The introduction also describes Habakkuk’s succeeding speech as an “oracle” (משׂא/maśśāʾ). This description for prophetic vision occurs only eighteen times in the Old Testament. Other introductory oracular language is “word of Yahweh” (דבר־יהוה/dĕbar-Yahweh) or “vision” (חזון/ḥāzôn; see Hab 2:2). The term “oracle” (משׂא/maśśāʾ) can be translated as “burden” and then interpreted in such a way as to reinforce the terrible weight of God’s message to Habakkuk—a word of judgment against God’s people.