Haggai 2

A Promise to Rebuild

1 In the seventh [month] on the twenty-first day, the word of Yahweh {came through}^[a] Haggai the prophet, saying,

2 "Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

3 'Who among you [is] left that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it seem like nothing {to you}?^[b]

4 'But now take courage,^[c] Zerubbabel,' {declares}^[d] Yahweh. 'Take courage,^[e] Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and take courage,^[f] all the people of the land,' {declares}^[g] Yahweh. 'Do the work, because I [am] with you,' {declares}^[h] Yahweh of hosts,

5 'according to {the promise}^[i] that {I covenanted}^[j] with you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit {is with you};^[k] do not be afraid.'

6 For thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and dry land.

7 I will shake all the nations so that the treasure of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house^[l] [with] glory,' says Yahweh of hosts.

8 'The silver [is] mine and the gold [is] mine,' {declares}^[m] Yahweh of hosts.

9 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says Yahweh of hosts, 'and in this place I will give peace' {declares} Yahweh of hosts.'"

10 On [the] twenty-fourth [day] of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Haggai, saying,

11 "Thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'Ask now the priests [for] a ruling:

12 If a man carries consecrated meat in the hem of his garment, and his hem touches bread, or stew, or wine, or olive oil, or any kind of food, will it become holy?'" The priests answered, "No."

13 Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean from contact with a corpse touches any of these, will it become unclean?" The priests answered, "Yes, it will be become unclean."

14 And Haggai answered and said, " 'So [it is with] this people, and [with] this nation before me,' {declares} Yahweh, 'and so [it is with] every kind of work of their hands; and what they offer there [is] unclean.

15 But now, please {consider} from this day forward, before one stone was placed on another in the temple of Yahweh,

16 {from that time when} one came to a heap of twenty [measures], there were [only] ten, and [when] one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures, there were [only] twenty.

17 I struck you with blight, and with plant mildew, and hail, all the work of your hands. But {you did not come back to me},' {declares} Yahweh.

18 '{Please consider} from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth [month], from the day that the foundation of Yahweh's temple was laid, {consider}:

19 [Is there] still seed in the store chamber? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still produce nothing? From this day [forward] I will bless [you].'"

The Coming Kingdom

20 And the word of Yahweh came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth [day] of the month saying,

21 "Say to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I [am] going to shake the heavens and the earth,

22 and I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the military strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, every one by the sword of another!

23 'On that day,' {declares} Yahweh of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,' {declares} Yahweh, 'and I will make you a signet ring, for I have chosen you,' {declares} Yahweh of hosts."

Haggai 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

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)

Verses 1-9 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.

Verses 10-19 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.

Verses 20-23 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "came through the hand of"
• [b]. Literally "in your eyes"
• [c]. Or "be strong"
• [d]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [e]. Or "Be strong"
• [f]. Or "be strong"
• [g]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [h]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [i]. Literally "the word"
• [j]. Literally "I cut"
• [k]. Literally "[is] standing in your midst"
• [l]. That is, the temple
• [m]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [n]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [o]. Or "a torah," or "a law"
• [p]. Literally "lifts"
• [q]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [r]. Literally "set your heart"
• [s]. Or "from their being," or "from the time they were then"
• [t]. Hebrew "measure"
• [u]. Literally "there were none of you to me"
• [v]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [w]. Literally "Please set your heart"
• [x]. Or "placed," or "set"
• [y]. Literally "set your heart"
• [z]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [aa]. Literally "a declaration of"
• [ab]. Literally "a declaration of"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO HAGGAI 2

This chapter contains three sermons or prophecies, delivered by the prophet to the people of the Jews. The design of the first is to encourage them to go on with the building of the temple, though it might seem to come greatly short of the former temple, as to its outward form and splendour. The time of the prophecy, Hag 2:1 an order to deliver it to the governor, high priest, and all the people, Hag 2:2. A question is put concerning the difference between this temple and the former; between which it is suggested there was no comparison; which is assented to by silence, Hag 2:3 nevertheless, the prince, priest, and people, are exhorted to go on strenuously in the work of building; encouraged with a promise of the presence of the Lord of hosts, and of his Word, in whom he covenanted with them at their coming out of Egypt, and of the blessed Spirit, and his continuance with them, Hag 2:4,5 and, the more to remove their fears and faintings, it is declared that in a very short time a most wonderful thing should be done in the world, which would affect all the nations of the earth; for that illustrious Person would come, whom all nations do or should desire; and, not only come into the world, but into that temple they were building, and give it a greater glory than the former; yea, a greater glory than if all the gold and silver in the world were laid out upon it, or brought into it; which being all the Lord's, could have been easily done by him; but he would give in it something infinitely greater than that, even the Prince of peace, with all the blessings of it, Hag 2:6-9 then follows the second sermon or prophecy, the time of which is observed, Hag 2:10 and it is introduced with some questions concerning ceremonial uncleanness, by an unclean person's touching holy flesh with the skirt of his garment; and other things, which is confirmed by the answer of the priests, Hag 2:11-13 the application of which is made to the people of the Jews, who were alike unclean; they, their works, and their sacrifices, Hag 2:14 and these are directed to consider, that, during the time they had neglected to build the temple, they were attended with scarcity of provisions; their fields and vineyards being blasted with mildew or destroyed by hail, and their labours proved unsuccessful, Hag 2:15-17 but now, since they had begun the work of building, it is promised they should be blessed with everything, though they had nothing in store, and everything was unpromising to them; which is designed to encourage them to go on cheerfully in their begun work, Hag 2:18,19 and the chapter is concluded with the last discourse or prophecy, the date of which is given, Hag 2:20 an instruction to deliver it to Zerubbabel, Hag 2:21 foretelling the destruction of the kingdoms of the heathen; and the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah, of whom Zerubbabel was a type, precious and honourable in the sight of God, Hag 2:22,23.