John Gill Commentary Habakkuk 1:3

"Why dost thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? for destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up." — Habakkuk 1:3 (ASV)

Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause [me] to behold
grievance ?
&c.] That is, wicked men, and such as give a great deal of trouble vexation, and grief to others, by their rapine and oppression; suggesting that he could not turn his eyes any where, but such persons presented themselves to his view; and that their wicked actions were performed by them openly and publicly, in the sight of all, without any shame or fear. So the Targum, ``why do I see oppressors, and behold those that do the labour of falsehood?''

For spoiling and violence [are] before me ;
in my sight and presence, though a prophet, and notwithstanding all my remonstrances, exhortations, and reproofs; such were the hardness, obstinacy, and impudence of this people; to such a height and pitch of iniquity were they arrived, as to do not regard the prophets of the Lord. The Targum is, ``spoilers and robbers are before me:'' or, "against me" ^F17 , as in the text; these sins were committed against him, he was injuriously used himself; or they were done to others, contrary to his advice and persuasion:

and there are [that] raise up strife and contention ;
in the kingdom, in cities, in families; in one man, brother, friend, and neighbour, against another; which occasion lawsuits, and in them justice is not done, as follows. It may be rendered, "there shall be and is a man of strife"; so Japhet. "And he shall raise up contention"; one man given to strife will and does cause great contention in communities, civil and religious.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F17: (ydgnl) "contra me", Pagninus, Montanus; "e regione mei", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Tarnovius.