The prophet complains of the wickedness of the people: God reveals to him the vengeance he is going to take of them by the Chaldeans.

¹ The burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw.¹

1. 1:1Burden: Such prophecies more especially are called burdens, as threaten grievous evils and punishments.(Challoner)

² How long, O Lord, shall I cry out, and you will not heed? Shall I shout to you while suffering violence, and you will not save?

³ Why have you revealed to me iniquity and hardship, to see plunder and injustice opposite me? And there has been judgment, but the opposition is more powerful.¹

1. 1:3In this case, the word ‘contra’ does not mean ‘against’ but ‘opposite’ or ‘in front of.’ Notice that in the Latin ‘contra’ plays into ‘contradictio,’ and, in the English, ‘opposite’ plays into ‘opposition.’(Conte)

⁴ Because of this, the law has been torn apart, and judgment does not persevere to its conclusion. For the impious prevail against the just. Because of this, a perverse judgment is issued.

⁵ Gaze among the nations, and see. Admire, and be astounded. For a work has been done in your days, which no one will believe when it is told.

⁶ For behold, I will raise up the Chaldeans, a bitter and swift people, marching across the width of the earth, to possess tabernacles not their own.

⁷ It is dreadful and terrible. From themselves, judgment and their burden will issue.¹

1. 1:7In this verse, judgment and their burden ‘issue’ from themselves. This is related to verse 4 where ‘a perverse judgment is issued.’(Conte)

⁸ Their horses are more nimble than leopards and swifter than wolves in the evening; their horsemen will spread out. And then their horsemen will approach from far away; they will fly like the eagle, hurrying to devour.¹

1. 1:8The reference to ‘wolves in the evening’ means that wolves move swiftly as night falls, to hunt their prey.(Conte)

⁹ They will all approach towards the prey; their face is like a burning wind. And they will gather captives together like sand.¹

1. 1:9The captives are like sand because of their great number (like the many grains of sand), and because they are as easily gathered as a handful of sand.(Conte)

¹⁰ And concerning kings, he will triumph, and sovereign rulers will be his laughingstock, and he will laugh over every fortress, and he will transport a rampart and seize it.

¹¹ Then his spirit will be altered, and he will cross over and fall. Such is his strength from his god.¹

1. 1:11Then shall his spirit, etc: Viz., the spirit of the king of Babylon. It alludes to the judgment of God upon Nabuchodonosor, recorded Dan. 4., and to the speedy fall of the Chaldean empire.(Challoner)

¹² Have you not existed from the beginning, Lord my God, my holy one, and so we shall not die? Lord, you have stationed him for judgment, and you have established that his strength will be swept away.¹

1. 1:12Or, ‘you have established his strength to be swept away.’(Conte)

¹³ Your eyes are pure, you do not behold evil, and you cannot look towards iniquity. Why do you look upon the agents of iniquity, and remain silent, while the impious is devouring one who is more just than himself?

¹⁴ And you will make men like the fish of the sea and like the creeping things that have no ruler.

¹⁵ He lifted up everything with his hook. He drew them in with his dragnet, and gathered them into his netting. Over this, he will rejoice and exult.¹

1. 1:15The metaphor of a fisherman is used to describe the Antichrist. The words ‘hamo,’ ‘sagena,’ and ‘rete’ describe the equipment used by a fisherman.(Conte)

¹⁶ For this reason, he will offer victims to his dragnet, and he will sacrifice to his netting. For through them, his portion has been made fat, and his meals elite.

¹⁷ Because of this, therefore, he expands his dragnet and will not be lenient in continually putting to death the peoples.¹

1. 1:17The word ‘interficere’ means to execute or to put to death, in the sense of a death sentence by one in authority, not in the sense of killing in the streets.(Conte)