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Haggai Chapter
Two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO HAGGAI 2
This
chapter contains three sermons or prophecies, delivered by the prophet to the
people of the Jews. The design of the first is to encourage them to go on with
the building of the temple, though it might seem to come greatly short of the
former temple, as to its outward form and splendour. The time of the prophecy, Haggai 2:1 an order
to deliver it to the governor, high priest, and all the people, Haggai 2:2. A
question is put concerning the difference between this temple and the former; between
which it is suggested there was no comparison; which is assented to by silence,
Haggai 2:3
nevertheless, the prince, priest, and people, are exhorted to go on strenuously
in the work of building; encouraged with a promise of the presence of the Lord
of hosts, and of his Word, in whom he covenanted with them at their coming out
of Egypt, and of the blessed Spirit, and his continuance with them, Haggai 2:4 and, the
more to remove their fears and faintings, it is declared that in a very short
time a most wonderful thing should be done in the world, which would affect all
the nations of the earth; for that illustrious Person would come, whom all
nations do or should desire; and, not only come into the world, but into that
temple they were building, and give it a greater glory than the former; yea, a
greater glory than if all the gold and silver in the world were laid out upon
it, or brought into it; which being all the Lord's, could have been easily done
by him; but he would give in it something infinitely greater than that, even
the Prince of peace, with all the blessings of it, Haggai 2:6 then
follows the second sermon or prophecy, the time of which is observed, Haggai 2:10 and it
is introduced with some questions concerning ceremonial uncleanness, by an
unclean person's touching holy flesh with the skirt of his garment; and other
things, which is confirmed by the answer of the priests, Haggai 2:11 the
application of which is made to the people of the Jews, who were alike unclean;
they, their works, and their sacrifices, Haggai 2:14 and
these are directed to consider, that, during the time they had neglected to
build the temple, they were attended with scarcity of provisions; their fields
and vineyards being blasted with mildew or destroyed by hail, and their labours
proved unsuccessful, Haggai 2:15 but
now, since they had begun the work of building, it is promised they should be
blessed with everything, though they had nothing in store, and everything was
unpromising to them; which is designed to encourage them to go on cheerfully in
their begun work, Haggai 2:18 and the
chapter is concluded with the last discourse or prophecy, the date of which is
given, Haggai 2:20 an
instruction to deliver it to Zerubbabel, Haggai 2:21
foretelling the destruction of the kingdoms of the heathen; and the setting up
of the kingdom of the Messiah, of whom Zerubbabel was a type, precious and
honourable in the sight of God, Haggai 2:22.
Haggai 2:1 In the seventh month,
on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying:
YLT
1In the seventh [month], in
the twenty and first of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of
Haggai the prophet, saying:
In the seventh month,.... The month Tisri,
which answers to part of September and part of October:
in the one and twentieth day of the month; being a
month, wanting three days, from the time the Jews came and worked in the house
of the Lord, Haggai 1:14 it was
toward the close of the feast of tabernacles: see Leviticus 23:34,
came the word of the Lord by the Prophet Haggai; the word of prophecy,
as the Targum: this was from the Lord, not from the prophet himself; he was
only the messenger sent with it to deliver it:
saying; to him the prophet, giving him orders as follow:
Haggai 2:2 2 “Speak
now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the
son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying:
YLT
2`Speak, I pray thee, unto
Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and unto Joshua, son of
Josedech, the high priest, and unto the remnant of the people, saying:
Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah,.... Of whom,
his descent and dignity; see Gill on Haggai 1:1. The
Septuagint version wrongly renders it "of the tribe of Judah"; in
which it is followed by the Arabic version; for, though he was of the tribe of
Judah, this does not sufficiently distinguish him; nor does it answer to the
word here used, which is expressive of his office and dignity. The Vulgate
Latin version, Luther, and Castalio, omit the particle נא,
rendered "now", which is very emphatic. The prophet is ordered to go
and say what he is bid, directly, immediately, at once, without any delay; the
very day before mentioned, yea, at that very instant or moment, the people
being now at work, under the eye of their governor; in order to remove an
offence, which might discourage them in their work, taken from the meanness of
the building, in comparison of the former temple:
and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the
residue of the people; these, besides the two former, even the whole body of the
people, the remnant that were come out of the captivity of Babylon:
saying; to the above persons, as follows:
Haggai 2:3 3 ‘Who
is left among you who saw this temple[a] in its
former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this
not in your eyes as nothing?
YLT
3Who among you hath been
left that saw this house in its former honour? And what are ye seeing it now?
Is it not, compared with it, as nothing in your eyes?
