1 THE burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
3 Why 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.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
5 Behold 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.
6 For, 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.
7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
8 Their 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.
9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
10 And 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.
11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
12 Art 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.
13 Thou 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?
14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
15 They 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.
16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

1The burden which Habakkuk þe Prophet did see.

2O Lord, howe long shall I crie, and thou wilt not heare! euen cry out vnto thee of violence, and thou wilt not saue?

3Why doest thou shew me iniquity, & cause me to behold grieuance? for spoiling and violence are before me: & there are that raise vp strife and contention.

4Therefore the Lawe is slacked, and iudgement doeth neuer goe foorth: for the wicked doeth compasse about the righteous: therfore wrong iudgement proceedeth.

5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marueilously: for I wil worke a worke in your daies, which yee will not beleeue, though it be tolde you.

6For loe, I raise vp the Caldeans, that bitter and hastie nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs.

7They are terrible and dreadfull: their iudgement and their dignity shal proceed of themselues.

8Their horses also are swifter then the leopards, and are more fierce then the euening wolues: & their horsemen shall spread themselues, and their horsemen shall come from farre, they shall flie as the Eagle that hasteth to eate.

9They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup vp as the East winde, and they shall gather the captiuitie as the sand.

10And they shal scoffe at the Kings, and the Princes shall bee a scorne vnto them: they shall deride euery strong holde, for they shall heape dust & take it.

11Then shall his minde change, and he shall passe ouer, and offend, imputing this his power vnto his God.

12 Art thou not from euerlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy one? we shall not die: O Lord, thou hast ordained them for iudgement, and O mightie God, thou hast established them for correction.

13Thou art of purer eyes then to beholde euill, and canst not looke on ininquitie: wherefore lookest thou vpon them that deale treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then hee?

14And makest men as the fishes of the Sea, as the creeping things, that haue no ruler ouer them.

15They take vp all of them with the angle: they catch them in their net, and gather them in their dragge; therefore they reioyce and are glad.

16Therefore they sacrifice vnto their net, and burne incense vnto their drag: because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

17Shall they therefore emptie their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

II == Lam 3:8

IV == Job 21:7 ; Ps 94:3 ; Jer 12:1

V == Isa 29:14 ; Acts 13:41

VI Deut 28;49-50 ; Jer 5:15

VIII == Jer 4:13 ; 5:6 ; Zeph 3:3

XI == Dan 5:4

XII == Deut 32:4 ; 2nd Kings 19:25 ; Ps 17:13 ; 90:2 ; 93:2 ; Isa 10:5-7 ; Lam 5:19 ; Ezek 30:25

XIII == Ps 5:5 ; Jer 12:1

XV == Jer 16:6 ; Amos 4:2

XVI == Deut 8:17 ; Isa 10:13 ; 37:24-25

1 The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet received in vision.

2 How long, O LORD? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not intervene.

3 Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord.

4 This is why the law is benumbed, and judgment is never rendered: Because the wicked circumvent the just; this is why judgment comes forth perverted.

5 Look over the nations and see, and be utterly amazed! For a work is being done in your days that you would not have believed, were it told.

6 For see, I am raising up Chaldea, that bitter and unruly people, That marches the breadth of the land to take dwellings not his own.

7 Terrible and dreadful is he, from himself derive his law and his majesty.

8 Swifter than leopards are his horses, and keener than wolves at evening. His horses prance, his horsemen come from afar: They fly like the eagle hastening to devour;

9 each comes for the rapine, Their combined onset is that of a stormwind that heaps up captives like sand.

10 He scoffs at kings, and princes are his laughingstock; He laughs at any fortress, heaps up a ramp, and conquers it.

11 Then he veers like the wind and is gone - this culprit who makes his own strength his god!

12 Are you not from eternity, O LORD, my holy God, immortal? O LORD you have marked him for judgment, O Rock , you have readied him for punishment!

13 Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil, and the sight of misery you cannot endure. Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked man devours one more just than himself?

14 You have made man like the fish of the sea, like creeping things without a ruler.

15 He brings them all up with his hook, he hauls them away with his net, He gathers them in his seine; and so he rejoices and exults.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and burns incense to his seine; For thanks to them his portion is generous, and his repast sumptuous.

17 Shall he, then, keep on brandishing his sword to slay peoples without mercy?

V 1-11 Habakkuk's Complaint

Habakkuk could not understand the justice that his own nation should be destroyed for its wickedness by a nation that was more wicked. God told Habakkuk that he had a purpose in the terrorizing conquest or the Chaldean armies

v 1. We know Habakkuk means “embrace”, but it’s intended use is uncertain. He was apparently a Levite musician in addition to a prophet. He prophesied during the godless reign of Jehoiakim, just before Judah’s captivity. His was a heavy message.

v 2-4. His question was similar to that of Job to our present day. “Why do the wicked prosper?” Justice was perverted and God seemed to ignore it. Ps. 73:3,12.

v 5. God answered He would cause unbelievable actions in international affairs.

v 6-9. The Chaldeans were cousins of Abraham and Israel, but like the Assyrians, these Babylonians were ruthless. They had fast horses that loved the challenge of battle, and chariots that swept over the mid eastern area, taking multitudes of captives.

v 10. They scoffed at kings, as they killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, then put out his eyes. They scoffed at strongholds by making battle siege mounts.

v 11. Sacrilegiously, they made their strength their god, a false god.

v 12--2:20 Habakkuk's Second Complaint

Habakkuk seeks further enlightenment from God after he acknowledged that Judah deserved punishment for her sins.

God answered Habakkuk with that the Chaldean power, drunk with the blood of nations, be destroyed in her turn, and God's people would yet fill the earth.

v 13. Yet he wondered why God would use an even more wicked one to do this.

v 14,15. Judah was helpless like fish and Babylon like fishermen with hooks and nets rejoicing over their catch, and Habakkuk wondered why God allowed it.

v 16,17. The Babylonians worshiped the very military might that brought them profits, and He wondered if God would let these idolaters keep on plundering others.