TEXT [Commentary]

  I.   The Prophet’s Perplexities and God’s Explanations (1:2–2:20)

A.   First Perplexity: How Can God Disregard Judah’s Sin? (1:2-4)

2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help?

But you do not listen!

“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,

but you do not come to save.

3 Must I forever see these evil deeds?

Why must I watch all this misery?

Wherever I look,

I see destruction and violence.

I am surrounded by people

who love to argue and fight.

4 The law has become paralyzed,

and there is no justice in the courts.

The wicked far outnumber the righteous,

so that justice has become perverted.

NOTES

1:2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help? The phrase “how long” indicates Habakkuk’s repeated cries to God. The form is typical of lament (cf. Ps 13:1-2). Habakkuk’s plea emphasizes his frustration and exasperation with the state of affairs at that time. The prophet’s concern was a long-standing one, so that his doubts and questionings were not those of a fault-finding, negative critic or a skeptic but rather the honest searchings of a holy prophet of God. The Hebrew word for “call” carries with it the idea of a cry for help. Something of the prophet’s literary artistry surfaces here at the beginning of his prophecy, for the word shiwwa‘ti [TH7768, ZH8775] probably forms an intentional alliterative chiasmus with the verb “save” (toshia‘ [TH3467, ZH3828]) at the end of the verse.

Violence. Regarding this term (khamas [TH2555, ZH2805]), see the commentary on Obad 1:10. The cry and the need for divine help are reminiscent of Job’s lament (Job 19:7; see also Job 9:17-20; 16:12-14; 30:11-15). Jeremiah (Jer 6:7; 20:8) also complained of the violence and destruction of Judahite society, a charge echoed by Ezekiel (Ezek 45:9).

1:3 misery. The noun translated “misery” also occurs with the following noun “destruction” in Prov 24:2 in describing the evil machinations and corrupt words of wicked men.

1:4 law. Habakkuk declared that society must be based on God’s law if righteousness is to prevail. To neglect God’s law was to invite “the ruination of God’s land and people” (Laetsch 1956:318).

no justice. Social justice forms a key consideration in Habakkuk’s oracles (Marks 1987:219). The themes of justice and righteousness are central in the book and will reach a climax in 2:4. Their placement in the middle two lines of the chiastic structure of the verse provides emphatic effect.

outnumber. The Hebrew word carries with it the sense of “encircle, surround”; here it is used with the connotation of hostile intent. Thus, Roberts (1991:90) remarks, “The use of the verb . . . suggests the imposition of severe limitations on the freedom of action of the encircled party, the frustration of the righteous man’s plans and expectations.”

perverted. This hapax legomenon is related to a root attested in Syriac (‘aqal, “twist”) and Arabic (‘aqqala, “bend”); cf. Heb. ‘aqalqal [TH6128, ZH6824] (twisted); ‘aqallathon [TH6129, ZH6825] (crooked).

COMMENTARY [Text]

The nature of Habakkuk’s complaint can be appreciated by the four words he used to describe Judah’s social situation: violence, sin, misery, and destruction. All are strong words that contain moral and spiritual overtones. In order, they depict a society that is characterized by malicious wickedness (cf. Gen 6:11, 13; Ps 72:14), deceitful iniquity—both moral (cf. Job 34:36; Prov 17:4; Isa 29:20) and spiritual (cf. Isa 66:3)—oppressive behavior toward others (cf. Isa 10:1), and the general spiritual and ethical havoc that exists where such sin abounds (cf. Isa 59:7). It is little wonder that under such conditions, people love to “argue and fight” and the legal system becomes subverted.

In Habakkuk’s eyes, then, Judahite society was spiritually bankrupt and morally corrupt. Because sin abounded, injustice was the norm. Habakkuk described the judicial situation in two ways: (1) Because of the basic spiritual condition, the operation of God’s law was sapped of the vital force necessary for it to guide ethical and judicial decisions. Accordingly, righteousness did not characterize Judahite society, and justice was never meted out. (2) Because the society itself had become godless, wicked men could hem in the attempts and actions of the righteous so that whatever justice might exist became so twisted that the resultant decision was one of utter perversity.

These verses, then, underscore the prophet’s consternation as to the seeming divine indifference to all the debauchery he saw around him. Habakkuk was disturbed also by God’s silence with regard to his repeated cries for help and intervention. Additional understanding on this latter point may be gained by considering the relation of Habakkuk’s words to the well-known “call-answer” motif. This theme is used often in the Scriptures to assure believers that they may call upon God for refuge and protection in times of trouble and distress (Pss 17:6-12; 20:6-9; 81:6-7; 102:1-2; 138:8). Further, the believer may find guidance from God (Ps 99:6-7; Jer 33:2-3) and experience intimate communion with him both in this life and in the next (Job 14:14-15; Ps 73:23-26). The motif also touches upon God’s future plans for Israel, which include full restoration to divine fellowship (Isa 65:24; Zech 13:7-9).

Unfortunately, this motif has its negative side, as well. It teaches that when sin is present, God does not answer the one who calls on him (Ps 66:18). The believer must honor God (Ps 4:1-3) and call upon him in truth (Ps 145:17-20). Where there is godless living (Isa 56:11-12), unconcern for the needs of others (Isa 58:6-9), or indifference to the clear teachings of the Word of God (Jer 35:17), there is danger of divine judgment (Zech 7:8-14). Thus, the unanswered call becomes a sign of broken fellowship. The careful believer will call on the Lord with confidence and thus experience the satisfaction that comes from being in full fellowship with his sovereign God (Ps 91:14-16).