Habakkuk

Habakkuk is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, attributed to the prophet Habakkuk. It is one of the Twelve Minor Prophets and consists of three chapters set in Judah during a time of political and military upheaval, traditionally dated to the late 7th century BCE, with some scholars proposing an early 6th-century context amid Babylonian threats.

The book presents a dialogue between Habakkuk and God. In the first chapter, Habakkuk laments widespread injustice and questions why the wicked prosper. God answers that He will raise the Babylonians as an instrument of judgment, though their own arrogance will bring consequences. Habakkuk then poses a second question and waits for God’s further revelation. The famous verse Habakkuk 2:4, “the just shall live by his faith,” appears in this section and becomes a central theme about trust in God amid crisis. The second chapter also includes a vision warning against pride and urging faithfulness. The third chapter is a prayer or psalm in the voice of Habakkuk, expressing awe at God’s mighty acts and concluding with a doxology.

Theologically, Habakkuk engages questions about theodicy, divine justice, and the sovereignty of God, emphasizing faithfulness and trust even when circumstances are perplexing. In Christian interpretation, Habakkuk 2:4 is cited in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. The book’s concise, dialogic style and its fusion of lament and praise have influenced Jewish and Christian thought, liturgy, and theology.