Lexical Summary qiqalon: Gourd, plant Original Word: קִיקָלוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance shameful spewing From qalown; intense disgrace -- shameful spewing. see HEBREW qalown NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition disgrace NASB Translation utter disgrace (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs קִיקָלוֺן noun [masculine] disgrace; — Habakkuk 2:16, si vera lectio intensive Ol§ 82 c Köii. 130, 497, but dubious (see We Now GASm). Topical Lexicon Term Overview קִיקָלוֹן (qiqalon) designates the extreme disgrace that comes upon the proud when God overturns their self-exaltation. The word is employed once—Habakkuk 2:16—yet it gathers up a rich complex of biblical ideas: public humiliation, divine retribution, and the reversal of human glory. Literary Setting in Habakkuk Habakkuk 2 forms the Lord’s answer to the prophet’s lament over Babylonian brutality. The unit consists of five “woes” against exploitation (Habakkuk 2:6-20). קִיקָלוֹן appears in the fourth woe, where the Lord addresses the Chaldeans’ debauchery and violence: “You will be filled with shame instead of glory. You also—drink, and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory.” (Habakkuk 2:16) Here qiqalon (“utter disgrace”) functions as the climactic outcome of the Babylonian cup-drinking, underscoring that the revelry they forced on others will recoil on themselves. Imagery and Symbolism 1. The Cup of Wrath Historical Background The prophecy targets the Neo-Babylonian empire (late seventh to early sixth century B.C.). Babylon forced subject peoples to drink the “cup” of conquest—symbolized by forced labor, economic plunder, and literal banquets celebrating victory (Daniel 5:1-4). Habakkuk declares that the conqueror will one day stagger under the same intoxicant, and qiqalon will mark their downfall, fulfilled when Cyrus captured Babylon (539 B.C.). Theological Themes • Divine Justice Is Inevitable: Qiqalon serves as proof that God “cannot overlook wrongdoing” (Habakkuk 1:13). Canonical Echoes While קִיקָלוֹן occurs only in Habakkuk, its concept resonates widely: Christological Perspective Jesus Christ drank the ultimate cup of wrath (Matthew 26:39) so that repentant sinners would not taste qiqalon. At the cross, glory is veiled in shame (Hebrews 12:2), yet through resurrection He transforms disgrace into everlasting honor for those who believe. Ministry Applications 1. Confronting Social Injustice – Qiqalon warns every society that builds prosperity on oppression; God’s patience is not permission. – Leaders seduced by power or indulgence should remember Babylon’s fate and seek humility. – Believers suffering unjust shame can rest in God’s promise that He will one day reverse false reproach (1 Peter 5:6). Summary קִיקָלוֹן is more than a rare lexical item; it is the divine verdict of disgrace that falls upon the proud when their borrowed glory collapses under the weight of God’s righteousness. Its lone appearance in Habakkuk 2:16 reverberates through Scripture as a sober reminder that the “cup in the Lord’s right hand” will eventually reach every unrepentant oppressor—yet that same cup has been drained by Christ for all who turn to Him in faith. Forms and Transliterations וְקִיקָל֖וֹן וקיקלון vekikaLon wə·qî·qā·lō·wn wəqîqālōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Habakkuk 2:16 HEB: יְמִ֣ין יְהוָ֔ה וְקִיקָל֖וֹן עַל־ כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ׃ NAS: will come around to you, And utter disgrace [will come] upon your glory. KJV: shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing [shall be] on thy glory. INT: right the LORD'S and utter upon your glory 1 Occurrence |
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