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In Habakkuk, God raises up the Babylonians to invade other nations. In 1QpHab, a Dead Sea Scrolls commentary, the invaders become the Kittim, the Romans, so that an older prophecy describes a new empire.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Habakkuk 1:6
Hebrew Bible
5 “Look at the nations and pay attention! You will be shocked and amazed! For I will do something in your lifetime that you will not believe even though you are forewarned. 6 Look, I am about to empower the Babylonians, that ruthless and greedy nation. They sweep across the surface of the earth, seizing dwelling places that do not belong to them. 7 They are frightening and terrifying; they decide for themselves what is right.
1QpHab 2:12
Commentary on Habakkuk
Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Interpretation
10 all that is coming upon his people and [his congregation.] For behold, I am raising up 11 the Chaldeans, that bitter [and hasty] nation. 12 Its interpretation concerns the Kittim, [who are] swift and mighty 13 in battle, to destroy many. [And the land will be] under the dominion of 14 the Kittim. They will take possession of [many lands] and will not believe 15 in the statutes of God. [Who marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not]
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Notes and References
“... 1:6. God’s reply calls attention to “the Chaldeans,” who will be brought to address the issue of injustice. In the first century BCE the Qumran pesher commentary consistently replaces “Chaldeans” (kas´dim) with “Kittim” (kittîm), which refers to the Romans who are “quick and valiant in war, causing many to perish” (1QpHab ii 12–14). The pesher commentary shows that the Romans, the instrument of God’s judgment (1QpHab iii 4–6), were not there yet, but were expected to arrive shortly (cf. Ploeg 1957: 34). ...”
Coggins, Richard, and Jin H. Han
Six Minor Prophets Through the Centuries
(p. 53) Wiley-Blackwell, 2011
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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