Haggai1
New American Standard
1In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
2“This is what the Lord of armies says: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.”’”
3Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4“Is it time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses while this house remains desolate?”
5Now then, the Lord of armies says this: “Consider your ways!
6You have sown much, only to harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but there is not enough for anyone to get warm; and the one who earns, earns wages to put into a money bag full of holes.”
7The Lord of armies says this: “Consider your ways!
8Go up to the mountains, bring wood, and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be honored,” says the Lord.
9“You start an ambitious project, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of armies. “It is because of My house which remains desolate, while each of you runs to his own house.
10Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.
11And I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on mankind, on cattle, and on all the products of the labor of your hands.”
12Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, just as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the Lord.
13Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people, saying, “‘I am with you,’ declares the Lord.”
14So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of armies, their God,
15on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Haggai 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Haggai reproves the Jews for neglecting the temple. (1–11). He promises God's assistance to them. (12–15).
vv1-11
Observe the sin of the Jews, after their return from captivity in Babylon. Those employed for God may be driven from their work by a storm, yet they must go back to it. They did not say that they would not build a temple, but, Not yet. Thus men do not say they will never repent and reform, and be religious, but, Not yet. And so the great business we were sent into the world to do, is not done. There is a proneness in us to think wrongly of discouragements in our duty, as if they were a discharge from our duty, when they are only for the trial of our courage and faith. They neglected the building of God's house, that they might have more time and money for worldly affairs. That the punishment might answer to the sin, the poverty they thought to prevent by not building the temple, God brought upon them for not building it. Many good works have been intended, but not done, because men supposed the proper time was not come. Thus believers let slip opportunities of usefulness, and sinners delay the concerns of their souls, till too late. If we labour only for the meat that perishes, as the Jews here, we are in danger of losing our labour; but we are sure it shall not be in vain in the Lord, if we labour for the meat which lasts to eternal life. If we would have the comfort and continuance of temporal enjoyments, we must have God as our Friend. See also Lu 12:33. When God crosses our temporal affairs, and we meet with trouble and disappointment, we shall find the cause is, that the work we have to do for God and our own souls is left undone, and we seek our own things more than the things of Christ. How many, who plead that they cannot afford to give to pious or charitable designs, often lavish ten times as much in needless expenses on their houses and themselves! But those are strangers to their own interests, who are full of care to adorn and enrich their own houses, while God's temple in their hearts lies waste. It is the great concern of every one, to apply to the necessary duty of self-examination and communion with our own hearts concerning our spiritual state. Sin is what we must answer for; duty is what we must do. But many are quick-sighted to pry into other people's ways, who are careless of their own. If any duty has been neglected, that is no reason why it should still be so. Whatever God will take pleasure in when done, we ought to take pleasure in doing. Let those who have put off their return to God, return with all their heart, while there is time.
vv12-15
The people returned to God in the way of duty. In attending to God's ministers, we must have respect to him that sent them. The word of the Lord has success, when by his grace he stirs up our spirits to comply with it. It is in the day of Divine power we are made willing. When God has work to be done, he will either find or make men fit to do it. Every one helped, as his ability was; and this they did with a regard to the Lord as their God. Those who have lost time, need to redeem time; and the longer we have loitered in folly, the more haste we should make. God met them in a way of mercy. Those who work for him, have him with them; and if he be for us, who can be against us? This should stir us up to be diligent.
Key Words
שְׁנַיִם: two; also (as ordinal) twofold
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ: Darejavesh, a title (rather than name) of several Persian kings
מֶלֶךְ: a king
שִׁשִּׁי: sixth, ord. or (feminine) fractional
חֹדֶשׁ: the new moon; by implication, a month
אֶחָד: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
Cross References
Haggai 1Historical account of Haggai and Zechariah prophesying to Zerubbabel and Joshua to resume temple construction.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Establishes the chronological pause in building until the second year of Darius the king.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The historical execution of Haggai's message as Zerubbabel and Joshua rose up to build.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Zechariah's complementary ministry beginning in the same year of Darius to encourage the builders.
Supported by JFB
Contrast between David's grief over dwelling in cedar while God's ark dwelt in curtains.
Supported by JFB
Haggai later urges the people to consider their ways before and after they began building.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel where God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to initiate the return and rebuilding.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic encouragement specifically to Zerubbabel regarding completion of the temple by God's Spirit.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrasts prioritizing personal comfort with seeking first the kingdom of God and His house.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Illustrates spiritual futility of earthly wealth, echoing the 'bag with holes'.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Theological parallel connecting neglect of God's house with agricultural curse and drought.
Supported by JFB
Covenantal curse of heaven becoming brass and withholding rain for disobedience.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Genealogically identifies Josedech (Jehozadak), father of Joshua, as carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar.
Supported by JFB
Internal cross-reference explaining that crop failure stems directly from neglecting God's waste house.
Supported by Matthew Poole