Haggai 1:4

4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?

Haggai 1:4 Meaning and Commentary

Haggai 1:4

[Is it] time for you, O ye, to dwell in your panelled houses,
&c.] They could not only find time, leisure, and convenience to build houses to dwell in; but to wainscot them, and line them with boards of cedar, as the Targum; as bad as the times were complained of; and could sit in them, indulging themselves in luxury, ease, and sloth; and why then was it not a fit and convenient time as well to build the house of the Lord in? and this house [lie] waste?
or, "and shall this house lie waste?" or, "when this house lies waste?" ^F15 not indeed in its rubbish and ruins, as it was demolished by the Chaldeans, and left; but with a bare foundation, laid some years ago; and ever since neglected; the superstructure not carried on, and much less built up to be fit for service; and therefore might be said with propriety to lie waste and desolate, being unfinished, unfit for use, and no regard had unto it. David was of another mind, ( 2 Samuel 7:2 ) and truly religious persons will be more concerned for the house of God than for their own houses.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F15 (brx hzh tybhw) "et domus ista deserta manebit?" Drusius; "quum domus haec vasta est?" Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "dum domus haec desolata est?" Cocceius.

Haggai 1:4 In-Context

2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD."

3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet,

4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?

5 Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared.

6 You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes.