Haggai 1
SIBHaggai 1:15
After an account of the date and direction, contains (1) God’s sharp reproof of the dilatoriness of the returned Jews in re- building his temple, while they repaired their own houses, which had provoked God to punish them with a famine; and an exhor- tation earnestly to resume and finish that work; 1—11. (2) An account of their ready obedience, and of the Lord’s further animating and encouraging them to their work; 12—15. • Heb. by the hand of Hag- gai. IN the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Ze- rubbabel the son of Shealtiel †governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jo- sedech the high priest, saying, † Or captain. 2 ¶ Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, ‘The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built. • 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, • Prov. 26. 16. & 24. 33 with Ezra 4. 21. 24. & 5. 1. & 6. 1. 4 Is it time for you, O ye to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? • —5. 5 Now therefore, thus saith the LORD of hosts, ‡Consider your ways. • Ver. 7. Law. 3. 40. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Ps. 4. 4. & 106. 6. with ver. 6. 9. ch. 2. 15. 16. 6 Ye have ‘sown much, and bring in little: ye eat, but ye have not enough. ‡ Heb. Set your heart on your ways. • ver. 9. Mal. 3. 8—11. & 2. 2. ch. 2. 16. ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink: ye clothe you, but there is none warm: and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag ||with holes. 7 ¶ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, ¶Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the ᵇmountain, and bring wood, and build ᶜthe house; and ᵈI will take pleasure in it, and ᵉI will be glorified, saith the LORD. 9 ᵐYe looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home I did ᵒblow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. 10 Therefore ᵖthe heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. 11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands. Before Christ cir. 520. ¶ Heb. pierced through. ᵃ Phil. 3. 1. Is. 28. 10. ver. 5 Ps. 119. 59, 60. ᵇ Erra 3. 7. 1 Kin. 5. 6. ᶜ 1 Kin. 8. 29, 30. & 9. 3. ᵈ 2 Chr. 7. 16. Ps. 132. 13, 14. ᵉ Is. 60. 7. Exod. 29, 43 • See ver. 6, 11. ch. 2. 16, 17. Mal. 2. 2. & 3. 8—11. • Or blow it away. • Lev. 26. 19, 20. Deut. 24. 23, 24. 1 Kin. 17. 1. Jer. 14. 1—6. Joel 1. 18—20. ch. 2. 17. Amos 4. 7. 10 1
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. I.—Lukewarm professors are easily checked in their reforming attempts. If civil powers do not encourage them they imagine it is not a proper season: and it will require both prophets and plagues to stir them up to their duty. Uncertain, unsubstantial, and unsatisfying, are all the enjoyments of wealth. And it is very unlike saints to prefer temporal advantages to the honour of Christ and welfare of his church. But none ever gain by withholding from pious uses; nor can reformation be ever expected till men consider their ways. It is pleasant to be employed in that work in which God delights. And, if he direct us by his word, awe our conscience and animate our heart by his Spirit, we shall then cheerfully apply to it: and, the more negligent we have been, the more diligent we ought to be. God will graciously work with such as readily apply themselves to their duty. And if he be with us we need wish no more