Habakkuk
Habakkuk (Hebrew: חֲבַקּוּק – Ḥavaqquq; Greek: Ἀμβακοὺμ) is among the twelve minor prophets in the Old Testament and the author of the book bearing his name. His Hebrew name Ḥavaqquq means “embrace” or “beloved”, transcribed as Ambakoúm in the Septuagint. The Bible does not specify his birth details, but tradition suggests he lived in Judea, likely Jerusalem, between 714–700 BC, alongside the prophet Isaiah. It is speculated he may have been a Levite and temple singer, hinted by his book’s third chapter’s liturgical nature.
The book of Habakkuk is brief, comprising three chapters, and is the eighth among the minor prophets. It begins with the prophet lamenting societal lawlessness and violence. God responds, announcing that He will use the Chaldeans (Babylonians) as a tool to punish Judah. Shocked, Habakkuk receives further assurance that the proud will fall and the righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4), a verse central to Christian doctrine, cited in the New Testament (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38). The third chapter is a prayer song, expressing faith in God amidst adversity, stylistically akin to the Psalms, forming the fourth song of the canons in Church liturgy.
The book is noted for its poetic language, clarity, and stylistic elegance, termed by scholars as the “language of the nightingale” in biblical literature. The third chapter exemplifies Jewish sacred poetry, reflecting profound religious sentiment and trust in divine providence.
In the Orthodox Church, Habakkuk is commemorated on December 2. Eusebius of Caesarea mentions his tomb in Keila (Kila), near Eleutheropol. The phrase “the righteous by his faith will live” is both a theological anchor of the book and a bridge linking the Old and New Testaments and the Jewish anticipation of judgment with Christian salvation hope.
Haggai
Haggai (Hebrew: חַגַּי – Ḥaggay; Greek: Ἁγγαῖος) meaning “feast (of the Lord)”, is one of the twelve minor prophets, positioned tenth among the prophetic books. The sole reliable information about Haggai comes from his prophecy, where he is recognized as a contemporary of Zechariah, active during the Persian King Darius I’s reign and under Zerubbabel, Judah’s governor, and the high priest Joshua (Haggai 1:1; 2:2).
His prophetic work dates to 520 BC, in Darius’s second year. His main message urged Jews to resume constructing the Second Temple in Jerusalem, abandoned for about 15 years due to Samaritan opposition following King Cyrus’s initial decree.
The book of Haggai contains only two chapters and is divided into four precisely dated prophetic messages. The first (Hag. 1:1–11) encourages temple rebuilding from the first day of the sixth month. The second (Hag. 2:1–9) supports the builders and prophesies of “The Desire of All Nations” filling the temple with glory. The third (Hag. 2:10–19), from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, announces divine blessings on the land. The fourth (Hag. 2:20–23) promises Zerubbabel a destiny befitting the house of David.
Haggai is mentioned in Ezra (1 Ezra 5:1–2; 6:14) alongside Zechariah as an inspiration for constructing the Second Temple. Traditional Jewish scribes believe Haggai was part of the Great Assembly, preserving prophetic and literary traditions. The book’s language exhibits post-exilic features, with a blend of Hebrew and Aramaic, and is more prosaic, with recurring phrases like “Turn your heart to your ways” (Hag. 1:5, 7; 2:15, 18). It conveys a messianic vision: “I will shake the heavens and the earth… the Desired One of all nations will come… the glory of this latter temple will surpass the former, and I will grant peace here” (Hag. 2:6–9), interpreted in Christianity as a foretelling of the Messiah’s arrival and the temple’s transformation by His presence, as referenced in Hebrews (Heb. 12:26).
The Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of St. Prophet Haggai on December 16.
Hagar
Hagar (Hebrew: הָגָר – Hāgār; Greek: Ἁγάρ –
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