Haggai2
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying,
2Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
3Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes as nothing?
4Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith Jehovah; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith Jehovah, and work: for I am with you, saith Jehovah of hosts,
5according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, and my Spirit abode among you: fear ye not.
6For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7and I will shake all nations; and the precious things of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith Jehovah of hosts.
8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts.
9The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith Jehovah of hosts.
10In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying,
11Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
12If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
13Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
14Then answered Haggai and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith Jehovah; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
15And now, I pray you, consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of Jehovah.
16Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the winevat to draw out fifty vessels, there were but twenty.
17I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the work of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith Jehovah.
18Consider, I pray you, from this day and backward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of Jehovah’s temple was laid, consider it.
19Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, the vine, and the fig-tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive-tree have not brought forth; from this day will I bless you.
20And the word of Jehovah came the second time unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
21Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
23In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith Jehovah of hosts.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Haggai 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Greater glory promised to the second temple than to the first. (1–9). Their sins hindered the work. (10–19). The kingdom of Christ foretold. (20–23).
vv1-9
Those who are hearty in the Lord's service shall receive encouragement to proceed. But they could not build such a temple then, as Solomon built. Though our gracious God is pleased if we do as well as we can in his service, yet our proud hearts will scarcely let us be pleased, unless we do as well as others, whose abilities are far beyond ours. Encouragement is given the Jews to go on in the work notwithstanding. They have God with them, his Spirit and his special presence. Though he chastens their transgressions, his faithfulness does not fail. The Spirit still remained among them. And they shall have the Messiah among them shortly; “He that should come.” Convulsions and changes would take place in the Jewish church and state, but first should come great revolutions and commotions among the nations. He shall come, as the Desire of all nations; desirable to all nations, for in him shall all the earth be blessed with the best of blessings; long expected and desired by all believers. The house they were building should be filled with glory, very far beyond Solomon's temple. This house shall be filled with glory of another nature. If we have silver and gold, we must serve and honour God with it, for the property is his. If we have not silver and gold, we must honour him with such as we have, and he will accept us. Let them be comforted that the glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, in what would be beyond all the glories of the first house, the presence of the Messiah, the Son of God, the Lord of glory, personally, and in human nature. Nothing but the presence of the Son of God, in human form and nature, could fulfil this. Jesus is the Christ, is He that should come, and we are to look for no other. This prophecy alone is enough to silence the Jews, and condemn their obstinate rejection of Him, concerning whom all their prophets spake. If God be with us, peace is with us. But the Jews under the latter temple had much trouble; but this promise is fulfilled in that spiritual peace which Jesus Christ has by his blood purchased for all believers. All changes shall make way for Christ to be desired and valued by all nations. And the Jews shall have their eyes opened to behold how precious He is, whom they have hitherto rejected.
vv10-19
Many spoiled this good work, by going about it with unholy hearts and hands, and were likely to gain no advantage by it. The sum of these two rules of the law is, that sin is more easily learned from others than holiness. The impurity of their hearts and lives shall make the work of their hands, and all their offerings, unclean before God. The case is the same with us. When employed in any good work, we should watch over ourselves, lest we render it unclean by our corruptions. When we begin to make conscience of duty to God, we may expect his blessing; and whoso is wise will understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. God will curse the blessings of the wicked, and make bitter the prosperity of the careless; but he will sweeten the cup of affliction to those who diligently serve him.
vv20-23
The Lord will preserve Zerubbabel and the people of Judah, amidst their enemies. Here is also foretold the establishment and continuance of the kingdom of Christ; by union with whom his people are sealed with the Holy Ghost, sealed with his image, thus distinguished from all others. Here also is foretold the changes, even to that time when the kingdom of Christ shall overthrow and occupy the place of all the empires which opposed his cause. The promise has special reference to Christ, who descended from Zerubbabel in a direct line, and is the sole Builder of the gospel temple. Our Lord Jesus is the Signet on God's right hand, for all power is given to him, and derived from him. By him, and in him, all the promises of God are yea and amen. Whatever changes take place on earth, all will promote the comfort, honour, and happiness of his servants.
Key Words
שְׁבִיעִי: seventh
חֹדֶשׁ: the new moon; by implication, a month
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
יָד: a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
חַגַּי: Chaggai, a Hebrew prophet
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
נָא: 'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
זְרֻבָּבֶל: Zerubbabel, an Israelite
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל: Shealtiel, an Israelite
Cross References
Haggai 2Explicitly quotes and interprets the shaking of heaven and earth as introducing Christ's unshakeable kingdom.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Records the elders weeping at the visual inferiority of the second temple's foundation compared to the first.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB, John Calvin
Prophesies the Lord suddenly coming to His temple, fulfilling the promise of filling this house with glory.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Reverses the curse on Coniah (Jehoiachin), making his descendant Zerubbabel a chosen signet ring again.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Warns against despising the day of small things regarding Zerubbabel's temple building.
Supported by JFB
Defines the priestly duty to teach the distinction between the holy and the unholy/unclean.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Sets forth the specific Levitical laws regarding defilement by contact with a dead body.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Reinforces that the restoration succeeds not by human might, but by God's remaining Spirit.
Supported by JFB
The ultimate fulfillment of the temple's glory, as the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Parallels the principle that to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explains the economic and agricultural curses previously sent due to their neglect of God's house.
Supported by John Calvin
Predicts God breaking and consuming all earthly kingdoms to establish His everlasting kingdom.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The original Sinai covenant promise that God would dwell among Israel as their God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Affirms God's absolute ownership of the earth's wealth, echoing 'the silver and gold are mine.'
Supported by Matthew Henry