Habakkuk 1:6 (LSB)

Passage

For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That bitter and hasty nation Who walks on the breadth of the land To possess dwelling places which are not theirs.

Nearby Context

Habakkuk 1:4 Therefore the law is ignored, And justice never comes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes forth perverted.

Habakkuk 1:5 “See among the nations! And look! Be also astonished! Be astounded! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if it was recounted to you.

Habakkuk 1:6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That bitter and hasty nation Who walks on the breadth of the land To possess dwelling places which are not theirs.

Habakkuk 1:7 They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and exaltation come forth from themselves.

Habakkuk 1:8 Their horses are swifter than leopards And sharper than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping; Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "raising", "chaldeans", "bitter", "hasty", "nation", "walks", and "breadth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "behold" and "raising", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "See among the nations And look Be..." into verse 7's "They are dreaded and feared Their justice...", so "behold" and "raising" belong inside that flow. In Habakkuk context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "behold" and "raising" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.