HAGGAI THE ARGUMENT Haggai is the first prophet that appears in the name of the Lord of hosts, to awaken, reprove, direct, exhort, and encourage both the governor, high priest, and people, returned out of captivity, to the restoring and settling the worship of God, to the rebuilding the temple,…

Darius: of this name there were seven, Darius Medus, Hystaspes, Longimanus, Nothus, Ochus, Arsames, Codomanus; one before Cyrus, viz. that Darius which is distinguished from the other by Medus, the Mede; the next Darius was son of Hystaspes, and third king of Persia, (if we leave out Smerdis the…

Thus speaketh, by way of reproof, and to awaken the drowsy Jews; he who knew their heart tells them what they both thought and spoke. This people, whom mercy preserved in, redeemed out of Babylon, and brought into their land on purpose to build the temple.

Then; when the people were thus sluggish, made excuses, and delayed doing their duty, then at that time came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet: see Hag. 1:1.

Is it time? you think it full time to build your own houses, you judge it seasonable enough to lay out much cost on adorning them, what pretence can you make that it is not seasonable to build my house? For you, Jews, who were by a king (that knew not your God) sent to build my house, you…

Now therefore; or, And now, or, But now, Heb.; it is time for you to consider, to set your heart to that I propose. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; the great God speaks, hearken therefore.

The prophet doth help them, or directs them what in particular they ought to consider, and so debateth it with them: Your labour, care, and charge hath been great in ploughing and sowing, that you are sensible of; but what harvest have you had? O, your barns have been far from full, you have reaped…

See Hag. 1:5. Debate it with yourselves, both as to what is already past, and what will be for time to come; it hath not been a chance, or an evil which none can tell whence it proceeds, it is from your neglect of God, his temple and worship.

Go up, delay no longer, speed ye up to the mountain; Moriah, or Zion, better Lebanon, where best and greatest store of cedars were to be had, whence came the goodly cedars which built Solomon’s temple, 1 Kings 5:14–15, and where they had (before the building was forbidden) furnished themselves,…

Ye, O Jews, you toiled, and were at great cost, as Hag. 1:6. Looked for much; expected, hoped, promised yourselves a great increase, a plentiful harvest.

Therefore; for your great intolerable neglect of God, his house and worship. The heaven, Heb. heavens. is stayed; shut up, sealed, prohibited; God, whose they are, hath forbidden them, they drop not one pearl of dew; and the earth must be barren, when dry without the fructifying influences of…

This verse is a particular narrative of what was more generally expressed in the former verse, and all things mentioned herein are very plain. I, your God whom you neglected, called for; commanded or willed, which is call powerful enough to bring together any of his armed soldiers, to punish…

Then; so soon as they heard this convincing and awakening sermon. Shealtiel; who is called Salathiel, 1 Chron. 3:17, Matt. 1:12. Joshua the son of Josedech: see Hag. 1:1. The high priest; the twenty-fourth from Aaron, as some reckon, (Alsted. Chron.,) but the first after the captivity.

Then; when the people showed their obedience, and the willingness of their minds, then God encourageth them by his prophet. Messenger; legate or envoy, the Hebrew word signifieth also an angel; but this is not surf, clout to prove their opinion, who dream that Haggai was not a man, but an angel in…

The Lord stirred up: this is the first notable effect of God’s presence with them, a sensible performance of his promise. God inclined their minds, fixed their resolutions, and inspired them with courage for this work; whereas the stoutest of them before had no mind to set on this work, now the…

It appeareth then that Zerubbabel and Joshua, with the people, did resolve on the matter quickly; for in three weeks and three days they are at the work, as is evident; on the first day Haggai preached, Hag. 1:1, on the twenty-fourth day of the month the people are at work, Hag. 1:15.