Who is left among you that saw this house in her first
glory?.... Not taken away by death, yet alive, and dwelling among them;
and who lived before the destruction of the first temple, built by Solomon; and
has seen it in all its magnificence; its grand and noble structure; its stately
pillars; its carved work, and decorations of gold. This shows that it was not
in the times of Darius Nothus, but of Darius Hystaspis, that Haggai prophesied:
those who go the former way make these men to have lived near two hundred years
at least, which was greatly beyond the common time of man's life in that age;
or consider these words as a mere supposition, that, if there were or had been
such persons then living, this building, in comparison of the former, must have
appeared mean and contemptible unto them: but the words manifestly imply that
there were persons among them then living, who had seen Solomon's temple in all
its glory; and who are particularly and personally addressed in the following
clauses; and of whom there might be several at this time, going the latter way;
for the seventy years' captivity are to be reckoned from the fourth year of
Jehoiakim, in which the captivity began, and which was the first year of
Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah 25:1 but
it was not until the nineteenth year of his reign that the temple, was burnt by
him, Jeremiah 52:12 and
the time of Haggai's prophesying being about seventeen or eighteen years after
the proclamation of Cyrus, when the seventy years' captivity ended; this shows
that it was scarcely seventy years from the time the temple was destroyed; and
therefore it may be reasonably supposed there were several ancient persons
living that could remember to have seen it; and it is certain that there were a
great number of such living that returned from Babylon, who wept when they saw
the foundation of the second temple laid, which was but fifteen years before
this, Ezra 3:12 some of
whom, in all probability, were now alive, yea, it is certain there were, to
whom the following questions were put:
and how do ye see it now? is not this that is
building very different from that? does it promise anything like it? what ideas
have you of it? can you conceive in your minds that it will ever rise up to
such grandeur and stateliness as the former? what is your judgment, and what
your sentiments concerning it? can you think of it with equal delight and pleasure
as of the former?
is it not in your
eyes in comparison of it as nothing? do not you think that it
is not to be mentioned, or once named, in comparison of the former temple? or
that a man had as good say nothing at all, as to attempt a comparison of them?
or that this building and nothing are alike? and that the one is a nonentity,
as well as the other, comparatively speaking, when set in competition with the
first temple? and are not you of opinion that the people had as good do
nothing, and that in effect they are doing nothing, and all their labour lost,
who are working in this house? no answer is returned, nor any waited for: but
it is as if the Lord had said, I, who am the omniscient God, the discerner of
the thoughts of men, know that these are your sentiments, and these the
reasonings of your minds; and but now lest discovering these thoughts of
theirs, and speaking out their minds freely as they might, which would tend to
discourage the governors and the people in carrying on the work they had engaged
in; the Lord by the prophet says to them, as follows:
Haggai 2:4 4 Yet
now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be
strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you
people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and
work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts.
YLT
4And now, be strong, O
Zerubbabel, An affirmation of Jehovah, And be strong, O Joshua, son of
Josedech, the high priest, And be strong, all ye people of the land, An
affirmation of Jehovah, And do ye -- (for I [am] with you, An affirmation of
Jehovah of Hosts) –
Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord,.... Take
heart, be of good courage, do not be dismayed at these things; though, the
building may be contemptible in the eyes of some, nevertheless go on with it
manfully and vigorously; let, none despise the day of small things; for from
these low beginnings great things will arise, and glorious things will follow,
as hereafter predicted; see Zechariah 4:9
attend this, work diligently, desist not from it, continue to preside over it,
and encourage the people in it; let not thine heart faint, or thine hands be
slack; act the part of man, of a good man, and of a governor:
and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech the high priest; do not be
disheartened at what the ancients think and say concerning this temple, in
which thou art to officiate as a high priest; and as a type of him who shall
come into this house, and so give it a glory the former never had; continue to
give the necessary instructions to the builders, that everything may be done in
proper order, and to answer their end and use in the service of the priesthood;
faint not, nor be discouraged, but act according to thy character, and show
thyself worthy of the office with which thou art invested; consider in whose
name thou actest?, whose priest thou art, and in whose service thou art
employed:
and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord; let not your
hearts sink, or spirits fail, at hearing what the more ancient among you say of
the difference between this and the former building, which your eyes never saw;
do not desist from your work on this account, but go on with it; consider what
God has done for you, in bringing you out of captivity, and into your own land,
and to the enjoyment of your civil privileges; consider the obligations you lie
under to build a house for God; that this is not only a piece of gratitude, and
shows a sense of mercies received; but that it is for the glory of God, for
your spiritual profit and advantage, and for the use and good of future
posterity; quit yourselves therefore like men, and be strong; see Joshua 1:6,
and work; that is, continue working, for they were at work; but there was
danger of their leaving off working, being discouraged at what the ancient
people said; and therefore they are exhorted to go on in their work, and go
through it, and finish it; for so the word here used signifies, "and
do"F5ועשו "et facite", V.
L. Munster, Pagninus, Montanus, Burkius. ; that is, the work thoroughly and
effectually; or, as others render it, "and perfect"F6"Perficite",
Piscator, Tarnovius, Varenius, Reinbeck. the work begun, and leave it not
unfinished. Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, connect this word with
the beginning of the following verse, thus, "and do the word, or thing,
which I covenanted with you", &c. Haggai 2:5; that
is, observe the law, and do the commandment then given; but very wrongly: nor
is it only to be considered as directed to the people, but to the prince and priest
also; for they had all work to do in the house of the Lord, as all ranks and
degrees of men now have in the church of Christ; of which that house was
typical: the prince or civil magistrate, not to prescribe laws and rules to be
observed in it, which only belongs to Christ, who is the sole Head, King, and
Lawgiver; but to attend the service of it, to protect and defend it, to promote
the interest of it, and distribute cheerfully to the maintenance of its
ministers, and to the necessities of the poor saints. Priests or ministers of
the word are to work; they are to labour in the word and doctrine; in preaching
the Gospel; administering ordinances; governing the church; comforting saints;
reproving vice, and refuting error: deacons are to do their work, in taking
care of the poor, and minding the secular affairs of the church: and all
private Christians are to work, to labour in prayer for the good of it; to hear
the word, attend on all ordinances, and hold fast the profession of their
faith; all which is to be done in the strength and grace of Christ, without
dependence on it, or seeking justification and salvation by it; encouraged, as
the Jews are here, with the promise of the divine Presence:
for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts; to help in
every service, and to protect from all enemies; and this makes the work and
service of the Lord's house pleasant and delightful, and secures from all
doubts and fears, faintings and misgivings of heart. This is to be understood
of God the Father, the Lord of armies above and below; and if he is for and
with his people, they have nothing to fear from those that are against them; or
to be discouraged in his service. The Targum wrongly interprets this of the
Word of the Lord, since he is meant in the next verse Haggai 2:5.
