The Gist of Haggai's Sermon on Sep. 1, 520 B.C.
Hag 1:1 and similar verses are the work of the editor, probably one of Haggai's disciples who first wrote down an account of the prophet's teaching. After by Haggai the prophet the LXX inserts saying, Say. But though this reading is probably correct, since the address in
Hag 1:3 ff. is to the people rather than to Zerubbabel and Joshua, the whole of
Hag 1:1 after by Haggai the prophet is a later editorial addition from
Hag 2:1 f., the introductory clause being originally identical in form with
Hag 2:1;
Hag 2:10.
Shealtiel, Zerubbabel's father, was, according to 1Ch 3:17, one of the sons of Jehoiachin. Zerubbabel's office seems to be the same as that to which Gedaliah had been appointed (
Jer 40:5-7;
Jer 40:11), and which in the reign of Cyrus had been held by Sheshbazzar (
Ezr 1:8-11). The use of the title
peḥ?â h in the case of Zerubbabel and of
nâ sî in the case of Sheshbazzar probably does not imply any difference in the status or authority of the two men. Zerubbabel would have no jurisdiction over Samaria.
The title here given to Joshua the high priest or, more literally, the great priest, though applied to Jehoiada (
2Ki 12:10) was probably not in use before the age of Josiah, Hilkiah being termed simply the priest (
2Ki 22:14;
2Ki 23:24; but
cf. 2Ki 22:4;
2Ki 22:8;
2Ki 23:4). According to the late genealogy in 1Ch 6:13-15 Jehozadak, Joshua's father, was the son of Seraiah and had been carried into exile by Nebuchadnezzar. This statement, however, may be a mere inference by the Chronicler who combined the statement of 2Ki 25:18 (
Jer 52:24) and the description of Joshua in Hag., and argued that since, according to his view, there were no sacrifices at Jerusalem between 586 and the appointment of Zerubbabel, Joshua must have returned with the latter, and therefore his father, Jehozadak, must have been carried into captivity.
Hag 1:2. Read mg.
Hag 1:3. is a superfluous editorial addition.
Hag 1:4. A cieled house was one lined with timber, ordinary houses being left as rough inside as outside. This house means the whole Temple area, as is evident from
Hag 1:14;
Hag 2:3-9.
Hag 1:5. Consider your ways: means take notice of your experiences. In
Hag 1:5 Haggai exhorts the people to reflect on their past experiences (described in
Hag 1:6) and in
Hag 1:7 on what will be the experiences of the future, viz. the greater prosperity which will result from the building of the Temple. In the past, hopes have always been disappointed, and the Lord has blown upon,
i.e. bewitched the produce of the land.
Hag 1:7 f. should be placed after
Hag 1:11.
The Effect of Haggai's Eloquence. Work was actually begun at the Temple twenty-three days after the first appeal. The phrase the remnant (apparently editorial), probably has the same sense as in Jer 24:8; Jer 40:11; Jer 40:15; Jer 41:10; Jer 41:16; Jer 42:2; Jer 42:15; Jer 42:19, etc., and denotes those who have not been carried away into exile.