain, an evil to his house.") What man coveteth seems gain, but is evil "to his house" after him, destroying both himself and his whole family or race with him . "That he may set his nest on high," as an eagle, to which he…
This verse isn't just about building a secure home; it's about the motive behind that desire for security. The "evil covetousness" isn't just about acquiring wealth, but about using it to create a fortress of personal safety, an "eagle's nest" so high it's meant to be unreachable by any trouble or judgment.
Habakkuk is wrestling with God about why injustice is allowed to flourish. In the preceding verses, God reveals He's about to raise up the Babylonians, a brutal and swift people, to judge Judah and other nations. This verse pronounces a "woe" upon those who, like the Babylonians, amass wealth through wicked means, building up their power and security with the plunder of others, believing their elevated position will shield them from any consequence.
Habakkuk is wrestling with God about why injustice is allowed to flourish. In the preceding verses, God reveals He's about to raise up the Babylonians, a brutal and swift people, to judge Judah and other nations. This verse pronounces a "woe" upon those who, like the Babylonians, amass wealth through wicked means, building up their power and security with the plunder of others, believing their elevated position will shield them from any consequence.
"“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!" — This verse isn't just about building a secure home; it's about the motive behind that desire for security. The "evil covetousness" isn't just about acquiring wealth, but about using it to create a…
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Last reviewed October 2026