Habakkuk 1:3

“Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause [me] to behold grievance? etc.] 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,…”

“cause me to behold grievance--MAURER denies that the Hebrew verb is ever active; he translates, "(Wherefore) dost Thou behold (without doing aught to check) grievance?" The context favors English Version. there are that raise up strife and contention--so CALVIN. But MAURER, not so well, translates, "There is strife, and contention raises itself."”

“Why dost Thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold - , or rather, “Why beholdest Thou grievance?” God seemed to reverse what He had said by Balaam Numbers 23:21, “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, and hath not seen grievousness in Israel”; and in the Psalms Psalms 10:14, “Thou hast seen, for thou (emphatic) beholdest grievousness and wrong, to put it in Thy hand,” i. e., Thou layest it up in Thy hand, to cast it back on the head of the evildoer. Now He seemed to behold it and leave it unpunished, which yet Habakkuk says to God below, He could not do Habakkuk 1:13; “Thou canst not look upon iniquity.” What then did this mean? What was the solution? All forms and shapes of sin are…”

“1:3 In Habakkuk’s day, destruction and violence permeated Judean society (see Habakkuk Book Introduction, “Setting”).”

“Psa 12:1, Psa 12:2, Psa 55:9-11, Psa 73:3-9, Psa 120:5, Psa 120:6; Ecc 4:1, Ecc 5:8; Jer 9:2-6; Eze 2:6; Mic 7:1-4; Mat 10:16; Pe2 2:8 Habakkuk 1:4”