AUTHOR: Little is known of Habakkuk, except what may be inferred from the book which bears his name. He is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible but twice in his Book [ Hab 1:1 - “The weight that the prophet Habakkuk saw”. ] and [ Hab 3:1 - “Prayer of the prophet Habakkuk on Sigionoth”. ]. Some authors have identified him as a Levite, due to some musical remarks made to the liturgical psalm in chapter 3. However, such reasoning is not logical, since, likewise, David wrote several liturgical psalms and was not a Levite. >

ORIGIN OF THE NAME: Habakkuk means "embrace".

THEME: The prophet presents a counterpoint in relation to the prosperity of the wicked. The main message of the book concerns the fact that the just live by faith. The prophet witnesses triumphant and unpunished injustice on all sides. Habakkuk laments the sins of the people, and later of the enemies. At first, their cry for judgment apparently goes unheard by God [ Hab 1:2 - “How long, Lord, will I cry, and you will not listen? I will shout to you: Violence! and wilt not save?”. ]. When the Lord answered the prophet, he was even more astonished, because the agents of God's judgment, the Chaldeans, are more impious and more worthy of punishment than their victims. Habakkuk is perplexed, but fortunately, he conveys his disquiet to God, who soon puts an end to it and presents a solution to the problems, summed up in the statement [ Hab 2:4 - “Behold, the his soul is proud, it is not straight in him; but the just shall live by his faith.” ]. This means that, however triumphant evil may seem, the righteous should not judge by appearances, but by the word of God. Although the wicked live and prosper in their wickedness and the righteous suffer, the latter must live a life of faithfulness and trust.

COMPILATION: Various dates have been suggested for this book, but the most likely period is between 605 BC, the date of Nebuchadnezzar's victory over the Egyptians at Carchemish, Syria , and the year 597 B.C., when the Babylonian armies invaded Judah. It consists of 3 chapters, and 56 verses.