Review of Oskar Dangl, Das Buch Habakuk. Neuer Stuttgarter Kommentar - Altes Testament 25/1. Stuttgart: Bibelwerk, 2014
Csaba Balogh: Review of Oskar Dangl, Das Buch Habakuk. Neuer Stuttgarter Kommentar - Altes Testament 25/1. Stuttgart: Bibelwerk, 2014. In: Review of Biblical Literature .12 (2018), 1-6. pp.
Writing a commentary with one eye for critical issues and with another for interested lay readers with no knowledge of biblical languages is always a demanding task, but it becomes an almost impossible undertaking in a case such as the book of Habakkuk, insofar as most problems of this controversial small composition are closely tied to (Hebrew) textuality. Although I did occasionally have doubts regarding the accessibility of the topic and the language of exposition for the general reader, one must ultimately recognize that Oskar Dangl did attain the purpose of any serious commentary with whatever audience in view, namely, to raise interest in a close reading and more text-focused study of the difficult prophetic compositions.