Haggai 2:5 5 ‘According
to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My
Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’
YLT
5The thing that I covenanted
with you, In your coming forth from Egypt, And My Spirit is remaining in your
midst, fear not.
According to the Word that
I covenanted with you, when ye came out of Egypt,.... Or rather,
"with the Word, in or with whom I covenanted"F7את הדבר אשר
כרתי "cum verbo quo pepigeram", Junius
& Tremellius; "cum verbo illo quo pepigi", Varenius; approved of
by Reinbeck, Append. Doctrin. de Accent. p. 76, 77. , &c. as some render
it; that is, Christ, the essential Word, who was promised to the people of
Israel at that time, Deuteronomy 18:15
and in whom all the promises are, and the covenant of grace itself; and which
covenant was indeed made with him from eternity, but was made manifest, or more
clearly manifest, to the Jewish ancestors, when they came out of Egypt: now it
is here promised, for the encouragement of the Jews to go in the work of the
Lord in building the temple, that this divine Word should be with them also, to
counsel, assist, strengthen, and protect them; even he who went before their
fathers in the wilderness in a pillar of cloud by day, and of fire by night;
the Angel of God's presence, that redeemed, saved, and carried them all the
days of old; the Word that was in the beginning with God, and was God; and by
whom all things were created at first; and who would, as since he has, become
flesh, and dwell among them, and appear in this very temple they were now
building; and who will be with all his churches, ministers, and people, unto
the end of the world:
so my Spirit remaineth among you: or rather,
"and", or "also, my Spirit standeth", continueth "in
the midst of you"F8ורוחי עמדת בתוככם "et Spiritus
meus stat in medio vestri", Pagninus, Cocceius; "stana",
Montanus; "Spiritus quoque meus stabit in medio vestrum", Vatablus. ;
not only Jehovah the Father, and his divine Logos or Word, were with them; but
his Spirit also, his Holy Spirit, the third Person in the Trinity, of which
these words are a proof; the same Spirit which was in Moses and others in his
time, for the building of the tabernacle, is now promised unto, and should
continue with, the builders of this temple; as a Spirit of wisdom and counsel
to direct them, and as a Spirit of might and power to strengthen and assist
them: and so he is, and will be, in the churches of Christ, and in the midst of
his people, to assist the ministers of the word in preaching, the people in
hearing, praying, and praising; to carry on his own work in them; to be the
Comforter of them, and the seal, earnest, and pledge of their future glory; nor
does he, nor ever will he, depart from them; see Isaiah 59:21,
fear ye not: succeeding in the work, and finishing it; nor be dismayed at
what the ancient people had said; nor be afraid of enemies, who did all they
could to hinder and discourage them from going on with their work; and indeed
there is no reason to fear, let the service be what it will the Lord employs
his people in; if he, Father, Son, and Spirit, are with them; see Isaiah 41:10.
Haggai 2:6 6 “For
thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake
heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;
YLT
6For thus said Jehovah of
Hosts: Yet once more -- it [is] a little, And I am shaking the heavens and the
earth, And the sea, and the dry land,
For thus saith the Lord of hosts;.... For the further
encouragement of the builders of the temple, they are told, from the Lord of
hosts, that in a little time, when such circumstances should meet as are here
pointed at, the Messiah should come, and appear in this house, and give it a
greater glory than ever Solomon's temple had; for that this passage is to be
understood of the Messiah and his times is clear from the apostle's application
of it, Hebrews 12:25 and
even the ancient Jews themselves understood it of the Messiah, particularly R.
AquibaF9T. Bab Sanhedrin, fol. 97. 2. & Gloss. in ib. , who
lived in the times of Bar Cozbi, the false Messiah; though the more modern
ones, perceiving how they are embarrassed with it; to support their hypothesis,
shift it off from him:
Yet once, it is a little while: or,
"once more", as the apostle in the above place quotes it; which
suggests that the Lord had before done something of the kind, that follows,
shaking the heavens, &c. as at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai; and
would do the same again, and more abundantly in the times of the Gospel, or of
the Messiah. Jarchi interprets this of one trouble by the Grecian monarchy
after the Persian, which would not last long: his note is,
"yet
once, &c. after that this kingdom of Persia that rules over you is ended,
yet one shall rise up to rule over you, to distress you, the kingdom of Greece;
but its government shall be but a little time;'
and
not very foreign from this sense does Bishop ChandlerF11Defence of
Christianity, p. 88. "adhue unum modicum est, sc. regni
venturi." Akiba apud Lyram in loc. render the words, "after one kingdom
(the Grecian) it is a little while; (or after that) I will shake all the
heavens", &c.; and though it was five hundred years from this prophecy
to the incarnation of Christ: yet this was but a little while with God, with
whom a thousand years are as one day; and indeed with men it was but a short
time, when compared with the first promise of his coming at the beginning of
the world; or with the shaking of the earth at the giving of the law, soon
after Israel came out of Egypt:
and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the
dry land; which either intends the changes and revolutions made in the
several kingdoms and nations of the world, between this prophecy and the coming
of Christ, and which soon began to take place; for the Persian monarchy, now
flourishing, was quickly shook and subdued by the Grecians; and in a little
time the Grecian monarchy was destroyed by the Romans; and what changes they
made in each of the nations of the world is well known: or else this designs
the wonderful things that were done in the heavens, earth, and sea, at the
birth of Christ, during his life, and at his death: at his birth a new star
appeared in the heavens, which brought the wise men from the east to visit him;
the angels of heaven descended, and sung Glory to God in the highest; Herod and
all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were shaken, moved, and troubled at the
tidings of his birth; yea, people in all parts of Judea were in motion to be
taxed in their respective cities at this time: stormy winds were raised, which
agitated the waters of the sea in his lifetime; on which he walked, and which
he rebuked; and this showed him to be the mighty God: at his death the heavens
were darkened, the earth quaked, and rocks were rent asunder: if any particular
earthquake about this time should be thought to be intended, the most terrible
one was that which happened A. D. 17, when Coelius Rufus and Pomponius Flaccus
were consuls, which destroyed twelve cities of AsiaF12Taciti
Annales, l. 2. c. 47. ; and these being near the sea, caused a motion there also.
