Habakkuk
About this date: Dates are broad scholarly estimates of composition or final editing, not dates of the events narrated. Traditional attributions and scholarly assessments can differ.
Habakkuk stages a dialogue over violence, unanswered complaint, and the troubling use of an oppressive empire in judgment. Its concluding prayer voices trust without pretending that devastation has disappeared.
Historical context
The reference to the Chaldeans locates the book's horizon in the rise of Babylonian power. The Hebrew language of faithfulness and later Greek and New Testament forms invite careful comparison.
Key points
- The prophet's complaint is part of the book's authorized speech.
- The woes turn attention to exploitation and imperial self-glorification.
- Paul and Hebrews reuse the righteous-by-faith line in distinct arguments.
Scripture
- Habakkuk 1:1-17 — The dialogue begins with violence and intensifies when Babylon becomes part of the answer.
- Habakkuk 2:1-5 — The watch and written vision introduce the statement about the righteous person's life.
- Habakkuk 3:16-19 — The closing prayer expresses trust even when agricultural and economic supports fail.
- Romans 1:16-17 — Paul cites the life-by-faith statement in introducing the gospel's righteousness; compare also Hebrews 10:35-39.
Sources and further reading
- Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles: canonical books and Apocrypha
- Catholic Catechism §120: canon and book list
- Habakkuk: complete public-domain WEB text
- Orthodox Church in America: canon of Scripture
- Orthodox Church in America: Old Testament historical books
- USCCB Bible introductions: historical and literary notes