Habakkuk 1 Commentary

Habakkuk 1 records a dialogue between the LORD and His prophet, Habakkuk. The prophet begins by asking the LORD why He is so silent and distant when wickedness and injustice prevail in the land of Judah. Judah was the southern kingdom that remained after the ten northern tribes seceded from Israel.

The LORD replies to Habakkuk to inform him that He fully intends to judge Judah's wickedness, and will use the Chaldeans (Babylonians)—a ruthless and ferocious nation—to discipline Judah. The prophet closes this chapter by asking a second question. Habakkuk desires justice, but asks God why a holy and eternal God would use such an unholy nation to punish His covenant people. This question sets up the verse in Chapter 2 that is quoted three times by Paul in the New Testament and is a major theme of Paul's writings: "the righteous will live by his faith."

The outline of the Chapter 1 is as follows:

1. Habakkuk receives a revelation from the LORD in a vision (v. 1).
2. Habakkuk complains to the LORD as he witnesses wickedness and injustice that remain unaddressed in his society (vv. 2–4).
3. The LORD tells Habakkuk that He will use the Chaldeans as His instrument to carry out His judgment on the people of Judah (vv. 5–6).
4. The LORD proceeds to describe the military strength and pride of the Chaldeans that will discipline Judah (vv. 7–11).
5. Habakkuk complains to the LORD again. He asks the LORD why He will use the Chaldeans to punish Judah, when they are even more wicked than the people of Judah (vv. 12­–17). This sets up the answer in Chapter 2 that the righteous live by faith.