The apostle applies these words to the change made in the worship of God by the
coming of Christ, when the carnal ordinances of the law were removed, and
evangelical ordinances instituted, which shall remain until his second coming, Hebrews 12:26.
Haggai 2:7 7 and
I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations,[b] and I will
fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.
YLT
7And I have shaken all the
nations, And they have come [to] the desire of all the nations, And I have
filled this house [with] honour, Said Jehovah of Hosts.
And I will shake all nations,.... By changing their
governors, and forms of government; which was done by the Romans, when subdued
by them; and by bringing in wars among them, which produced those changes; and
by civil wars among the Romans themselves, in the several nations that belonged
to them, which were notorious a little before the coming of Christ: or else
this was to be done, and was done, by the preaching of the Gospel, both in
Judea, and in the Gentile world, when all the inhabitants thereof were shaken
by it, in one sense or another; some had their hearts and consciences shaken by
the Spirit and grace of God through it, and were brought to embrace it, and
profess it; yea, were brought to Christ, to yield obedience to him, his truths
and ordinances; and others were moved with envy, wrath, and indignation at it,
and rose up to oppose it, and stop the progress of it:
and the desire of all nations shall come; not the
desirable things of all nations, or them with them, as their gold and silver;
and which is the sense of Jarchi, Kimchi, and Aben Ezra; but this is contrary
to the syntax of the words, to the context, Haggai 2:8, and to
facts; and, if true, would not have given this temple a greater glory than
Solomon's: nor the elect of God, as others, brought in through the preaching of
the Gospel; who are indeed the desire of God, he takes pleasure in them; and of
Christ, whose delights have been always in them; and of the blessed Spirit,
whose love to them, and esteem of them, are very manifest; and with the saints
they are the excellent in the earth, in whom is all their delight: yet not
they, but one far more glorious and excellent, is intended, even the Messiah,
in whom all nations of the earth were to be blessed; and who, so far as he was
known by good men or proselytes among the Gentiles, was desired by them, as by
Job, and others; and who, when he came, brought all good things with him; and
has all blessings in him, that may make him desirable to men, being what they
want; and though he is not in fact desired by all, yet of right he should be,
and to all sensible sinners he is; even above all persons and things in the
whole world; on account of his excellencies and glories; his mediatorial
qualifications; his names, offices, and relations; the blessings of grace in
him; the works done by him; his truths and ordinances, people, ways, and
worship: and when it is said, he "shall come", the meaning is, not
only into the world by assumption of nature, to obtain redemption for his
people; but into this temple now building, in that nature assumed; where he
appeared at the presentation of him by his parents; and at the passover, when
twelve years of age; and when he drove out the buyers and sellers from it; and
when he often taught in it. The word "come" is in the plural number;
and may denote his frequent coming thither, as well as in different respects;
his personal coming; his spiritual coming; his coming to take vengeance on the
Jews; and his last coming, of which some understand the words particularly:
and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts; alluding to
the glory which filled the tabernacle of Moses, and the temple of Solomon, Exodus 40:35 but
that was but a shadowy glory, this a real one; here Christ appeared in person,
who is the brightness of his Father's glory; here his glorious doctrines were
taught, and glorious miracles wrought; and the Spirit of glory rested on the
disciples, in his gifts and grace bestowed upon them in an extraordinary
manner, on the day of Pentecost.
Haggai 2:8 8 ‘The
silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts.
YLT
8Mine [is] the silver, and
Mine the gold, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.
The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the
Lord of hosts. This seems designed to anticipate an objection taken from the gold
and silver, with which the first temple was either decorated, or were in gifts
dedicated to it; and which, it might easily be foreseen, would be wanting in
the second temple; and in answer to which the Lord observes, that all the gold
and silver in the world were his, were made by him, and were at his dispose;
and therefore whatever were bestowed upon the former temple was only giving him
his own; what he had a prior right to, and was no accession of riches or honour
to him; and so it would be the same, let what would be expended on this; and
therefore it was an article very inconsiderable, and of little significance;
nor did he regard, or was he delighted with anything of this kind; and, was he
so disposed, he could easily command all the gold and silver in the world
together, and bring it into this house, to enrich and adorn it, without doing
any injury to any person; but these were things he delighted not in; and,
besides, he had a far greater glory in view to put upon this house, as follows:
Haggai 2:9 9 ‘The
glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
YLT
9Greater is the honour of
this latter house, Than of the former, said Jehovah of Hosts, And in this place
do I give peace, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.'
