Bible Commentaries
Habakkuk

Hab HABAKKUK. THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE. Habakkuk 1:1 - Habakkuk 2:20 . THE BURDEN OF HABAKKUK. Habakkuk 3:1-19 . THE PRAYER OF HABAKKUK. For the CANONICAL order and place of the Prophets, see Appdx-1, and pp. 1206 and 1207. For the CHRONOLOGICAL order of the Prophets, see Appdx-77. For the Inter-relation of the Prophetio Books, see Appdx-78. For the Formulae of Prophetic Utterance. See Appdx-82. For References to the Pentateuch by the Prophets, see Appdx-92. For the Inter-relation of the Minor (or Shorter) Prophets, see pp. 1206 and 1207. Of Habakkuk (pronounced Habak''-kuk) nothing can be really known beyond what he says of himself. From this it is clear that he lived in evil days, and was perplexed with the silence and forbearance of a holy God in permitting the evil to continue. Cp. Psalms 73:0 . His prophecy takes the form of a colloquy with Jehovah; and Jehovah answers his cry by revealing the fact that a time will come when the evil will be visited upon Judah by the Chaldean successors of Assyria (Habakkuk 1:6 ), and by the Dispersion of Judah (Habakkuk 1:5-11 ). The prayer in chAppdx-3 is very important as being a summary of Jehovah''s dealings with His People from the passage of the Red Sea to the prophet''s own time. The prayer is important also, as being the model (together with Isaiah 38:0 ), outside the Psalter, of the proper construction of a Psalm, with (1) the super -scription, (2) the text, and (3) sub -scription (see Appdx-65); and also, of the meaning and use of the word "Selah" (Appdx-66. II). The prophecy is undated; but we have a clue afforded in Habakkuk 1:5 , Habakkuk 1:6 . It is given to Habakkuk before the fall of Nineveh, which placed Babylon at the head of the Gentile world. According to traditional or "received" dating, this took place in 625 B. C, but, according to the chronology given in Appdx-50, it was 515 B. C, or 110 years later. If the hints given in Habakkuk 1:3 ; Habakkuk 1:11 are to he accepted on the above lines, we may date the prophecy of Habakkuk as being given (as a whole), or at any rate commenced, in the year with which Jeremiah begins:viz. in the thirteenth year of Josiah, 518 B. c, i.e. three years before the destruction of Nineveh. In this case, supposing one among those Habakkuk addressed to be twenty years old, he would he forty-two in Jehoiakim''s fourth year and Nebuchadnezzar''s first. At the carrying away to Babylon he would be forty-nine; and at the destruction of Jerusalem he would be sixty-one. Habakkuk 1:1 - Habakkuk 2:20 . THE BURDEN OF HABAKKUK. Habakkuk 1:1-4 . The prophet''s cry. Habakkuk 1:5-11 . Jehovah''s answer. Habakkuk 1:12-17 ; Habakkuk 2:1 . The prophets cry. Habakkuk 2:2-20 . Jehovah''s answer. Habakkuk 2:2-20 . JEHOVAH''S ANSWER. Habakkuk 2:2 . Command to write. Habakkuk 2:3 . Reason. That the reader may flee. Habakkuk 2:4 -. Incrimination. Pride. - Habakkuk 2:4 . Contrast. Jehovah''s reward. Habakkuk 2:5-7 . Incrimination. Greed. Habakkuk 2:8 . Reason. Retaliation. Habakkuk 2:9-13 . Incrimination. Covetousness. Habakkuk 2:14 . Contrast. Jehovah''s glory. Habakkuk 2:15-16 . Incrimination. Drunkenness. Habakkuk 2:17 . Reason. Retaliation. Habakkuk 2:18-19 . Incrimination. Idolatry. Habakkuk 2:20 . Contrast. Jehovah''s exaltation. Habakkuk 3:1-19 . THE PRAYER OF HABAKKUK. Habakkuk 3:1 . The Superscription. Habakkuk 3:2 . "I have heard" Consequent effect, "fear". Habakkuk 3:3-15 . Salvation. Jehovah''s doings. The Giving of the Law . Habakkuk 3:16 . "I have heard." Consequent effect, "trembling". Habakkuk 3:17-19 -. Salvation. Jehovah''s character. The sending of Grace . - Habakkuk 3:19 . The Subscription. Habakkuk 3:3-15 . SALVATION. JEHOVAH''S DOINGS. Habakkuk 3:6-11 . HIS DOINGS. Habakkuk 3:6 . At, and after creation. Habakkuk 3:7 . Among Israel''s enemies. Habakkuk 3:8 . At the Exodus. Habakkuk 3:9-10 . In Israel''s Deliverances. Habakkuk 3:11 . At the Conquest of Canaan. Habakkuk 3:12-13 . JEHOVAH''S GOINGS. Habakkuk 3:12 . For the subduing of Israel''s enemies. Habakkuk 3:13 -. For the salvation of Israel. - Habakkuk 3:13 . For the subduing of Israel''s enemies.