TEXT [Commentary]

  II.   Second Message: The Promise of Restoration (2:1-9)

1 Then on October 17 of that same year,[*] the LORD sent another message through the prophet Haggai. 2 “Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua[*] son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God’s people there in the land: 3 ‘Does anyone remember this house—this Temple—in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! 4 But now the LORD says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 5 My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’

6 “For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

NOTES

2:1 that same year. Cf. NLT mg. See note on 1:15.

2:2 and to the remnant. Meyers and Meyers (1987:47) read “and to all the rest of the people” (inserting kol [TH3605, ZH3972] in the MT, following the LXX and Syriac).

2:3 The rhetorical question is one of the literary features unifying the Haggai–Zechariah–Malachi corpus (cf. Pierce 1984a). See note on 1:4.

2:4 Be strong. The threefold repetition of the imperative verb “be strong” (khazaq [TH2388, ZH2616]) marks the shift from rebuke and challenge to encouragement and affirmation in the prophet’s message (cf. Achtemeier 1986:102).

2:5 just as I promised. Lit., “the word I cut with you.” The verb karath [TH3772, ZH4162] and the noun berith [TH1285, ZH1382] form the Hebrew idiom for making a covenant (see Gen 15:9-10). This combination of the verb karath and the noun dabar [TH1697, ZH1821] (word) is exceptional, no doubt intended by the prophet to underscore the continuity of Yahweh’s activity in delivering his people—first from Egypt and then from Babylonia. Petersen (1984:61) considers the clause a prosaic intrusion in the prophet’s poetic discourse (esp. since the LXX omits these words; cf. NEB). Baldwin (1972:47) suggests the scribal marginal reference to Exod 29:45-46 was eventually incorporated into the text. Verhoef (1987:100) correctly argues for the originality of the line on the basis of the context of 2:4 (as an elaboration of God’s promise to be with his people). Meyers and Meyers (1987:51-52) recognize that the initial position of “the word I cut with you” in the MT is a deliberate variation in the expected Hebrew syntax in order to heighten the authority of the prophet’s command.

2:6 In just a little while. The MT is difficult—lit., “once again, in a little while” (‘od akhath [TH5750/259, ZH6388/285] me‘at hi’). The expression seems to connote both the sense of urgency or immediacy and the indefiniteness of the moment of divine judgment (cf. Meyers and Meyers 1987:52; Petersen 1984:61-62).

2:7 treasures. The word “treasures” is actually singular in the MT (khemdath [TH2532, ZH2775]). The LXX reads the plural in agreement with the plural verb. Verhoef (1987:92) simply understands the (construct) singular form of the MT as a collective (cf. Waltke and O’Connor 1990:7.2.1). The word refers to desirable, valuable, or coveted things (i.e., “magnificent treasures,” TDOT 4.454). It is related to the root word for coveting in the tenth commandment (Exod 20:17; khamad [TH2530, ZH2773]). Ironically the treasures coveted by the nations will be given back to God, the maker and owner of all things. On the messianic understanding of “treasures,” see Taylor and Clendenen 2004:160-161.

2:9 in this place. The preposition “in” is ambiguous, indicating either peace for those who come into the Temple or peace for all emanating from the Temple (cf. Baldwin 1972:49; Smith 1984:158). The LXX includes a scribal reflection on this promise of peace at the end of 2:9 (“and peace of soul as a possession for all who build, to erect this Temple”; Petersen 1984:61-62).

COMMENTARY [Text]

Haggai’s reference to “Egypt” (2:5) sets the hortatory tone and establishes the covenant theme for this entire section. The citation is clearly a deliberate appeal to the historical traditions associated with the Exodus from slavery under the pharaoh (cf. Merrill 1994:37). The prophet probably alludes to Isaiah’s oracles announcing the second exodus and the restoration of the Hebrews from captivity in Babylonia (e.g., Isa 40:3-5; 41:17-20; 42:14-16; cf. Motyer 1993:335-337, and Watts 1987:80-81 on Exodus typology in Isaiah). The clause “when you came out of Egypt” (2:5) looks at once both back to the past and forward in anticipation of the future in an effort to encourage those presently in despair. This flashback to the Exodus from Egypt was designed to demonstrate the continuity of Yahweh’s activity in history for elect Israel. Haggai’s audience could be assured that the presence and power of the God who delivered the Hebrews from Pharaoh would also deliver his people from Babylonia and restore them in the land of covenant promise.

