Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!
Parallel translations
- WEB Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!
- BSB Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by iniquity!
- NKJV “Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed, Who establishes a city by iniquity!
- NASB ¶“Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed, And founds a town with violence!
- NLT “What sorrow awaits you who build cities with money gained through murder and corruption!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Woe is pronounced on the one who builds a city by bloodshed and founds a town on iniquity. It condemns the establishment of civilization and power through violence and injustice.
Overview
The third woe addresses cities and empires raised up through bloodshed, as Babylon's grandeur was built on conquest. Human achievement founded on iniquity stands under divine judgment, however impressive it appears. This anticipates the contrast between the doomed city of human pride and the lasting city of God, established not by violence but by righteousness and the work of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Mic 3:10They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
- Dan 4:27–31Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
- Nah 3:1Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;
- Rev 17:6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
- Josh 6:26And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
- Jer 22:13–17Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;
- 1 Kgs 16:34In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
- Gen 4:11–17And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
- John 11:47–50Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
- Ezek 24:9Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
'The righteous shall live by his faith' (2:4) becomes a cornerstone of the gospel in Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews — the faith that lays hold of Christ.
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Original language
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