1The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.2O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!3Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.4Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.5Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you .6For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.7They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.8Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.9They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.10And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.11Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.12Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.13Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?14And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?15They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.16Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.17Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
Habbakuk 1
English Standard Version
1The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. (Na 1:1)
Habakkuk’s Complaint
2O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? (Ps 13:1; Ps 89:46; Mic 6:12)3Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. (Jer 9:2; Hab 1:2)4So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. (Job 21:7; Jer 12:1; Mic 7:3)
The Lord’s Answer
5“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. (Isa 28:21; Isa 29:14; Ac 13:41)6For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. (Jer 5:15; Hab 2:5; Hab 2:6)7They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. (Hab 1:10)8Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. (De 28:49; Jer 4:13; Jer 5:6; Zep 3:3)9They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. (Jos 11:4; Hab 2:17)10At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. (Eze 4:2; Na 3:12)11Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!” (Ho 13:16; Hab 1:7)
Habakkuk’s Second Complaint
12Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. (De 32:4; De 33:27; Ps 90:2; Ps 93:2; Isa 10:5; Mal 3:6)13You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? (Ps 5:5; Ps 35:22; Jer 12:1)14You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.15He[1] brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is glad. (Isa 19:8; Jer 16:16; Am 4:2)16Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury,[2] and his food is rich. (Hab 1:11)17Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever? (Hab 2:10)