{"id":78728,"date":"2020-08-12T11:01:57","date_gmt":"2020-08-12T08:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=78728"},"modified":"2020-08-12T11:01:57","modified_gmt":"2020-08-12T08:01:57","slug":"habakkuks-concluding-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/habakkuks-concluding-prayer\/","title":{"rendered":"Habakkuk\u2019s Concluding Prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"78728","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33877,"related_cahpter":"545","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Wherein he atones for inadvertently challenging God. Maybe.\r\n\r\n","content":"

The three chapters of the Book of Habakkuk exhibit a clear tripartite structure. Chapter One is devoted entirely to the Prophet\u2019s complaint of how the Lord will not listen to his protest at God\u2019s allowing pervasive violence and injustice. In chapter 2, God finally replies, telling Habakkuk to write down his oracles on tablets for all to read. Our chapter concludes the Book of Habakkuk with the Prophet\u2019s prayer, in which he extensively praises God for having saved Israel in the past (Habakkuk 3:1-17) and finally looks forward to God\u2019s renewed salvation and strength (verses 18-19).<\/span><\/p>\n

Chapter 3 begins with the superscription: \u201cA prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. In the mode of Shigionot\u201d. This plural word appears only here and in the singular in Psalms 7:1: \u201cShiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord\u201d. The exact meaning of <\/span>Shiggaion\/Shigionot<\/span><\/em> is not clear. But on the basis of apparent cognates in other Semitic languages, early translations and general context, most ancient and modern Biblical scholars understand this to be some kind of musical term, i.e. the mode or melody to which such textual unit were to be performed. However, note that the closest Hebrew root to <\/span>Shigionot<\/span><\/em> is <\/span>sh-g-h<\/span><\/em> indicating \u201cinadvertent error\u201d. This association stimulated the midrashic imagination to see Habakkuk\u2019s concluding prayer as suggesting that the Prophet is here attempting to admit and repent the overly confrontational tone of the first chapter of his prophecies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Midrash Tehillim to Psalms 7:1 (section 17) employs key verses from all three chapters of Habakkuk. \u201cI will stand on my watch, take up my station at the post, and wait to see what He will say to me (2:1) — \u201cAt the station \u2013 <\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/i>al matzor<\/span><\/em>) suggests that Habakkuk \u201cmade a form \u2013 <\/span>tzar tzura<\/span><\/em>\u201d, <\/span><\/i>stood within it and proclaimed: I will not move from here until You answer me. God replied: I will give you an answer as I do \u201cfor everyone who has broken his ax for me\u201d (i.e. has given up hope).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But still Habakkuk cried out: \u201cHow long, O Lord, shall I cry out and You not listen. Why do You make me see iniquity? [Why] do You look upon wrong? … Strife continues and contention goes on\u201d (1:2-3). God then replied to Habakkuk: You are not an illiterate ignoramus, but rather a son of Torah. So, \u201cWrite the prophecy down. Inscribe it clearly on tablets, so that it can be read easily\u201d (2:2). As I redeemed Israel in the past so too, when the time comes, I will redeem them in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Habakkuk heard this, he fell on his face pleading: Do not judge me as having intentionally confronted you, but rather unintentionally, as it says: \u201cA prayer of the prophet Habakkuk. In the mode of Shigionot\u201d (3:1). This midrash connects <\/span>Shigionot<\/em> <\/span>to the root <\/span>sh-g-h<\/span><\/em>, suggesting Habakkuk\u2019s final admission and repentance of what he now claims was the \u201cinadvertent error\u201d of confronting God.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":78729,"id":78729,"title":"hab3-challenge","filename":"hab3-challenge.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/habakkuks-concluding-prayer\/hab3-challenge\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"hab3-challenge","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":78728,"date":"2020-08-12 08:00:58","modified":"2020-08-12 08:01:07","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":520,"height":416,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge-300x240.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":240,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge.jpg","medium_large-width":520,"medium_large-height":416,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge.jpg","large-width":520,"large-height":416,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge.jpg","1536x1536-width":520,"1536x1536-height":416,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge.jpg","2048x2048-width":520,"2048x2048-height":416,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge.jpg","post_full_size-width":520,"post_full_size-height":416,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/hab3-challenge.jpg","home_baner-width":520,"home_baner-height":416}},"embedded_video":"","video_duration":"","show_fb_comments":true,"credit_media":""},"tile":{"top_caption":"","main_caption":"Habakkuk\u2019s Concluding Prayer","main_caption_size":"1","sub_caption":"Wherein he atones for inadvertently challenging God. 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