Lexical Summary Chabaqquq: Habakkuk Original Word: חֲבַקּוּק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Habakkuk By reduplication from chabaq; embrace; Chabakkuk, the prophet -- Habakkuk. see HEBREW chabaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chabaq Definition a Heb. prophet NASB Translation Habakkuk (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲבַקּוּק proper name, masculine the prophet Habakkuk Habakkuk 1:1; Habakkuk 3:1; ᵐ5 Ἀμβακουμ (Assyrian —amba‡û‡u is name of a plant, DlHA 36, Pr 84, so  in Yemen (Schweinfurth) see HomAufsätze u. Abh. 1892, 27, 28). Topical Lexicon Name and Identity Habakkuk is identified twice in Scripture as “Habakkuk the prophet” (Habakkuk 1:1; 3:1). Though little personal information is supplied, his title establishes him among the canonical prophets who spoke under divine inspiration to Judah in the tumultuous period preceding the Babylonian exile. Occurrences 1. Habakkuk 1:1 – Introduces “the oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received.” Historical Setting Internal evidence places Habakkuk in the late seventh century B.C. Babylon (the Chaldeans) is rising to power (Habakkuk 1:6), suggesting a date between the fall of Nineveh (612) and the first Babylonian incursion against Judah (605). He is possibly contemporary with Jeremiah and Zephaniah, ministering during Jehoiakim’s reign when Josiah’s reforms were fading and national violence and injustice were rampant. Prophetic Message 1. Cry of Perplexity (Habakkuk 1:2-4) – The prophet wrestles with God over unchecked wickedness in Judah: “How long, O LORD, must I cry for help?” Theological Significance • Justification by Faith: “But the righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). This cornerstone statement is cited in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38, undergirding the doctrine that divine approval rests on faith rather than works or circumstance. Liturgical and Poetic Features Chapter 3 is formatted as a psalm, marked by musical notations (“Shigionoth,” “Selah”) and the closing superscription “For the choirmaster, on my stringed instruments.” This indicates temple worship use and portrays the prophet as both seer and liturgist. Influence on Later Scripture and Theology Habakkuk’s declaration of living by faith shaped apostolic teaching on salvation. The Dead Sea Scrolls’ Habakkuk Commentary (1QpHab) shows the book’s importance to Second Temple Judaism, interpreting contemporary events through its lens. In Christian history Martin Luther’s study of Habakkuk 2:4 ignited Reformation insights into grace. Legacy and Practical Application Habakkuk models honest dialogue with God, moving from complaint to confident praise. He teaches believers to stand watch in prayer, await God’s answer, receive corrected vision, and live by unwavering faith regardless of external turmoil: “The LORD God is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer” (3:19). Forms and Transliterations חֲבַקּ֖וּק חבקוק לַחֲבַקּ֣וּק לחבקוק chavakKuk ḥă·ḇaq·qūq ḥăḇaqqūq la·ḥă·ḇaq·qūq lachavakKuk laḥăḇaqqūqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Habakkuk 1:1 HEB: אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה חֲבַקּ֖וּק הַנָּבִֽיא׃ NAS: which Habakkuk the prophet KJV: The burden which Habakkuk the prophet INT: which saw Habakkuk the prophet Habakkuk 3:1 2 Occurrences |
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