1. AUTHOR. — Habakkuk. Nothing is known of him apart from this prophecy.

2. DATE. — Perhaps in the reign of Jehoiakim, about 607 B. C.

3. PLACE. — At Jerusalem.

4. HISTORICAL OCCASION. — At the time that the Babylonians were about to come to punish the Jews for their wickedness. After the Assyrian power had fallen, and after Josiah had instituted his reforms in the service at the temple.

5. LEADING TOPICS. — The alarming and un expected fact that God was about to employ the Babylonians to punish his people, yet would afterward punish the Babylonians; the assurance that they who were faithful to God would be saved; and the prophet's trust in God, believing that he would do right.

6. CHIEF PURPOSE. — To show why God would punish his people through those who were more wicked than they; that the affliction was not for the destruction of God's true people.

7. GENERAL ANALYSIS.

Part 1. Dialogue between the prophet and God, Ch. 1, 2.

(a) Prophet: Why permit wickedness? Ch. 1:2-4.

(b) God: Will be punished by Babylonians, Ch. 1:5–11.

(c) Prophet: How allow heathen to triumph? Ch:1:12–17.

(d) God: Righteous shall not perish, Babylonians themselves shall be destroyed, Ch. 2:2–20.

Part II. A hymn of praise and trust, Ch. 3.

(a) God's terrible power, Ch. 3:1-16.

(b) The prophet's trust, Ch. 3:17–19.

8. POINTS OF ESPECIAL INTEREST. — Babylonians as God's agents; the just by faithfulness shall live; Babylonians to be punished; glory of the Almighty.

9. SPECIAL SINS CONDEMNED. — Of Judah: Violence, strife, injustice. Of the heathen: Idolatry, oppression, covetousness.

10. NATIONAL HOPES PRESENTED. — None except what are implied in the promise that Judah's enemies would at last be destroyed, and that the faithful should survive.

11. MESSIANIC IDEAS. — There are none that are specifically Messianic.

12. RELATION TO OTHER O. T. BOOKS. — It discusses the problem of the punishment of the chosen people by the heathen, as does Isaiah, but considers especially the difficulty that presents itself. The hymn of praise contains thoughts common to some of the psalms. The central thought of the book, that those who were faithful, or had faith, would be saved, is not found so clearly put in any other book of the Old Testament.

13. TOPICS FOR SPECIAL STUDY. — The history of the Babylonians, and their relation to the Assyrians; the Old Testament condition of salvation, or favor with God.