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the
former, saith the Lord of hosts,.... The "former", or first house,
was the temple built by Solomon, which was a very glorious one, if we consider
the vast treasure of riches laid up by David, and given to Solomon for the
building of it; the great number of workmen employed in it; the stateliness of
the fabric, the like to which was never seen, the model being drawn by the Lord
himself; the decoration of it; the vessels in it; and, above all, the glory of
the Lord that filled it, and continued in it; and yet this "latter"
or second house exceeded it. It must be a glory very great indeed to exceed
this! The JewsF13T. Hieros. Taaniot, fol. 65. 1. T. Bab. Yoma, fol.
21. 2. Jarchi & Kimchi in Hagg. i. 8. themselves own there were several
things wanting in the latter which were in the former, as the "ark",
the "Urim" and "Thummim", the "fire" from heaven,
the "Shechinah" (or, as in some books, the anointing oil, and, in
others, the cherubim), and the "Holy Ghost": by one of their writersF14Baal
Aruch in rad. כבד, fol. 75. 3. , they are reckoned in
this order, the ark, the mercy seat, and cherubim, one; the Shechinah or divine
Majesty, the second; the Holy Ghost, which is prophecy, the third; Urim and
Thummim the fourth: and the fire from heaven the fifth: what could there be in
it to compensate the want of these, and put it upon a level, and even to cause
it to excel the temple of Solomon? the excelling glory did not lie in the
fabric; when the foundation of it was laid, the old men wept, because it came
so short of the other; and, as the building rose, it was in their eyes as
nothing; who were better judges than later Jews, who magnify the building of
the second temple; depending upon the authority of Josephus ben Gorion, who is
not to be trusted: nor did it lie in the duration of it, it continuing ten
years longer, they sayF15T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 3. 1. , than the
former; which, if true, could not answer to the deficiencies before mentioned;
or be an encouragement to the builders to go on in their work: nor in the
riches brought into it by the Gentiles in the times of the Maccabees, which was
very inconsiderable; and could never make it equal to Solomon's temple, and
much less preferable to it; nor by Alexander the great honouring it with his
presenceF16Azariah, Meor Enayim, c. 51. fol. 160. 1. Vid. Ganz
Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 23. 2. & 24. 1. ; for surely Solomon was
greater than he. It remains, that what gave it the greater glory was the
personal presence of the Messiah in it, his doctrines, and his miracles:
and, or "for",
in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts; not temporal
peace, for there was little of that during the second temple; witness the times
of the Maccabees, and the wars with the Romans; but spiritual peace, through
the blood and righteousness of Christ; peace with God; reconciliation for sin,
through the sacrifice of the Son of God, in whom he is well pleased; yea,
Christ himself may be meant, the Prince of peace, the Man the peace, who is our
peace, Isaiah 9:6 the
author of peace between God and men, between Jew and Gentile; the giver of
spiritual and eternal peace: him the Lord gave, "put", and set in
this place, the temple, as before observed; and where the Gospel of peace was
preached, and from whence it went forth into all the world. The Arabic version
adds,
"peace
of soul, I say, to be possessed by everyone that labours to raise up this
temple.'
Haggai 2:10 10 On
the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of
Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet,
saying,
YLT
10On the twenty and fourth of
the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been by
the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying:
In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month,.... The month
Chisleu, which answers to part of November, and part of December: this was two
months and three days after the former discourse or prophecy, and just three
months from the time the Jews began to work in the house of the Lord, Haggai 1:14
in the second year of Darius; the same year that all
the former discourses and prophecies were delivered in:
came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet; for what he
delivered was not his own, but from the Lord; he was only his minister and
messenger. The Vulgate Latin version, and so Munster, render it, "unto
Haggai the prophet"; and indeed what is said following seems to be
directed to him, and he is the only person that put the questions directed to:
saying; as follows:
Haggai 2:11 11 “Thus
says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying,
YLT
11Thus said Jehovah of Hosts:
`Ask, I pray thee, the priests [of] the law, saying:
Thus saith the Lord of hosts,.... To Haggai the
prophet:
ask now the priests concerning the law; whose
business it was to understand it, and teach it, and to answer questions, and
resolve doubts concerning it; not of their own heads, and according to their
fancies, will, and pleasure; but according to the rules and instructions given
in the word of God: and as this was their office, they were the proper persons
to apply to; and Haggai, though a prophet, is sent to the priests to propose
questions to them; though it may be not so much for his own information, as for
the conviction of the priests of their impurity, out of their own mouths, and
of the people by them:
saying; putting the following questions to them.
Haggai 2:12 12 “If
one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread
or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?”’”
Then the priests answered and said, “No.”
YLT
12Lo, one doth carry holy
flesh in the skirt of his garment, and he hath come with his skirt against the
bread, or against the pottage, or against the wine, or against the oil, or
against any food -- is it holy?' And the priests answer and say, `No.'
