1The oracle Is 13:1; 30:6; Jr 18:18; Ezk 12:10; Hab 1:1; Zch 9:1; 12:1; Mal 1:1 that Habakkuk the prophet saw. Nm 24:4; Jb 19:26; Is 13:1
Habakkuk’s First Prayer
and You do not listen
or cry out to You about violence ** Jr 6:7; Ezk 7:11,23; 8:17; 12:19; 45:9; Mc 6:12; Hab 1:9; 2:8,17
and You do not save?
3Why do You force me to look at injustice? Jb 4:8; Ps 5:5; Is 5:7
Why do You tolerate Lit observe wrongdoing?
Oppression and violence are right in front of me.
Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.
4This is why the law is ineffective
and justice never emerges.
For the wicked restrict Jdg 20:43; Ps 22:12 the righteous;
therefore, justice Ex 23:6 comes out perverted.
God’s First Answer
be utterly astounded! Gn 43:33; Ps 48:5; Ec 5:8
For something is taking place in your days
that you will not believe Gn 15:6
when you hear about it. Ac 13:41
that bitter, Jdg 18:25 impetuous nation
that marches across the earth’s open spaces
to seize territories not its own.
7They are fierce Sg 6:4,10 and terrifying;
their views of justice and sovereignty
stem from themselves.
and more fierce Or and quicker than wolves of the night.
Their horsemen charge ahead;
their horsemen come from distant lands.
They fly like an eagle, swooping to devour. Dt 28:49
9All of them come to do violence;
their faces Gn 48:11 are set in determination. Hb obscure
They gather Dt 11:14 prisoners like sand. Jos 11:4
10They mock 2Kg 2:23 kings,
and rulers are a joke to them.
They laugh 2Ch 30:10 at every fortress
and build siege ramps to capture Nm 21:32 it.
11Then they sweep Is 8:8 by like the wind
and pass through.
They are guilty; Or wind, and transgress and incur guilt their strength is their god.
Habakkuk’s Second Prayer
12Are You not from eternity, Yahweh my God? 1Ch 29:10; Ps 90:2; 93:2; 103:17; Mc 5:2
My Holy One, Is 1:4 You Ancient Jewish tradition reads we will not die.
Lord, You appointed them to execute judgment;
my Rock, Dt 32:4; Ps 18:2 You destined them to punish us.
13Your eyes 2Ch 6:20; 16:9 are too pure Ex 25:11; Ps 12:6; 19:9; 51:10; Pr 22:11; Ezk 36:25 to look on evil,
and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous? Jdg 9:23
Why are You silent
while one = Babylon who is wicked swallows up
one = Judah who is more righteous than himself?
14You have made mankind
like the fish of the sea, Ec 9:12
like marine creatures that have no ruler.
15The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,
catch them in their dragnet, 2Kg 19:28; 2Ch 33:11; Is 37:29; Jr 16:16; Ezk 19:4,9; 29:4; 38:4; Am 4:2
and gather them in their fishing net;
that is why they are glad and rejoice.
16That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet
and burn incense to their fishing net,
for by these things their portion is rich
and their food plentiful. Dt 8:17; Is 10:13; 37:24-25
17Will they therefore empty their net DSS read sword
and continually slaughter nations without mercy?
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