Habakkuk

Habakkuk
An 18th century Russian icon of the prophet Habakkuk (Iconostasis of Transfiguration Church, Kizhi monastery, Karelia, Russia).
Statue of Habakkuk by Donatello, in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo of Florence.

Habakkuk (play /həˈbækək/ or /ˈhæbəˌkʊk/; Hebrew: חֲבַקּוּק‎, Standard Ḥavaqquq Tiberian Ḥăḇaqqûq), also spelled Habacuc, was a prophet in the Hebrew Bible. The etymology of the name of Habakkuk is not clear.[1] The name is possibly related to the Akkadian khabbaququ, the name of a fragrant plant,[1] or the Hebrew root חבק, meaning "embrace". He is the eighth of the twelve minor prophets and likely the author of the Book of Habakkuk, which bears his name.[1]

Contents

Habakkuk in Jewish tradition

Practically nothing is known about Habakkuk's personal life, except for what can be inferred from the text of his book. However, Habakkuk does appear in Bel and the Dragon, which is part of the Additions to Daniel found in the Biblical apocrypha. Verses 33-39 state that Habakkuk is in Judea and after making some stew, he’s told by an angel to take the stew to Daniel, who is in Babylon in the lion’s den. After proclaiming he is unaware of both the den and Babylon, Habbakuk is transported to the den with Daniel via the angel. Habakkuk gives Daniel the food to sustain him, and is immediately taken back to “his own place.” Habakkuk is also mentioned in Lives of the Prophets, which also notes his time in Babylon. [2] The book of Habbakuk consists of five oracles about the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and a song of praise to God. Since the Chaldean rise to power is dated c. 612 BC, it is assumed he was active about that time, making him an early contemporary of Jeremiah and Zephaniah. Jewish sources, however, do not group him with those two prophets, who are often placed together, so it is possible that he was slightly earlier than they. Because the final chapter of his book is a song, it is sometimes assumed in Jewish tradition that he was a member of the tribe of Levi, which served as musicians in Solomon's Temple. According to the Zohar (Volume 1, page 8b) Habakkuk is the boy born to the Shunamite woman through Elisha's blessing. Habakkuk is unique among the prophets in that he openly questions the wisdom of God (1:3a, 1:13b). In the first part of the second chapter, the Prophet sees the injustice among his people and asks why God does not take action: "1:2 Yahweh, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you 'Violence!' and will you not save?" - (World English Bible).

Shrine

Shrine of Habakkuk in Toyserkan, Iran.

A mausoleum in the city of Toyserkan in the west of Iran is believed to be Habakkuk's burial place.[3] It is protected by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization. The Organization's guide to the Hamedan Province states that Habakkuk was believed to be a guardian to the Temple of Solomon, and that he was captured by the Babylonians and remained in their prison for some years. After being freed by Cyrus the Great, he went to Ecbatana and remained there until he died, and was buried somewhere nearby, in what is today Toyserkan. Habakkuk is called both Habaghugh and Hayaghugh by the locals.

Liturgical commemoration

On the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, his feast day is December 2. He is commemorated with the other Minor prophets in the Calendar of saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church on July 31.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Habakkuk article from JewishEncyclopedia.com
  2. ^ Coogan, Michael D. "A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament - The Hebrew Bible in its Context". Oxford University Press, 2009. page 298.
  3. ^ آلبوم عکسهای تویسرکان

Bibliography

  • Lissovsky, Nurit, "Hukkok, Yaquq and Habakkuk's Tomb: Changes over Time and Space," Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 140,2 (2008), 103-118.

This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain.


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  • HABAKKUK — (Heb. חֲבַקּוּק; cf, Akk. ḫambaququ or ḫhabbaququ, a fragrant herb), prophet at the time of the chaldeans ascent to power in the early seventh century B.C.E. (Hab. 1:6), a time apparently after the Egyptian defeat at Carchemish (Jer. 46:2) and… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Habakkuk — 1 Habakkuk 2 Habakkuk 3 …   The King James version of the Bible

  • Habakkuk — • Article on the minor prophet of the Old Testament, and his book Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Habakkuk — [hab′ə kuk΄, hə bak′ək] n. [Heb Ḥabhaqqūq, prob. < ḥābaq, to embrace] Bible 1. a Hebrew prophet of c. 7th cent. B.C. 2. the book containing his prophecies: abbrev. Hab or Hb …   English World dictionary

  • Habakkuk — noun 1. a Hebrew minor prophet • Instance Hypernyms: ↑prophet 2. an Old Testament book telling Habakkuk s prophecies • Syn: ↑Habacuc, ↑Book of Habakkuk • Instance Hypernyms: ↑book …   Useful english dictionary

  • Habakkuk — /heuh bak euhk, hab euh kuk , kook /, n. 1. a Minor Prophet of the 7th century B.C. 2. a book of the Bible bearing his name. Abbr.: Hab. Also, Douay Bible, Habacuc. * * * flourished 6th or 7th century BC One of the 12 Minor Prophets of the Hebrew …   Universalium

  • Habakkuk 1 — 1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. 2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! 3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling… …   The King James version of the Bible

  • Habakkuk 3 — 1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. 2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. 3 God came from Teman, and… …   The King James version of the Bible

  • Habakkuk (disambiguation) — Habakkuk was a biblical prophet, from which the name originates.The Book of Habakkuk is the book of the Hebrew Bible written by that prophet.Habbakuk may also refer to:* Habakkuk Commentary, a Dead Sea scroll * Project Habakkuk, a never completed …   Wikipedia

  • HABAKKUK, PROPHECY OF — HABAKKUK, PROPHECY OF, book attributed to Habakkuk, in an appendix to the sixth century lists of Apocrypha, the Stichometry of Nicephorus and that of Pseudo Athanasius. It is mentioned together with works of Baruch, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Further,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

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