If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment,.... Or,
"carry" itF17ישא
"portaverit", Munster; "portet", Varenius, Reinbeck. ; from
one place to another in his pockets or bags, which were in the skirts of his
garments. This is to be understood of the flesh of creatures offered in
sacrifice, which were sanctified or separated for holy use; part of which
belonged to the priests, who might carry it in their pockets to the proper
place of eating it:
and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or
any meat: which were not holy, and not separated for holy use, but were
common meats and drinks: now the question upon this is,
shall it be holy? that is, if either of those common things
were touched by the skirt, in the pockets of which the holy flesh were carried,
whether they were made holy by such a touch, and no more remained common or
profane?
and the priests answered and said, No; they were not
sanctified; for though the garment itself was sanctified thereby, and might not
be employed in common use till washed, Leviticus 6:27 yet
a garment so touched could not convey holiness to whatsoever that touched, or
that touched it.
Haggai 2:13 13 And
Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body
touches any of these, will it be unclean?”
So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.”
YLT
13And Haggai saith, `If the
unclean of body doth come against any of these, is it unclean?' And the priests
answer and say, `It is unclean.'
Then said Haggai,.... To the priests; having nothing to
object to their answer; but being satisfied with it, he puts another question:
if one that is unclean by a dead body; by the touch
of it, Numbers 19:11,
touch any of these, shall it be unclean? that is, if
such an impure person, who was so in a ceremonial sense, should touch any of
the above things, bread, pottage, wine, or oil, or any meat, would not they
become unclean thereby, and so not fit for use?
and the priests answered and said, it shall be unclean; which was
rightly answered; for whatsoever such an unclean person touched was unclean,
according to the law, Leviticus 19:22.
Pollution is more easily and more extensively conveyed than holiness.
Haggai 2:14 14 Then
Haggai answered and said, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before
Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is
unclean.
YLT
14And Haggai answereth and
saith, `So [is] this people, and so [is] this nation before Me -- an
affirmation of Jehovah -- and so [is] every work of their hands, and that which
they bring near there -- it is unclean.
Then answered Haggai, and said,.... To the priests, and
before the people; and made an application of these things to them, which was
the thing in view in putting the questions:
So is this people, and so is this nation before me,
saith the Lord; not only those people that were present and at work at the
temple, but those that were absent, even the whole body of the people; who,
though they were pure in their own eyes, yet were not so before the Lord; who
knew their hearts, and the spring of all their actions; what were their ends
and views in all they did: as a garment carrying in it holy flesh could not
sanctify other things touched by it that were common and profane, but left them
as they were; so their ritual devotions, and externally holy actions, did not
and could not sanctify their impure hearts, but left them as unclean as before;
nor did they sanctify their common mercies, their bread, pottage, wine, and
oil: and, on the other hand, as an impure person made everything impure he
touched; so they, being impure in heart, all their actions, even their
religious ones, were impure also, as follows:
and so is every work of their hands; and that which they
offer there is unclean; pointing at the altar, which they had
built, and offered sacrifice on ever since they came out of Babylon, though the
temple was not yet built, Ezra 3:3 but all
their outward religious services, and all the sacrifices they offered up, were
in the Lord's account impure and abominable, as well as themselves; coming from
an unsanctified heart, and offered up with unclean hands, and without
repentance towards God, and faith in Christ; and living in other respects in disobedience
to God, and especially while they neglected the building of the temple;
satisfying themselves with offering sacrifices on the altar, when the house of
God lay desolate; which is the principal thing respected, as appears by what
follows.
Haggai 2:15 15 ‘And
now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon
stone in the temple of the Lord—
YLT
15And now, lay [it], I pray
you, to your heart, From this day, and onwards, Before the laying of stone to
stone in the temple of Jehovah.
And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward,.... This
being their case, and they so polluted with sin, particularly through their
neglect of building the temple; they are most earnestly and importunately
entreated to "lay" it "to their hearts", to ponder it in
their minds, and thoroughly consider how it had fared with them from this
twenty fourth day of the ninth month, in which the prophet was sent unto them
to encourage them in their work, and upwards or backwards, for some years past:
even
from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the
Lord: the foundation of the temple was laid quickly after the Jews
returned from Babylon, upon the proclamation of Cyrus, Ezra 3:10 but,
through difficulties and discouragements they met with, they desisted from the
work, and went no further; a stone was not laid upon it; or, as the Targum, a
row, or course upon course, until this time: and now all the intermediate space
of time between the first laying the foundation of the temple, and their
present going to work upon it, the prophet would have them take particular
notice of; how it had been with them, as to their outward circumstances; whereby
it would appear, they had sinned, and the Lord had been offended with them.
Haggai 2:16 16 since
those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but
ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the
press, there were but twenty.
YLT
16From that time [one] hath
come to a heap of twenty, And it hath been ten, He hath come unto the wine-fat
to draw out fifty purahs, And it hath been twenty.
Since those days
were,.... From the time the foundation of the temple was laid, unto
the time they began to work again, which was a space of about fifteen or
sixteen years:
when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there
were but ten; when the husbandman having gathered in his corn, and who was
generally a good judge of what it would yield, came to a heap of it on his corn
floor, either of sheaves not threshed, or grain not winnowed, and expected it
would have produced at least twenty measures, seahs, or bushels; afterward it
was threshed and winnowed, to his great disappointment he had but ten out of
it; there were so much straw and chaff, and so little grain; or when he came to
a heap of grain, wheat, or barley, in his granary, where he thought he should
have twenty bushels of it; but when he had measured it, proved but ten; being
either stolen by thieves, or eaten by vermin; rather the latter:
when one came to the wine vat for to draw out fifty vessels
out of the press, there were but twenty; by the quantity of
grapes which he put into the press to tread and squeeze, he expected to have
had fifty measures, or baths, or hogsheads of wine; but, instead of that, had
but twenty; the bunches were so thin, or the berries so bad: there was a
greater decrease and deficiency in the wine than in the grain.
