What does it mean to be greedy as the grave? (Habakkuk 2:5)
Habakkuk 2:5 5indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. New International Version
Habakkuk 2:5
ESV - 5 "Moreover, wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest. His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples."
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Asked September 23 2019
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Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
Tim Maas
Supporter
In my opinion, the simile "as greedy as the grave" refers to the fact that, just as people will always continue to die, and there will never be a point where death ceases because "enough" people have already died, a person (or nation) with similar greed will never be satisfied with what he (or it) has, but will always continue to desire more, whether through the accumulation of wealth, or (in the context of Habakkuk's prophecy) the conquering of other nations.
Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
What does it mean to be greedy as the grave? (Habakkuk 2:5) Habakkuk 2:5 - Rotherham Bible: "Moreover also when wine betrayeth a man is arrogant and findeth no rest, because he hath enlarged like hades his desire; yea he is like death and cannot be satisfied, but hath gathered unto himself all the nations, and assembled unto himself all the peoples." Habakkuk 2:5 describes "an able-bodied man" who fails to reach his goal, even though he "made his soul spacious just like the grave." Who is this man who "cannot be satisfied"? With voracity like that of Babylon of Habakkuk's time, this composite "man," made up of political powers—whether Fascist, Nazi, Communist, or even so-called democratic—fights wars to expand his lands. He also fills Sheol —the grave —with innocent souls. But this treacherous composite "man" of Satan's world, drunk with his own self-assured importance, meets with no success in "gathering to himself all the nations and collecting together to himself all the peoples." Conclusion: To be "greedy as the grave" (Habakkuk 2:5) means to have an insatiable desire for more, like the grave, which is never full and always takes. This metaphor describes an arrogant, restless pursuit of power, wealth, or conquest that can never be satisfied —a trait exemplified by the ancient Babylonian empire, according to commentary on the verse. This greedy, all-consuming ambition is compared to death, which is also perpetually "satisfied" with more people or souls. Synonyms for "greedy as the grave": Insatiably greedy Never satisfied All-consuming desire Restless and arrogant Selfish ambition Futility of worldly wealth Just as the grave (or death) continually takes people and is never full, a person or nation described this way (specifically the Babylonian empire in the context of the passage) always wants more. It can never be content with what they have. This phrase warns that such selfish ambition and exploitation of others are futile and will inevitably result in judgment and ruin, in contrast to the righteous, who find contentment and security by living in faith.
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