Habakkuk the prophet: he was from the field of Bethzouchar, of the tribe of Simeon.

2He saw before the captivity the capture of Jerusalem, and mourned greatly over the city and the people.

3And when Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem to plunder it, he fled to Ostrakine, and was there a sojourner in the land of Ishmael.

4And when the Chaldeans returned from Jerusalem to their own land, having made it a spoil, and the remnant who were in Jerusalem went down into Egypt, he himself went up to his own land.

5He served the reapers of his own field; for he had sown barley.

6And when he had boiled food for them, he prophesied to his own people, saying: "I am going to a far country, and I shall quickly return.

7But if I delay, carry food to the reapers."

8And having come to Babylon, and having given the meal to Daniel in the lions' den, he returned and stood by the reapers as they ate; and he told no one what had happened.

9And the prophet understood that the people would soon return from Babylon to Jerusalem.

10And he gave a sign to those in Judea, that they would see a great light shine forth in the temple; and so they would see the glory of God.

11And concerning the consummation of the temple he foretold that by a western nation the plundering of the temple of Jerusalem would come; then the veil of the Dabeir would be rent into two parts, and the capitals of the two pillars would be taken away.

12And no one will know where they will be.

13But they will be carried off into the wilderness by angels, where in the beginning the tent of witness was pitched.

14And in them the Lord will at the end be made known, for they will give light to those pursued by the serpent, as from the beginning; and the Lord will save them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and they will be in a holy tent.

15This prophet prophesied much concerning the coming of the Lord; two years before the return of the people from Babylon he died, and was buried in his own field with honor.