Habakkuk 1:2
New International Version
How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?

Berean Standard Bible
How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?

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

New King James Version
O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.

New American Standard Bible
How long, LORD, have I called for help, And You do not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.

NASB 1995
How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.

NASB 1977
How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And Thou wilt not hear? I cry out to Thee, “Violence!” Yet Thou dost not save.

Legacy Standard Bible
How long, O Yahweh, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.

Amplified Bible
O LORD, how long will I call for help And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.

Christian Standard Bible
How long, LORD, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
How long, LORD, must I call for help and You do not listen or cry out to You about violence and You do not save?

American Standard Version
O Jehovah, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save.

Contemporary English Version
Our LORD, how long must I beg for your help before you listen? How long before you save us from all this violence?

English Revised Version
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How long, O LORD, am I to cry for help, but you will not listen? I cry out to you, "There's violence!" yet you will not come to the rescue.

Good News Translation
O LORD, how long must I call for help before you listen, before you save us from violence?

International Standard Version
"How long, LORD, must I cry out for help, but you won't listen? I'm crying out to you, 'Violence!' but you aren't providing deliverance.

Majority Standard Bible
How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, ?Violence!? but You do not save?

NET Bible
How long, LORD, must I cry for help? But you do not listen! I call out to you, "Violence!" But you do not intervene!

New Heart English Bible
LORD, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you "Violence." and will you not save?

Webster's Bible Translation
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out to thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

World English Bible
Yahweh, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Until when, O YHWH, have I cried, "" And You do not hear? I cry to You, “Violence!” And You do not save.

Young's Literal Translation
Till when, O Jehovah, have I cried, And Thou dost not hear? I cry unto Thee -- 'Violence,' and Thou dost not save.

Smith's Literal Translation
How long, O Jehovah, did I cry for help, and thou wilt not bear? I will cry to thee violence, and thou wilt not save.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
How long, O Lord, shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? shall I cry out to thee suffering violence, and thou wilt not save?

Catholic Public Domain Version
How long, O Lord, shall I cry out, and you will not heed? Shall I shout to you while suffering violence, and you will not save?

New American Bible
How long, O LORD, must I cry for help and you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” and you do not intervene?

New Revised Standard Version
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry to thee because of the plunderers, and thou wilt not deliver!

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
How long, LORD JEHOVAH, will I cry, and you do not hear, and I cry out to you because of extortionists, and you do not deliver?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
How long, O LORD, shall I cry, And Thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto Thee of violence, And Thou wilt not save.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
How long, O Lord, shall I cry out, and thou wilt not hearken? how long shall I cry out to thee being injured, and thou wilt not save?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Habakkuk's Complaint
1This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision: 2How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save? 3Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.…

Cross References
Psalm 13:1-2
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? / How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day? How long will my enemy dominate me?

Psalm 22:1-2
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning? / I cry out by day, O my God, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest.

Jeremiah 14:9
Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!

Lamentations 3:8
Even when I cry out and plead for help, He shuts out my prayer.

Job 19:7
Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.

Isaiah 59:1-2
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. / But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.

Psalm 10:1
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?

Psalm 74:9-10
There are no signs for us to see. There is no longer any prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last. / How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You? Will the foe revile Your name forever?

Psalm 88:13-14
But to You, O LORD, I cry for help; in the morning my prayer comes before You. / Why, O LORD, do You reject me? Why do You hide Your face from me?

Jeremiah 12:1
Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

Matthew 27:46
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Luke 18:7-8
Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them? / I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

Revelation 6:10
And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who dwell upon the earth and avenge our blood?”

Romans 8:22-23
We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. / Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.


Treasury of Scripture

O LORD, how long shall I cry, and you will not hear! even cry out to you of violence, and you will not save!

how.

Psalm 13:1,2
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? …

Psalm 74:9,10
We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long…

Psalm 94:3
LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

and thou wilt not save.

Psalm 22:1,2
To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? …

Jeremiah 14:9
Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.

Lamentations 3:8
Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

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Habakkuk 1
1. Unto Habakkuk, complaining of the iniquity of the land,
5. is shown the fearful vengeance by the Chaldeans.
12. He complains that vengeance should be executed by them who are far worse.














