Habakkuk
Habakkuk questions why God allows injustice and receives the answer that the righteous will live by faith.
What the sources say, and how sure we are
- The text says
The book records a dialogue between the prophet and God about violence in Judah and the coming of the Chaldeans (Babylonians). It ends with a prayer in poetry.Hab 1:5–6; Hab 3
- Outside evidence
The Dead Sea Scrolls include a commentary on Habakkuk (1QpHab) from the first century BC or earlier, showing that the book was read and interpreted at Qumran.1QpHab
- Debated
The book gives no date. Most scholars place it between the Babylonian victory at Carchemish in 605 BC and the first capture of Jerusalem in 597 BC. Some argue for a slightly earlier date.
- Christian conclusion
Paul and the letter to the Hebrews quote Habakkuk 2:4, “the righteous shall live by faith.”Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38