Old Testament
The Book of Habakkuk
The Book of Habakkuk is the fortieth of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 3 chapters and 56 verses. The Douay-Rheims calls it Habacuc.
About Habakkuk
About Habakkuk · Prophetic dialogue
Habakkuk is a prophet arguing with God: why does violence go unpunished — and when the answer comes, that Babylon will be the punishment, why use a nation even worse? Written on the eve of Babylon's rise, the book preserves both the complaint and the answer given to it: the vision will not delay, and the just man shall live by his faith. It ends with one of Scripture's greatest prayers of trust, resolving to rejoice in God though every fig tree fails. Paul built his teaching on faith upon its central line.
| Testament | Old Testament — book 40 of 46, 40 of 73 in the Bible |
|---|---|
| Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) |
| Chapters | 3 |
| Verses | 56, as Bless numbers them |
| In the Douay-Rheims | Habacuc |
| Latin | Clementine Vulgate, every chapter |
| Bp. Challoner | Summaries of 2 of 3 chapters · 22 notes |
| Catechism | No references |
Chapter by chapter
All 3 chapters, in brief.
Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.
Habakkuk 1
17 versesThe prophet complains of the wickedness of the people: God reveals to him the vengeance he is going to take of them by the Chaldeans.
Habakkuk 2
20 versesThe prophet is admonished to wait with faith. The enemies of God's people shall assuredly be punished.
Habakkuk 3
19 versesNo summary from Challoner.
Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries
Coming up
Read at Mass.
From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Habakkuk is read at the principal Mass on 0 days in the US calendar. The next 2 readings:
| Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| computed | Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Habakkuk 1:12—2:4 |
| computed | Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4 |
No more readings are listed here; the liturgical calendar has every date through December 31, 2028.
Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.