How long, O LORD
The phrase "How long, O LORD" captures a deep sense of urgency and desperation. In Hebrew, "O LORD" is "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, which emphasizes a personal relationship. The cry "How long" is a common lament in the Psalms and prophetic literature, reflecting a period of prolonged suffering or injustice. It suggests a trial of faith, where the believer is wrestling with the apparent silence of God. Historically, this reflects the period of moral and spiritual decline in Judah, where the prophet Habakkuk is witnessing rampant injustice and is earnestly seeking divine intervention.

must I call for help
The word "call" in Hebrew is "shava," which implies a loud cry or shout for assistance. This is not a casual request but an impassioned plea. The repetition of this action indicates persistence in prayer, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their petitions to God. The historical context here is crucial, as Habakkuk is living in a time when the Assyrian empire's influence is waning, and the Babylonian threat is rising, creating a backdrop of political instability and fear.

but You do not listen
This phrase expresses a perceived divine silence. The Hebrew root "shama" means to hear or listen, and its absence here suggests a crisis of faith. Theologically, this challenges the believer to trust in God's timing and sovereignty, even when immediate answers are not forthcoming. It reflects a common human experience of feeling unheard, yet it also invites deeper trust in God's ultimate justice and wisdom.

or cry out to You, 'Violence!'
"Cry out" translates from the Hebrew "za'aq," which is a cry of distress or a call for help in the face of injustice. The term "Violence" is "chamas" in Hebrew, indicating not just physical violence but also moral corruption and social injustice. This highlights the societal decay that Habakkuk is witnessing, where lawlessness and oppression are rampant. The prophet's cry is not just personal but communal, reflecting the suffering of the people of Judah.

but You do not save
The word "save" comes from the Hebrew "yasha," which means to deliver or give victory. This is a plea for divine intervention and rescue. Theologically, it points to the tension between God's promises of salvation and the present reality of suffering. Historically, this reflects the anticipation of deliverance from oppressive forces, a theme that is fulfilled in the New Testament through the ultimate salvation brought by Jesus Christ. The phrase challenges believers to trust in God's redemptive plan, even when immediate circumstances seem bleak.

(2) Even cry out.--The latter half of the verse is best rendered "Even cry unto thee 'Violence!' and thou wilt not save." The single word "violence!" (chamas) occurs elsewhere, as an appeal for assistance, used as we use the cry "murder!" "fire!" &c., among ourselves. (See Jeremiah 20:8, Job 19:7.)

Verses 2-4. - 2. The prophet complains to God of the iniquity of his own nation, and its consequence. Verse 2. - Shall I cry; Septuagint, κέκραξομαι. The Hebrew is taken to imply that the prophet had long been complaining of the moral depravity of Judah, and calling for help against it There is no reference here, as Ewald fancies, to acts of violence committed by the Chaldeans, who, in fact, are announced as coming to chastise the wickedness of the chosen people (ver. 6). And thou wilt not hear! The continuance of evil unchecked is an anomaly in the prophet's eye; and, putting himself in the position of the righteous among the people, he asks how long this is to last. Even cry out unto thee of violence; better, I cry out unto thee, Violence. A similar construction is found in Job 19:7; Jeremiah 20:8. "Violence" includes all manner of wrong done to one's neighbour. Septuagint, Βοήσομαι πρὸς σὲ ἀδικούμενος, "I will cry unto thee being wronged," as if the wrong was done to the prophet himself. So the Vulgate, Vociferabor ad te vim patiens. But Habakkuk doubtless speaks in the person of the righteous, grieved at the wickedness he sees around, and the more perplexed as the Law led him to look for temporal rewards and punishments, if in the case of individuals, much more in that of the chosen nation (Leviticus 26, passim).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
How long,
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

O LORD,
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

must I call for help
שִׁוַּ֖עְתִּי (šiw·wa‘·tî)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7768: To be free, to halloo

but You do not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

hear,
תִשְׁמָ֑ע (ṯiš·mā‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

or cry out
אֶזְעַ֥ק (’ez·‘aq)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2199: To shriek, to announce, convene publicly

to You,
אֵלֶ֛יךָ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Violence!”
חָמָ֖ס (ḥā·mās)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2555: Violence, wrong, by meton, unjust gain

but You do not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

save?
תוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ (ṯō·wō·šî·a‘)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor


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OT Prophets: Habakkuk 1:2 Yahweh how long will I cry (Hab Hb)
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