Haggai 2:8

8 'I own the silver, I own the gold.' Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

Haggai 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

Haggai 2:8

The silver [is] mine, and the gold [is] mine, saith the Lord of
hosts.
] This seems designed to anticipate an objection taken from the gold and silver, with which the first temple was either decorated, or were in gifts dedicated to it; and which, it might easily be foreseen, would be wanting in the second temple; and in answer to which the Lord observes, that all the gold and silver in the world were his, were made by him, and were at his dispose; and therefore whatever were bestowed upon the former temple was only giving him his own; what he had a prior right to, and was no accession of riches or honour to him; and so it would be the same, let what would be expended on this; and therefore it was an article very inconsiderable, and of little significance; nor did he regard, or was he delighted with anything of this kind; and, was he so disposed, he could easily command all the gold and silver in the world together, and bring it into this house, to enrich and adorn it, without doing any injury to any person; but these were things he delighted not in; and, besides, he had a far greater glory in view to put upon this house, as follows:

Haggai 2:8 In-Context

6 "This is what God-of-the-Angel-Armies said: 'Before you know it, I will shake up sky and earth, ocean and fields.

7 And I'll shake down all the godless nations. They'll bring bushels of wealth and I will fill this Temple with splendor.' God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so.

8 'I own the silver, I own the gold.' Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

9 "'This Temple is going to end up far better than it started out, a glorious beginning but an even more glorious finish: a place in which I will hand out wholeness and holiness.' Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies."

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (again, this was in the second year of Darius), God's Message came to Haggai: