Home › Glossary › Letter H

Habakkuk

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Prophet who questioned God’s justice but affirmed trust in Him

Detailed Definition
Habakkuk lamented violence yet declared, “the righteous shall live by faith.” His dialogue with God models honest prayer. In poetry, Habakkuk embodies theodicy, faithful questioning, and the leap of trust amid historical chaos and divine silence.
Example
Example in poetry:
In William Blake’s "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell," Habakkuk’s vision of God’s chariot (Habakkuk 3) challenges static theology; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Habakkuk’s watchtower symbolizes patient waiting; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Habakkuk’s “though the fig tree does not blossom” models faith in barrenness; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Habakkuk represents the prophet of perplexity and praise; In Christina Rossetti’s "Later Life," Habakkuk’s complaint and resolution inspire honest prayer; In T.S. Eliot’s "Ash-Wednesday," Habakkuk’s vision prefigures divine movement in stillness.
Additional Notes
Habakkuk: Prophet who questions God’s justice (“Why do you make me look at injustice?”) and receives a vision of faith (“the righteous shall live by faith,” Hab 2:4). In poetry, Habakkuk models honest lament, theodicy, and trust amid mystery. His watchtower vigil (Hab 2:1) and psalm of praise (chapter 3) offer rich structures—ideal for poems on doubt transformed to worship, or the journey from complaint to confidence.
Also Known As
Habakkuk the Prophet Habakkuk son of Jesus (LXX tradition)
Skip to main content