INTRODUCTION TO HAGGAI 1
This chapter contains the first sermon of the Prophet Haggai to the
people of the Jews, directed to Zerubbabel the governor, and Joshua
the high priest; the date of which is fixed, Haggai 1:1. It begins
with a charge against that people; saying the time to build the house
o... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SECOND YEAR OF DARIUS THE KING,.... That is, of Persia; he is
spoken of as if he was the only king in the world; and indeed he was
the then greatest king in it; and therefore is emphatically called
"the king". This was not Darius the Mede, as Genebrard; who was
contemporary with Cyrus, and pa... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SPEAKETH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... Of armies above and below; whom
all ought to reverence, honour, and obey; who was able to support his
people in building his house, and protect them from their enemies,
which should have been an encouragement to them; and to punish them
for their neglect of it, w... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME THE WORD OF THE LORD BY HAGGAI THE PROPHET,.... This is a
second prophecy, distinct from the former; that was delivered to the
two governors, setting forth the sentiments and language of the people
concerning the building of the temple, which was left with them to
consider how just it was;... [ Continue Reading ]
[IS IT] TIME FOR YOU, O YE, TO DWELL IN YOUR PANELLED HOUSES,.... 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 the... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS,.... The Lord God
omniscient and omnipotent, that saw all their actions, and could
punish for them; since they were so careful of their own houses, and
adorning them, and so careless of his house; he would have them now
sit down, and seriously think of thes... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE SOWN MUCH, AND BRING IN LITTLE,.... Contrary to what is
usually done; the seed that is sown is but little, in, comparison of
what springs up, is reaped, and gathered into the barn; which commonly
affords seed again to the sower, and bread to the eater; but here much
land was tilled, and a gr... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, CONSIDER YOUR WAYS. What they have been;
what has been the consequence of them; and to what the above things
are to be ascribed. This exhortation is repeated, to impress it the
more upon their minds; and to denote the importance of it, and the
necessity of such a conduc... [ Continue Reading ]
GO UP TO THE MOUNTAIN,.... Or, "that mountain" u; pointing either to
Lebanon, to cut down cedars, and bring them from thence for the
building of the temple; or Mount Moriah, on which the temple was to be
built; and thither carry the wood they fetched from Lebanon, or were
brought from thence by the... [ Continue Reading ]
YE LOOKED FOR MUCH, AND, LO, [IT CAME] TO LITTLE,.... They looked for
a large harvest, and very promising it was for a while; but in the end
it came to little; it was a very small crop, very little was reaped
and gathered in: or, "in looking", ye looked "to increase" x; your
substance; had raised ex... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THE HEAVEN OVER YOU IS STAYED FROM DEW,.... Or, "therefore
over", or "upon you" a; where should be a stop; that is, because, of
your neglect of the house of God; therefore upon you, and upon you
only, and not upon other nations, the heaven is restrained from
letting down the dew: or, "ther... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I CALLED FOR A DROUGHT UPON THE LAND,.... Upon the whole land of
Judea; as he withheld the dew and rain from falling on it to moisten
it, refresh it, and make it fruitful; so he ordered a vehement heat to
dry and parch it; and directed the rays of the sun to strike with
great force upon it, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ZERUBBABEL THE SON OF SHEALTIEL, AND JOSHUA THE SON OF JOSEDECH
THE HIGH PRIEST,.... Here follows an account of the success of
Haggai's prophecy; with what power and efficacy the word of the Lord
by him was attended; how it at once reached and affected the hearts of
princes and people, and brou... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SPOKE HAGGAI THE LORD'S MESSENGER,.... Which some render "angel";
hence sprung that notion, imbibed by some, that he was not a man, but
an angel; whereas this only respects his office, being sent of God as
an ambassador in his name with a message to his people: he now
observing what effect his... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD STIRRED UP THE SPIRIT OF ZERUBBABEL THE SON OF SHEALTIEL,
GOVERNOR OF JUDAH, AND THE SPIRIT OF JOSHUA THE SON OF JOSEDECH, THE
HIGH PRIEST, AND THE SPIRIT OF ALL THE REMNANT OF THE PEOPLE,.... He
roused them up from that sleep and sloth in which they were before,
both the governors and... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH DAY OF THE SIXTH MONTH,.... Or, "in the four
and twentieth of the month, in the sixth"; in that sixth month before
mentioned, Haggai 1:1. On this day they came and worked; not the sixth
from Tisri, for the Jews had two ways of beginning their years, which
would have answere... [ Continue Reading ]