Habakkuk 1:2 kjv

O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

Habakkuk 1:2 nkjv

O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "Violence!" And You will not save.

Habakkuk 1:2 niv

How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?

Habakkuk 1:2 esv

O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save?

Habakkuk 1:2 nlt

How long, O LORD, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
"Violence is everywhere!" I cry,
but you do not come to save.

Habakkuk 1 verses

Habakkuk 1 2 Meaning

Habakkuk 1:2 is a passionate lament, expressing the prophet Habakkuk's profound anguish and perceived desperation regarding the pervasive violence and injustice within Judah. He cries out to the LORD, questioning how long divine intervention will be delayed despite his persistent pleas, highlighting the deep internal suffering and the apparent divine silence in the face of such widespread iniquity and the absence of immediate salvation.

Habakkuk 1 2 Context

The book of Habakkuk stands unique as a prophetic dialogue rather than a direct prophetic message to the people. Habakkuk 1:2 opens the prophet’s initial complaint to God, forming the first part of his questioning. This historical period, around 605-609 BC during the reign of King Jehoiakim in Judah, was marked by severe internal decay. While facing the looming threat of the neo-Babylonian Empire externally, Judah suffered from profound moral corruption, injustice, and oppression internally, often perpetrated by the ruling elite against their own countrymen. Habakkuk observes this societal breakdown, feeling keenly the breach of God’s covenant and the seeming divine indifference or slowness to intervene and bring justice. His lament sets the stage for God's surprising response about the Babylonians, further deepening the prophet's struggle with divine justice.

Habakkuk 1 2 Word analysis

• O LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH, Yahweh): This sacred and personal covenant name of God emphasizes His unchanging faithfulness, self-existence, and supreme authority. Habakkuk’s direct address underscores his deep relationship and reliance on God, even when questioning Him in profound agony.

• how long (עַד-אָנָה - ‘ad ‘anah): This rhetorical, poignant question conveys deep impatience, agony, and a plea for a definitive end to the suffering. It expresses a sense of being stretched to the breaking point and a desperate desire for divine intervention to rectify the perceived inaction. It appears often in Psalms of lament.

• shall I cry (זָעַק - za‘aq): This verb signifies a desperate, often loud and urgent, cry for help or justice, frequently indicating an appeal in distress, pain, or oppression. It implies sustained and persistent appeals rather than a singular outcry, reflecting Habakkuk’s prolonged anguish.

• and You will not hear (וְלֹא תִּשְׁמָע - v'lo' tishma'): The Hebrew "shama‘" (שָׁמַע - hear) entails not just auditory perception but also active listening, understanding, and, crucially, responding or acting upon what is heard. Habakkuk's lament implies God's seeming lack of responsive action to his pleas for justice.

• Even cry out to You (אֶזְעַק אֵלֶיךָ - ‘ez‘aq ‘eleika): This reiterates and intensifies the prophet's desperate and targeted plea. It highlights the directness of his address to God, emphasizing that his complaint is not idle muttering but a focused and repeated cry towards the divine throne.

• 'Violence!' (חָמָס - ḥāmās): This critical term describes more than physical aggression; it encompasses moral wickedness, active wrongdoing, oppression, injustice, and malicious intent. The prophet is primarily observing covenant-breaking injustice within Judah, often perpetrated by those in power against their own people. It signifies a profound moral perversion.

• And You will not save (וְלֹא תוֹשִׁיעַ - v'lo' toshi‘a): To "save" (יָשַׁע - yashâ‘) implies deliverance, rescue, or liberation from oppression or danger. Habakkuk's grievance is God's perceived lack of saving intervention to remedy the internal violence and corruption, an absence of the expected divine response to evil.

• "O LORD, how long shall I cry": This opening establishes the immediate directness and deep lamentation of the prophet's communication with God. It sets a tone of persistent distress and desperate questioning regarding God's timeline for intervention.

• "and You will not hear? Even cry out to You": This pairing emphasizes the prophet's frustration over perceived divine inaction. His lament is not merely rhetorical but expresses genuine confusion and pain at the apparent disconnect between his heartfelt supplication and God’s response.

• "'Violence!' And You will not save.": This highlights the core dilemma for Habakkuk: the ubiquitous and oppressive internal "violence" or injustice, coupled with God's seemingly delayed or absent salvation from this ethical breakdown within Judah. It articulates the theological tension at the heart of the book.

Habakkuk 1 2 Bonus section

This verse stands as an important example of prophetic intercession and lament within biblical tradition. It demonstrates that genuine faith permits honest questioning and fervent wrestling with divine Providence when reality appears to contradict God's revealed character or promises. Habakkuk's direct address to YHWH signals a profound intimacy, where even despair and accusations are directed toward the One believed to be sovereign and just. The specific cry of "violence!" highlights a significant prophetic concern with social justice and ethical integrity, suggesting that internal corruption can be as grave a threat as external enemies, and it certainly draws divine attention.

Habakkuk 1 2 Commentary

Habakkuk 1:2 powerfully articulates the agonizing question that often confronts believers: why does God permit rampant injustice and violence to persist, seemingly ignoring the cries of His people for intervention? This verse is not a challenge to God’s existence but a wrestling with His perceived silence and the timing of His justice. The prophet’s persistent cry against "violence" (hamas) underscores the depth of moral decay he observes, particularly among his own nation, creating a profound theological tension between God’s known holiness and His apparent non-action. This lament initiates a dialogue where God will ultimately reveal His plans for judgment and salvation, though in ways initially incomprehensible and deeply troubling to the prophet. It mirrors the honest complaints permissible within a covenant relationship with God.