Haggai 2
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
In the seventh month - This was a new message, and intended to prevent discouragement, and excite them to greater diligence in their work.
Open source ↗SECOND PROPHECY. The people, discouraged at the inferiority of this temple to Solomon's, are encouraged nevertheless to persevere, because God is with them, and this house by its connection with Messiah's kingdom shall have a glory far above that of gold and silver. (Hag 2:1-9) seventh month--of the Hebrew year; in the second year of Darius reign (Hag 1:1); not quite a month after they had begun the work (Hag 1:15). This prophecy was very shortly before that of Zechariah.
Open source ↗In the seventh month,.... The month Tisri, which answers to part of September and part of October: in the one and twentieth day of the month; being a month, wanting three days, from the time the Jews came and worked in the house of the Lord, Hag 1:14 it was toward the close of the feast of tabernacles: see Lev 23:34, came the word of the Lord by the Prophet Haggai; the word of prophecy, as the Targum: this was from the Lord, not from the prophet himself; he was only the messenger sent with it to deliver it: saying; to him the prophet, giving him orders as follow:
Open source ↗Glory of the New Temple- Hag 2:1 and Hag 2:2. "In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai," viz., to Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the remnant of the nation, that is to say, to the whole of the congregation that had returned from exile; whereas the first appeal was only addressed to Zerubbabel and Joshua (see the introduction to Hag 1:1), although it also applied to the whole nation. Just as in the second year of the return from Babylon, when the foundation for the temple, which was about to be rebuilt, was laid in the reign of Cyrus, many old men, who had seen the temple of Solomon, burst out into loud weeping when they saw the new foundation (Ezr 3:10.); a similar feeling of mourning and despair appears to have taken possession of the people and their rulers immediately after the work had been resumed under Darius, and doubts arose whether the new building was really well-pleasing to the Lord, and ought to be carried on. The occasion for this despondency is not to be sought, as Hitzig supposes, in the fact that objections were made to the continuance of the building (Ezr 5:3), and that the opinion prevailed in consequence that the works ought to be stopped till the arrival of the king's authority. For this view not only has no support whatever in our prophecy, but is also at variance with the account in the book of Ezra, according to which the governor and his companions, who had made inquiries concerning the command to build, did not stop the building while they sent word of the affair to the king (Ezr 5:5). Moreover, the conjecture that the people had been seized with a feeling of sadness, when the work had so far advanced that they were able to institute a comparison between the new temple and the earlier one (Hen…
Open source ↗Here is, I. The date of this message, Hag 2:1. It was sent on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, when the builders had been about a month at work (since the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month), and had got it in some forwardness. Note, Those that are hearty in the service of God shall receive fresh encouragements from him to proceed in it, as their case calls for them. Set the wheels a going, and God will oil them. II. The direction of this message, Hag 2:2. The encouragements here are sent to the same persons to whom the reproofs in the foregoing chapter are directed; for those that are wounded by the convictions of the word shall be healed and bound up by its consolations. Speak to Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the residue of the people, the very same that obeyed the voice of the Lord (Jos 1:12) and whose spirits God stirred up to do so (Jos 1:14); to them are sent these words of comfort. III. The message itself, in which observe, 1. The discouragements which those laboured under who were employed in this work. That which was such a damp upon them, and an alloy to their joy, when the foundation of the temple was laid, was still a clog upon them - that they could not build such a temple now as Solomon built, not so large, so stately, so sumptuous, a one as that was. This fetched tears from the eyes of many, when the dimensions of it were first laid (Ezr 3:12), and still it made the work go on heavily - that the glory of this house, in comparison with that of the former, was as nothing, Hag 2:3. It was now about seventy years since Solomon's temple was destroyed (for that was in the nineteenth year of the captivity, and this about the nineteenth after the captivity), so that there might be some yet alive who could remember to have seen it, and still they would b…
Open source ↗2:1-9 Haggai’s second message assures the community that God has not forgotten his promises, made by earlier prophets, to bless and restore them (e.g., Isa 35; 40:1-11; 52:1-12; Jer 32:36-44; 33:6-26). 2:1 on October 17 of that same year: This was the last day of the Festival of Tabernacles, the celebration of the summer harvest (see Lev 23:34-43). Hundreds of years earlier, Solomon’s Temple had been dedicated during this festival (1 Kgs 8:2). Haggai’s message was timed to offer the people hope and encouragement in their present distress and discouragement.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
שְׁבִיעִי (shᵉbîyʻîy, H7637) — seventh אֶחָד (ʼechâd, H259) — properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first עֶשְׂרִים (ʻesrîym, H6242) — twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth חֹדֶשׁ (chôdesh, H2320) — the new moon; by implication, a month דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), נָבִיא (nâbîyʼ, H5030) — a prophet or (generally) inspired man חַגַּי (Chaggay, H2292) — Chaggai, a Hebrew prophet אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) זְרֻבָּבֶל (Zᵉrubbâbel, H2216) — Zerubbabel, an Israelite בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל (Shᵉʼaltîyʼêl, H7597) — Shealtiel, an Israelite פֶּחָה (pechâh, H6346) — a prefect (of a city or small district) יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ, H3091) — Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader יְהוֹצָדָק (Yᵉhôwtsâdâq, H3087) — Jehotsadak, an Israelite גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent כֹּהֵן (kôhên, H3548) — literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a… שְׁאֵרִית (shᵉʼêrîyth, H7611) — a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence…
