Overview
Habakkuk questions God about the unchecked injustice in Judah and about the use of the more wicked Babylonians as an instrument of judgment. God answers that the righteous will live by his faith (faithfulness) and that the proud will surely be judged, and the prophet responds with a prayer and hymn of trust.
Theme The faith (faithfulness) of the righteous who trust in God's justice in the face of evil
Historical background
The book is set in the period when Babylon (Chaldea) defeated Egypt at the battle of Carchemish in 605 BC and gained dominance over the Near East. Babylon subsequently attacked Jerusalem in 597 and 586 BC. Habakkuk 2:4 is cited in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38.