Haggai 2:17 17 I
struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet
you did not turn to Me,’ says the Lord.
YLT
17I have smitten you with
blasting, And with mildew, and with hail -- All the work of your hands, And
there is none of you with Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
I smote you with blasting,.... That is,
their fields and vineyards, with burning winds, which consumed them; with
blights by east winds: this shows the reason of their disappointment, and that
it was from the Lord, and for their sins, by way of chastisement and
correction:
and with mildew; a kind of clammy dew, which corrupts and
destroys the fruits of the earth; and is a kind of jaundice to them, as the
word signifies; see Amos 4:9,
and with hail; which battered down the corn and the vines,
and broke them to pieces; see Exodus 9:25,
in all the labours of your hands; in the corn they sowed,
and in the vines they planted:
yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord; did not
consider their evil ways as the cause of all this; nor repent of them, and turn
from them to the Lord; to his worship, as the Targum; or to the building of his
house, the thing chiefly complained of. Afflictions, unless sanctified, have no
effect upon men to turn them from their sins to the Lord.
Haggai 2:18 18 ‘Consider
now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from
the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple
was laid—consider it:
YLT
18Set [it], I pray you, to
your heart, from this day and onwards, from the twenty and fourth day of the
ninth [month], even from the day that the temple of Jehovah hath been founded,
set [it] to your heart.
Consider now from this day
and upward,.... Or forward; for time to come, as the Vulgate Latin version:
from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month; before
observed, Haggai 2:10,
even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was
laid, consider it; not from the time it was first laid after their return upon the
proclamation of Cyrus, but from the time they began to clear that foundation,
and to build upon it; and which having lain so long neglected, the renewal of
it is represented as a fresh laying of it: now the prophet, as he had directed
them to consider what adversity and calamities had attended them from the time
of their neglect unto this time; so he would have them particularly observe
what blessings they would enjoy from henceforward; by which it would appear how
pleasing it was to the Lord that they had begun and were going on with the
building.
Haggai 2:19 19 Is
the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and
the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.’”
YLT
19Is the seed yet in the
barn? And hitherto the vine and the fig, And the pomegranate, and the
olive-tree, Have not borne -- from this day I bless.'
Is the seed yet in the
barn?.... The seed for sowing the land, in order for the next harvest:
this is by some answered in the affirmative, it was in the barn, it was not yet
sown; this being the ninth month, the month Chisleu, which answers to part of
our November; rather it should be in the negative, no, it was just sown; and
therefore no conjecture could be made, whether it would be a good harvest, or
not; yet the prophet, in the name of the Lord, promises them a good one so long
before hand: for the month Chisleu, which was the ninth month, was the last for
sowing, and even the first half of that; for so sayF18T. Bab. Bava
Metzia, fol. 106. 2. the Jews,
"half
Tisri, all Marchesvan, and half Chisleu, is seed time;'
so
that this being that month, seed time must have been just over; and the sense,
is there any seed in the barn? no, it is sown; and so, is there any remaining
in the granary for the support of families until the next harvest? they knew
there were none, or very little: and yet the Lord promises to bless them, so
that they should have enough:
yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and
the olive tree, hath not brought forth; their various fruits;
this not being the time of their bearing fruit, for it was winter time; and it
could not be said what they would bring forth in their season so long before
hand; yet it is suggested by the prophet that they would be very fruitful;
which were the principal fruit trees the land of Israel abounded with, Deuteronomy 8:8 and
on which their comfortable subsistence depended. Kimchi observes, that it may
be wondered at that the olive tree should be mentioned, because the time of its
bearing fruit were the months of Marchesvan and Chisleu; but perhaps the time
of its bearing fruit was delayed (as he says) because of the curse upon it:
from this day will I bless you; with plenty of all good
things, in their fields and gardens, in their vineyards and olive yards; so
that a difference between former and present times, and those to come, would
easily be discerned, and the reasons of it.
Haggai 2:20 20 And
again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the
twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,
YLT
20And there is a word of
Jehovah a second time unto Haggai, on the twenty and fourth of the month,
saying:
And again the word of the
Lord came unto Haggai,.... Or a "second"F19שנית
"secundo", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius,
Piscator, Cocceius; "secunda vice", Burkius. time, even on the same
day as the former:
in the four and twentieth day of the month; of the ninth
month Chisleu, Haggai 2:10,
saying; as follows:
Haggai 2:21 21 “Speak
to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: ‘I will shake heaven and earth.
YLT
21`Speak unto Zerubbabel
governor of Judah, saying: I am shaking the heavens and the earth,
Speak to Zerubbabel,
governor of Judah,.... The former discourse or prophecy chiefly related to the
people, for their encouragement in building; this is directed to the prince
over them, to support him under all the changes and revolutions made in the
world; that he should be regarded by the Lord in a very tender manner, and his
government continued, as a type of Christ and his kingdom:
saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; make great
commotions, changes, and revolutions in the world, by wars, and otherwise: the
Persian kingdom being subdued by the Grecian; the Grecian by the Romans; the
Roman empire by the Goths and Vandals; and the antichristian states, both Papal
and Mahometan, by the vials of God's wrath poured out upon them, by means of
Christian princes: such revolutions are often designed by the shaking of the
heavens, especially by earthquakes in the book of the Revelation; see Revelation 6:14.
