Habakkuk 1

Habakkuk’s Complaint

1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2 How long, LORD, do I have to cry for help and You do not listen, I shout to You about violence and You do not save.

3 Why do You make me look at injustice? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are right in front of me; conflict keeps rising, and fighting never stops.

4 The law is ignored, justice never shows up, the wicked surround the righteous, and justice gets twisted.

The Lord’s Answer

5 “Look at the nations and watch, be shocked and amazed, because I am doing something in your days you would not believe even if someone told you.

6 I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and reckless nation, marching across the earth to take homes that are not theirs.

7 They are feared and dreaded, making their own justice and authority.

8 Their horses are faster than leopards, fiercer than wolves at night. Their horsemen charge ahead, coming from far away, flying like an eagle diving on its prey.

9 All of them come for violence. Their hordes move forward like the east wind, gathering prisoners like sand.

10 They mock kings and laugh at rulers. They laugh at every fortress, pile up dirt ramps, and take it.

11 Then they sweep through like the wind and move on, guilty people whose strength is their god.”

Habakkuk’s Second Complaint

12 LORD, are You not from everlasting, My God, my Holy One, You will not die. LORD, You appointed them to execute judgment, Rock, You established them for correction.

13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the treacherous, Why stay silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves,

14 You made people like fish in the sea, like sea creatures with no ruler.

15 The enemy pulls all of them up with hooks, catches them in nets, gathers them in dragnets, and then celebrates and rejoices.

16 That is why he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them he lives in luxury and enjoys rich food.

17 Is he supposed to keep emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy forever,