Haggai 1:1-11. The First Prophecy 1. _Darius the king_ Lit., DARYAVESH. "_Daryavesh_is a more accurate transcript of the name of the Persian kings than Δαρεῖος (Darius). Darius calls himself in his descriptions _Dâryavush_, which means the -holder," or -supporter." " Max. Müller in Pusey's _Book of... [ Continue Reading ]
_speaketh_ Lit. SAITH, the same word as throughout the verse. _this people_ possibly used as a term of reproach: comp. ch. Haggai 2:14; Isaiah 8:11-12. _the time is not come_ Lit., NOT TIME TO COME. The sentence is evidently elliptical, and there is much difference of opinion as to what should be... [ Continue Reading ]
_for you, O ye_ Lit., FOR YOU, YOU: _you, yourselves_, R. V. The repetition of the pronoun is emphatic, "you are the people I mean;" or you in implied contrast to Almighty God, comp. 1 Samuel 25:24, where Abigail, anxious to appease David's anger at the churlishness of Nabal, exclaims, "upon me, my... [ Continue Reading ]
_Consider_ Lit. SET YOUR HEART UPON, consider both their nature and (as what follows shews) their consequences; both what they are and to what they lead. The expression _consider_, set your heart, is used by Haggai no fewer than four times in this short book, Haggai 1:5; Haggai 1:7; Haggai 2:15; Hag... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye have sown much_, &c. The expostulation is very abrupt and forcible in the Hebrew, "Ye sowed much, but to bring in little! To eat, but not to satiety! To drink, but not to exhilaration! To clothe (oneself), but not for warmth, to him (the wearer)!" The description refers not to one year, but to m... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go up to the mountain_ The consideration to which they have twice been called is to lead to action and amendment. They are not only to repent, but to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. _the mountain_ This is clearly not, as some have thought, the mountain on which the Temple stood, "the mounta... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye looked for much_, &c. Lit. TO LOOK (THERE WAS LOOKING) FOR MUCH, AND (IT CAME) TO LITTLE! Emphatic as ver. 6, where see note. A double blight and curse had come upon them. They had looked for much, had expected a plentiful harvest, and perhaps the appearance of the crops had warranted the expect... [ Continue Reading ]
Having pointed out in ver. 8 the way of amendment and prosperity, the prophet resumes in these verses the expostulation of vv. 4 6, and again insists upon the depressed condition of the people and its cause.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the heaven over you_, &c. Lit. UPON YOU ARE STAYED THE HEAVENS. Some understand by "upon" or "against" you, "on your account," on account of, or in punishment of your sins (_for your sake_, R. V. text). But there would be something of tautology in this, because the same thing has been said in the f... [ Continue Reading ]
_a drought_ The Jewish commentators have observed a paronomasia or play on words, as between the fault and the punishment. My house is "_waste_" (_charçb_, ver. 4, 9), through your neglect, and your punishment shall be a "_drought_" (_choreb_). "Quasi dicat; quia aedem meam vastam relinquitis, ego q... [ Continue Reading ]
Haggai 1:12-15. The Effects of the Prophecy 12. _the remnant of the people_ i.e. not the rest or remainder of the people beside Zerubbabel and Joshua, who had been mentioned by name, but "the remnant" in what came to be a technical use of the word, that part of the nation, a remnant only in compari... [ Continue Reading ]
_messenger_ The word is that commonly used for an _angel_in the O.T., but its first and proper meaning is messenger. In the same way in the N.T., the same word (ἄγγελος) is used generally in its restricted sense for an angel, and occasionally in its wider sense for a messenger (Luke 7:27; Luke 9:52;... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Lord stirred up_, &c. It would seem that the prevailing indifference and neglect by which they were surrounded had, in some measure at least, damped the ardour and quenched the spirit even of Zerubbabel and Joshua. It needed the same breath of heaven which had first kindled the fire of divine z... [ Continue Reading ]
The note of time in this verse (which obviously belongs to this chapter, and not as in some editions both of Heb. and LXX. and in some MSS. to the next) seems designed to shew how prompt the response was to the prophet's call. Only twenty-three days, little more that is than three weeks, had suffice... [ Continue Reading ]