Haggai 2:22 22 I
will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the
Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The
horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the sword of his brother.
YLT
22And have overturned the
throne of kingdoms, And I have destroyed the strength of kingdoms of the
nations, And overturned chariot and its charioteers, And come down have horses
and their riders, Each by the sword of his brother.
And I will overthrow the
throne of kingdoms,.... The Persian monarchy, which consisted of various kingdoms
and nations, and was destroyed under Darius Codomannus by Alexander the great,
who fought with him three pitched battles, and overcame him; but the thing was
of the Lord, according to his purpose and will, and by his power and
providence; and therefore the overthrow is ascribed to him. The JewsF20Seder
Olam Rabba, c. 30. p. 91. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 18. 1. say that the
Persian monarchy fell by the Grecians thirty four years after the building of
the temple; but very wrongly, it lasted longer:
and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; the empire of
Alexander, which was a very strong one, and contained in it many kingdoms and
nations, even the whole world, at least as he thought; and which was divided
after his death into several kingdoms; the strength of which was greatly
weakened by one another, and at last entirely destroyed by the Romans as
instruments:
and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them;
and the horses and their riders shall come down; which may refer either
to the chariots and horses, and their riders, belonging to the Grecians, and
used in their wars; or else this may describe the empire of the Romans, which
in its turn should be destroyed, famous for their triumphal chariots:
everyone by the sword of his brother; by civil
wars, which was remarkably true of the successors of Alexander, as appears from
JosephusF21Antiqu. l. 12. c. 1. sect. 1. and JustinF23E.
Trogo, l. 13. c. 6. : this may be applied to all the kingdoms of this world,
which will all be demolished, and be brought into subjection to Christ, and his
kingdom shall be set up in the world, the son and antitype of Zerubbabel, of
whom the following words are to be understood; see Daniel 2:44.
Abendana interprets it of the army of Gog and Magog, who shall fall everyone by
the sword of his brother.
Haggai 2:23 23 ‘In
that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you,
Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen
you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
YLT
23In that day -- an
affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, I take thee, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My
servant -- an affirmation of Jehovah, And have set thee as a signet, for on
thee I have fixed, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts!
In that day, saith the
Lord of hosts,.... When all these kingdoms, and their thrones and strength, are
destroyed; which shows that what follows cannot be understood literally of
Zerubbabel, who lived not to see these things done:
will I take thee, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel,
saith the Lord; that is, the Messiah, as is owned by Abarbinel; who saysF24Mayene
Jeshuah, fol. 13. 4. Vid. & Mashmiah Jeshuah, fol. 67. 2. ,
"the
King Messiah shall come, who is of the seed of Zerubbabel; and he shall be the
seal of the structure, and the end of the kingdoms; as it is said, "I will
make thee as a signet, for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts";
for this no doubt is said concerning the days of the Messiah:'
and
another Jewish writerF25Abendana in Miclol Yophi in loc. , quoting
the above author for the sense of this passage, and Ezekiel 37:25,
adds,
"for
the King Messiah he will be David, and he will be Zerubbabel, that he may be a
rod going out of their stem;'
and
anotherF26R. Isaac, Chizzuk Emunah, par. 1. c. 34. p. 289, 290. on
these words observes,
"without
doubt this is said concerning the expected Messiah, who will be of the seed of
Zerubbabel; and therefore this promise was not at all fulfilled in him; for in
the time of this prophecy he was but governor of Judah, and he never rose to
greater dignity than what he then had:'
indeed
these writers wrongly suppose the Messiah yet to come, and whom they in vain
expect; and apply this, as they do many other prophecies, to the coming of
Christ in the flesh, which belong to his spiritual appearance in his churches,
or to his personal coming at the last day: however, this shows the conviction
on their minds of the application of this and such like prophecies to the
Messiah, who may be called Zerubbabel, as he is sometimes David, because he
sprung from him, was of his lineage, and because he was a type of him, in
bringing the people of the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity, in rebuilding
the temple, in the government of the people, and in being chosen of God, and
precious; as well as a servant of the Lord, as here expressed, and which is
often mentioned as a character of the Messiah, Isaiah 49:3,
and will make thee as a signet; preserve, protect and
defend, love, value, and esteem, and advance to great honour and dignity, power
and authority: the signet or seal on a man's right hand, being what he always
wears, is ever in sight, and he is careful of; as well as is what he greatly
esteems, and is dear unto him, and he highly values; and by which a prince
signs his decrees and edicts; see Isaiah 49:2 Song of Solomon 8:6,
for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts; to be the
Redeemer and Saviour of his people; to be their King and Governor, and the
Judge of the world. Christ is peculiarly God's elect, and in whom all his
people are chosen; be is the chosen of God, and precious, Psalm 89:19. The
Targum is,
"for
in thee I am well pleased;'
which
is said by God the Father concerning Christ more than once, Matthew 3:17. It is
a prophecy of the exaltation of Christ after he had done his work, as the
Lord's servant, and especially in the latter day, when he shall be King over
all the earth; all which cannot be so well applied to Zerubbabel; unless with
Reinbeck we understand it of the time of his resurrection from the dead at the
last day; when great honour shall be put upon him as a faithful servant, and
great love and affection expressed to him; but that will be no other than what
will be common to all the saints and chosen of God; Christ, in whom all
prophecies terminate, and so this, is doubtless intended.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)