Prophet Exegesis: Habakkuk

After conquering northern Israel in 722 B.C.E., the Assyrians engendered centuries of political intrigue and laid the foundation for future unscrupulous kingdoms and idolatrous people.1 Once the Babylonian empire overthrew Josiah, the King of Judah, Habakkuk began to compose a prophetic book, questioning the ways of God. Above all, Habakkuk could not comprehend why “the evil circumvented the just”2; he thought that the impiety of the world did not correlate with a supposedly just God.3 Throughout his narrative, this biblical prophet came to understand that “the just man, because of his faith, shall live” (Hb 2,4). Eventually discovering that righteousness and faith in God lead to justice, Habakkuk cried out to the people of Judah through his prophetic words, assuring that divine intervention would eradicate the wickedness and oppression.

Correspondingly, other canonical prophetic books interpret Yahweh’s will during periods of social or political crisis.4 Many minor prophets wrote during one of the three critical periods: the Assyrian Crisis, the Babylonian threat, or the postexilic readjustment.5 During the Babylonian threat of the late-seventh century, Habakkuk served as a link between God and humanity. The Assyrian kingdom, led by Shalmanasar V, forced the people of Judah into harsh conditions through a heartless deportation. In time, political drama spread throughout the region. After 612 B.C.E. when Assyria fell to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Habakkuk wrote his prophetic book, focusing on the agony of humankind’s struggle to progress in such a wicked world. His message of faith and morality transcended the evil within society, ultimately revealing to the Israelites that justice would prevail.

However, while Habakkuk kn...

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... through his gospel into the world. He taught that strength in one’s faith led to divine justice. The story of Habakkuk concludes that through faith, the wise man should trust that justice eventually prevails.

Works Cited

Andersen, Francis I. Habakkuk: a New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. 1st ed. Vol. 25. New York: Doubleday, 2001. Print.

Harris, Stephen. Understanding The Bible. 6 ed. New York City: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 2002. Print.

Saggs, H.W.F. The Greatness that Was Babylon. New York: Hawthorn, 1962. Print.

Senior, Donald, Mary Ann Getty, Carroll Stuhlmueller, and John J. Collins. "The Book of Habakkuk." Catholic Study Bible: The New American Bible. London: Oxford University Press, 1990. 1150-1153. Print.

The New American Bible. Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2002. Print.