Habakkuk Chapter 1 verses 1 thru 6

According to the Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Habakkuk means (embrace). This book would be the eighth, in order, of the Minor Prophets. Of the facts of the prophet's life, we have no certain information.

One important aspect of the ancient Old Testament order of the Hebrew Bible is that the 12 prophetic works of Hosea through Malachi, sometimes referred to as the Minor Prophets, were designed as a single book called The Twelve. Habakkuk is the eighth book of The Twelve.

Habakkuk lived in the final decades of Judah, Israel’s southern kingdom. It was a time of injustice and idolatry, and he saw the rising threat of the Babylonian empire on the horizon. Unlike the other Hebrew prophets, Habakkuk doesn’t accuse Israel or even speak to the people on Yahweh’s behalf. Instead, all of his words are addressed to Yahweh. The book of Habakkuk tells us about Habakkuk’s personal struggle to believe that Yahweh is good when there is so much tragedy and evil in the world.

Habakkuk sees the darkness of the world as an invitation to have faith in Yahweh’s promise to one day set things right. Living with such faith means trusting that Yahweh loves this world and works to one day eliminate all evil forever.

1.   Burden = Same as in Nahum 1:1. 

Did see! = The Hebrew pronunciation places the chief pause on this verb, to emphasize the fact that the giving of the vision was of more importance than what was revealed by it. A second and lesser pause is placed on "burden", leaving "Habakkuk" as being less important. The verse therefore should read, "The burden or doom which he saw, Habakkuk the prophet".

2.  LORD = Hebrew. Yahweh 

cry = cry for help in distress; as in Psa. 18:6, 41; P22:24. Compare Job 19:7. Jerm. 20:8. Showing that the cry is not personal but made in the name of all who suffered from the evil times. 

cry out = cry with a loud voice, implying the complaint.

3.  iniquity = Hebrew. 'aven.  = From an unused root perhaps meaning properly to pant (hence to exert oneself, usually in vain; to come to naught); strictly nothingness; also, trouble, vanity, wickedness; specifically, an idol:  trouble, having special reference to the nature and consequences of evildoing. 

grievance = oppression, or injustice. Hebrew. 'amal. toil, that is, wearing effort; hence worry, whether of body or mind: 

Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? = This was, and is, an excellent question. Why does Yahweh allow us to see iniquity and trouble, in ourselves or in others?

4.  the law = the Torah

slacked = ‘poog’ to be sluggish 

judgment = justice. 

the wicked = a lawless one: looking forward from the Chaldeans to the future Antichrist. Hebrew. rasha'.  

the righteous = the just one (Art. with Hebrew. 'eth). DON’T OVERLOOK THIS!!

Eth = the Aleph and Tav of the Hebrew Alphabet.

Iniquity…trouble.… plundering and violence…strife…contention.… the law is powerless…justice never goes forth…perverse judgment proceeds = Habakkuk saw trouble and sin everywhere, from personal relationships to the courts of law. This distressed him so much that he cried out to Yahweh and asked Yahweh why He didn’t bring judgment and immediately correct things.

5.   Behold = Look ye. This is said for emphasis, introducing the change to Yahweh's answer. This is quoted in Acts 13:41. 

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