Prophet whose book is the eighth in the order of the Twelve Minor Prophets. According to tradition, Habakkuk lived in the middle of the eighth century BCE but there are those who place him after the destruction of the First Temple. In the first chapters of the book there is a strong questioning as to why evil rules over the good in the world, a description of the victory of the Chaldeans, and an account of the fall of the Chaldeans themselves. The third chapter of the work is in the nature of a psalm which describes the appearance of God to bring salvation to his people. The Talmud (Mak. 104a) suggests that Habakkuk reduced the whole of Judaism into one principle, viz., "The righteous man is rewarded with life for his fidelity" (Hab. 2:4).
