Habakkuk

by Robert D. Haak

The 7th century was a time of turmoil in the Near East. The demise of the long-dominant Assyrian empire led to struggles among the remaining powers. The small nation of Judah experienced conflict and confusion as it tried to survive the rapidly changing situation. Habakkuk examines the prophecy of Habakkuk to determine the role which this prophet played in the complex struggles of the period.
Habakkuk begins with form- and text-critical examinations of the prophecy attributed to Habakkuk. These studies provide a clearer understanding of the text and enable the placement of this work within its historical context. A review of the international and internal political situation indicates that the prophecy relates to a specific period within late 7th-century Judah and that its author supported particular persons and policies within this setting. This recognition allows an examination of the roles which Habakkuk and other prophets played within Judahite society.

188 pages, Leather Bound

First published October 1, 1991

Reviews

[Andrew (Drew) Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently this began as a dissertation, but it must have undergone many revisions for it reads like a commentary. The comments are thorough at times and often convincing but sometimes reads as if the author could come up with a reading alternative to the MT, then let's go with that. Obscure words, metatheses, etc. But there really isn't much explanation beyond his comments on the text and his proposals for fixing them. There is commentary on the book as a whole and its setting, but not really much on individual sections after the occasional comments.

Most interesting to me is that the author holds to a general integrity of the book of Habakkuk despite his view of a quite corrupt text.

Learned a lot about a biblical book I didn't know that much about before. It is a nice guide to a beautifully written ancient text, but with some otherwise "interesting" choices.