Open source ↗שָׁאַר (shâʼar, H7604) — properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) רִאשׁוֹן (riʼshôwn, H7223) — first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun) כָּבוֹד (kâbôwd, H3519) — properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) כְּמוֹ (kᵉmôw, H3644) — a form of the prefix 'k-', but used separately as, thus, so
Open source ↗חָזַק (châzaq, H2388) — to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively… זְרֻבָּבֶל (Zᵉrubbâbel, H2216) — Zerubbabel, an Israelite נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ, H3091) — Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… יְהוֹצָדָק (Yᵉhôwtsâdâq, H3087) — Jehotsadak, an Israelite גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent כֹּהֵן (kôhên, H3548) — literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a… עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);…
Open source ↗דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause כָּרַת (kârath, H3772) — to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to… יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim, H4714) — Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… עָמַד (ʻâmad, H5975) — to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive) תָּוֶךְ (tâvek, H8432) — a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre יָרֵא (yârêʼ, H3372) — to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);… אֶחָד (ʼechâd, H259) — properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first מְעַט (mᵉʻaṭ, H4592) — a little or few (often adverbial or compar.) רָעַשׁ (râʻash, H7493) — to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.; also a field of grain), particularly through… שָׁמַיִם (shâmayim, H8064) — the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) יָם (yâm, H3220) — a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the… חָרָבָה (chârâbâh, H2724) — a desert
Open source ↗רָעַשׁ (râʻash, H7493) — to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.; also a field of grain), particularly through… גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… חֶמְדָּה (chemdâh, H2532) — delight בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) כָּבוֹד (kâbôwd, H3519) — properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);…
Open source ↗כֶּסֶף (keçeph, H3701) — silver (from its pale color); by implication, money זָהָב (zâhâb, H2091) — gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);…
Open source ↗כָּבוֹד (kâbôwd, H3519) — properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness אַחֲרוֹן (ʼachărôwn, H314) — hinder; generally, late or last; specifically (as facing the east) western בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent רִאשׁוֹן (riʼshôwn, H7223) — first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun) נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);… מָקוֹם (mâqôwm, H4725) — properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);… נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) שָׁלוֹם (shâlôwm, H7965) — safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health,… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗אַרְבַּע (ʼarbaʻ, H702) — four עֶשְׂרִים (ʻesrîym, H6242) — twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth תְּשִׁיעִי (tᵉshîyʻîy, H8671) — ninth שְׁנַיִם (shᵉnayim, H8147) — two; also (as ordinal) twofold שָׁנֶה (shâneh, H8141) — a year (as a revolution of time) דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ (Dârᵉyâvêsh, H1867) — Darejavesh, a title (rather than name) of several Persian kings דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), חַגַּי (Chaggay, H2292) — Chaggai, a Hebrew prophet נָבִיא (nâbîyʼ, H5030) — a prophet or (generally) inspired man אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);… שָׁאַל (shâʼal, H7592) — to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand כֹּהֵן (kôhên, H3548) — literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a… תּוֹרָה (tôwrâh, H8451) — a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch
Open source ↗אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative קֹדֶשׁ (qôdesh, H6944) — a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity בָּשָׂר (bâsâr, H1320) — flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the… כָּנָף (kânâph, H3671) — an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or… בֶּגֶד (beged, H899) — a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillage נָגַע (nâgaʻ, H5060) — properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphemistically, to lie with… לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899) — food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it) נָזִיד (nâzîyd, H5138) — something boiled, i.e. soup יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication שֶׁמֶן (shemen, H8081) — grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness מַאֲכָל (maʼăkâl, H3978) — an eatable (includ. provender, flesh and fruit) קָדַשׁ (qâdash, H6942) — to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally) כֹּהֵן (kôhên, H3548) — literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a…
Open source ↗אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) חַגַּי (Chaggay, H2292) — Chaggai, a Hebrew prophet טָמֵא (ṭâmêʼ, H2931) — foul in a religious sense נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… נָגַע (nâgaʻ, H5060) — properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphemistically, to lie with… טָמֵא (ṭâmêʼ, H2930) — to be foul, especially in a ceremial or moral sense (contaminated) כֹּהֵן (kôhên, H3548) — literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a… עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;…
Open source ↗עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… חַגַּי (Chaggay, H2292) — Chaggai, a Hebrew prophet אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… נְאֻם (nᵉʼum, H5002) — an oracle יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God מַעֲשֶׂה (maʻăseh, H4639) — an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication,… יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), קָרַב (qârab, H7126) — to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose טָמֵא (ṭâmêʼ, H2931) — foul in a religious sense
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, stating
For the second time that day, the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to Haggai, saying,
on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.
On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying,