Habakkuk 2:14 (GNV)

Passage

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters couer the sea.

Nearby Context

Habakkuk 2:12 Wo vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood, and erecteth a citie by iniquitie.

Habakkuk 2:13 Beholde, is it not of the Lord of hostes that the people shall labour in ye very fire? the people shall euen weary themselues for very vanitie.

Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters couer the sea.

Habakkuk 2:15 Wo vnto him that giueth his neighbour drinke: thou ioynest thine heate, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest see their priuities.

Habakkuk 2:16 Thou art filled with shame for glorie: drinke thou also, and be made naked: the cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned vnto thee, and shamefull spuing shalbe for thy glory.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "earth", "shall", "filled", "knowledge", "glory", "lord", "waters", and "couer". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "earth" and "shall", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "Beholde is it not of the Lord..." into verse 15's "Wo vnto him that giueth his neighbour...", so "earth" and "shall" belong inside that flow. In Habakkuk context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "earth" and "shall" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.