Habakkuk 1:4

Law. Heb. torah (see on Deut. 31:9; Prov. 3:1). Slacked. Heb. pug, “to grow numb.” The prophet attributed the paralyzing of the law’s effectiveness among the inhabitants of Judah to God’s failure to stop this iniquity. For “slacked” the LXX has “frustrated.” However, the Hebrew reading of the Masoretic text is confirmed by the reading of the Hebrew text quoted in the recently discovered Habakkuk Commentary of the Dead Sea scrolls (see p. 1047). Compass. To surround with evil intent (see Ps. 22:12, 13). As a result the righteous are victimized by the wicked, and “judgment” is wrested and perverted in its relation to them. Judgment. Or, “justice.”