Habakkuk in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
II. The Book.
1. Interpretation of Habakkuk 1 and 2:
It is necessary to consider the interpretation of Hab 1 and
2 before giving the contents of the book, as a statement of
the contents of these chapters will be determined by their
interpretation. The different interpretations advocated may
be grouped under three heads: (1) According to the first
view: Hab 1:2-4: The corruption of Judah; the oppression of
the righteous Jews by the wicked Jews, which calls for the
Divine manifestation in judgment against the oppressors.
1:5-11: Yahweh announces that He is about to send the
Chaldeans to execute judgment. 1:12-17: The prophet is
perplexed. He cannot understand how a righteous God can use
these barbarians to execute judgment upon a people more
righteous than they. He considers even the wicked among the
Jews better than the Chaldeans. 2:1-4: Yahweh solves the
perplexing problem by announcing that the exaltation of the
Chaldeans will be but temporary; in the end they will meet
their doom, while the righteous will live. 2:5-20: Woes
against the Chaldeans.
(2) The second view finds it necessary to change the present
arrangement of Hab 1:5-11; in their present position, they
will not fit into the interpretation. For this reason
Wellhausen and others omit these verses as a later addition;
on the other hand, Giesebrecht would place them before 1:2,
as the opening verses of the prophecy. The transposition
would require a few other minor changes, so as to make the
verses a suitable beginning and establish a smooth
transition from 1:11 to 1:2. Omitting the troublesome
verses, the following outline of the two chapters may be
given: 1:2-4: The oppression of the righteous Jews by the
wicked Chaldeans. 1:12-17: Appeal to Yahweh on behalf of the
Jews against their oppressors. 2:1-4: Yahweh promises
deliverance (see above). 2:5-20: Woes against the Chaldeans.
(3) The third view also finds it necessary to alter the
present order of verses. Again Hab 1:5-11, in the present
position, interferes with theory; therefore, these verses
are given a more suitable place after 2:4. According to this
interpretation the outline is as follows: 1:2-4: Oppression
of the righteous Jews by the wicked Assyrians (Budde) or
Egyptians (G. A. Smith). 1:12-17: Appeal to Yahweh on behalf
of the oppressed against the oppressor. 2:1-4: Yahweh
promises deliverance (see above). 1:5-11: The Chaldeans will
be the instrument to execute judgment upon the oppressors
and to bring deliverance to the Jews. 2:5-20: Woes against
the Assyrians or Egyptians.
A full discussion of these views is not possible in this
article (see Eiselen, Minor Prophets, 466-68). It may be
sufficient to say that on the whole the first
interpretation, which requires no omission or transposition,
seems to satisfy most completely the facts in the case...
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