Haggai 1

The prophet checketh the chief of the people at Jerusalem, that they dwelt in goodly houses, and left the Lord’s Temple unrepaired, verse 1. &c. he telleth them that it was for this neglect of theirs, that God withheld his blessing from them, in other things, 5. therefore he exhorts them to reassume the intermitted repairing of the temple, and to perfect it, 7, which exhortation takes effect, 12.

1. In the second year [see the annotation Ezra 4 on verse 24 and chapter 5.1.] of the king Darius, [heb. Darjavesch,] in the sixth moneth, on the first day of the moneth, the word of the Lord came, by the ministery [Heb. Hand. See annotate. Exodus 9 on verse 35. Acts 11:30 and chapter 7.35.] of Haggai, [otherwise commonly called Aggeus, Heb. Chaggai] the prophet to Zerubbabel, the son of Sealtiel, [some put, the nephew; for to speak properly, he was the son of Pedaja, who was the son of Sealtiel. See 1 Chro. 3.17,18,19. Zerubbabel nevertheless is called the son of Sealtiel also. Ezra 5:2. Matthew 1:12. Some conceive Zerubbabel Sealtiel adopted son from Luke 3:27.] the prince of juda; [i.e. the prince out of and over the tribe of Juda] and to Josua, the son of Jozadak, the hig-priest, [Heb. The great (or greatest) priest] saying:

2. Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying; this people saith, [the Lord doth not say here, my people, but this people, shewing thereby his displeasure at their great neglect of his worship, and their daily endeavour and eagerness to advance their own honour and profit] the time is not to come, [this was the excuse which the slothfull self-seeking posessours pretended then, why they delayed the building of the temple thus] the time that the Lord’s house should be built. [Heb. The time of the house of the LORD, for to be built.]

3. And the word of the LORD came by the ministery of the prophet Haggai, saying;

4. is this the time indeed for you, that ye dwell in your vaulted houses, [hereby is intimated, that they had built houses for themselves, not onely such as necessity required, but stately and sumptuous ones, for pleasure and delight, before they built the Lord’s house] and shall this house be desolate? [David was quiet of another minde. See 2 Samuel 7:2 and Psalms 132:3,4,5.]

5. Now then, thus saith the LORD of hosts, set your hearts upon your wayes. [i.e. observe and consider well, how it fares with you, by reason of your sinnes. Compare 1 cor. 11.30,31. see of this phrase. Exodus 9:21. 2 sam. 18.3. job 1.8. and chapter 2.3 and chapter 22.22 and chapter 34.14. and here below verse 7.]

6. Ye sow much and ye bring in little; Deuteronomy 28:38. Mich. 6.14,15.] ye eat, but not to satisfie; ye drink, but not unto drunkenness; [i.e. ye do not enjoy the efficacie of wine, to be made cheereful with it. See Gen. 43 on verse 34. Song of Solomon 5:1. Job 2.20.] ye cloth yourselves, but not your warming; [Heb. For to warm ones self. i.e. to get warmth by it. Comp. Zephaniah 2:12 with the annot.] and he that recieveth wages, recieveth those wages in a purse bored through. [or, in a purse that hath no bottom; or, that is hallow; meaning; it vanisheth all what you receive, that ye are nothing the better for it, according to what is threatned, deut. 28.15,&c. Amos 4:9. Mich. 6.14.]

7. Thus saith the LORD of hostes; set your hearts on your wayes. [as before verse 5 . which the prophet repeates here, to make them atke the better heed of it.]

8. get upon the mountain, and bring on wood, and build this house, andi will take pleasure in it, [i.e. in this temple. It seems the prophet hath an eye here to the prayer of Solomon and promise God made upon it. 1 kings 8.18,19,c.] and be glorified, saith the LORD.

9. Ye look about for much, [or, turn your face toward much. i.e. ye look for a plentifull harvest] but lo ye get little, [Heb. (it becomes) to little] and when it is brought home by you, then I blow into it. [so that it turns to dust and chaff, and ye have no benefit by it] wherefore that? Saith the LORD of hosts; because of mine house, which is waste, and tha ye run every one for his own house. [namely to build and set out that. See above verse 4.]

10. Therefore the heavens withhold themselves from you, that there is no dew, [understand, and no rain neither in sit and due season, this is that which God threateneth Leviticus 26:19. Deuteronomy 28:23,24,38. Amos 4:7.] and the land withholds its fruits.

11. For I have called for a drought [Oth. A desolation. See 1 kings 8.1 and Jer. 25 on verse 29. see also Deuteronomy 28:22. Joel 1:14. Amos 1:2. and chap 4.7.19.] upon the land, and upon the mountains and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oyl, and upon that which the earth would bring forth upon the men, and upon the beasts, and upon all the labour of the hands [i.e. upon the fruits and crops of the earth, brought forth by the labour of men.]

12. Then did Zerubbabel [see Ezra 5:2.] the son of Sealtiel and Josua the son of Jozadak, the high priest, and all the remnant of the people, [i.e. all those that escaped from the war, (during which many perished) and those that returned out of the Babylonian Captivity, where likewise many were consumed and dead] hearken to the voice of the LORD their God, and [Oth. That is] to the word of the prophet Haggai, according as the LORD their God had sent him; [which they knew to be so] and the people feared before the face of the LORD.

13. Then spake Haggai, the messenger [Or, envoy, ambassadour] of the Lord, in the message of the LORD, [viz. that which he charged to deliver to the people, in the name of the Lord: or by virtue of the message, according to the instruction or commission, which he had received at God’s hand and commanded] unto the people, saying; I am with you, saith the LORD. [or, I shall be c. therefore be of good cheer, and go on courageously in the building of my house. Compare Psalms 56:11. Matthew 28:18, 20. Romans 8:31.]

14. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Sealtiel the prince of Juda, and the spirit of Josua, the son of Jozadak, the high-priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people: and they came and made the work in the house of the LORD of the hosts their God. [i.e. the Lord did by this exhortation of his prophet, excite and stir up the hearts of the persons aforesaid, daily more and more, for to go on in the building begun, until it was wholly finished and completed. And very needful also it was, that this people should receive this encouragement, in regard that Thatnai and other enemies of the people, did all they could, to crosse and hinder this work. Ezra 5:3.]