The repetition of the clause “I am with you” (1:13; 2:4) calls to mind the new covenant promises made to the Hebrews prior to the Babylonian exile by the prophets Jeremiah (Jer 30:11) and Ezekiel (Ezek 34:30; 37:27). For some, this theme of God’s presence with his people constitutes the theological center of the entire Bible. “Immanuel” or “God-with-us” theology has its origins in the intimate fellowship with God that humanity enjoyed before the Fall (Gen 3:8). (On the theme of the divine presence in the OT, see S. Terrien, The Elusive Presence [New York: Harper & Row, 1978]; and C. Barth, God with Us: A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991].)

Later, the Tabernacle structure of the Exodus sojourn (Exod 25–40) was designed to symbolize the active presence of the Lord among the Hebrews (cf. Exod 25:8, “Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them”). Haggai extended the biblical discourse on the divine presence by declaring the (partial) fulfillment of those earlier pronouncements of Jeremiah and Ezekiel concerning the realization of Yahweh’s covenant promises. The prophet had every confidence in exhorting his audience to faithful obedience in completing the divine directive to rebuild the Temple solely on the strength of God’s pronouncement, “I am with you” (see the discussion of postexilic use of the covenant formulas in Martens 1994:219-221). He understood that this simple covenant phrase expressed God’s care and blessing for his people (Gen 26:24), assured them his divine protection (Jer 15:20), and promised them deliverance and restoration (Isa 41:10; 43:5; cf. Redditt 1995:22-23). The New Testament renews this theme of God’s presence dwelling in the midst of humanity with the announcement found in John’s Gospel (“The Word became human and made his home among us,” John 1:14) and in the promise of God’s abiding presence in the new creation (“God himself will be with them,” Rev 21:3). During the interim, the church has the guarantee of this divine presence through the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19-20; cf. Eph 1:14).

The clause “my Spirit remains among you” (2:5) is a restatement of the reality that God is with his people (2:4). The reference to “my Spirit” should be understood as a personal manifestation of God’s presence. According to Meyers and Meyers (1987:52), the associated verb ‘amad [TH5975, ZH6641] (remain) has the effect of personifying “Spirit” and makes this “a powerful expression of divine presence.” Haggai seems to make reference to the function of God’s Spirit after the manner of Isaiah’s commentary on the Exodus—the Spirit of power works miracles in Israel’s history (Isa 63:11; cf. Westermann 1969:389). This interpretation is supported by Haggai’s contemporary Zechariah, who recognized that Israel’s restoration would be accomplished by the power of God’s Spirit—not human strength (Zech 4:6).

Echoes of covenant ideas and themes resound in the vocabulary of Haggai’s second message (2:1-9). Specifically, the prophet alluded to Yahweh’s covenant ties with Israel by mentioning the land (2:2, 4; cf. Gen 12:1, 7; Exod 3:8), the Temple (2:3, 7, 9; an implicit reference to that place where Yahweh would establish his name, Deut 12:11; 14:23; 16:2), and the inauguration of peace (2:9; a key element of the new covenant promises of Jeremiah [30:10; 32:37] and Ezekiel [34:25; 37:26]). More striking are the assurance formulas (“be strong,” 2:4; and “so do not be afraid,” 2:5). Both are commonly found in covenantal contexts (e.g., Gen 15:1; 26:24; Exod 20:20; Isa 57:15). According to Petersen (1984:57-58), both serve to alleviate the apprehension and fear of the people by connecting Yahweh’s current presence in the community with his future activity on behalf of his elect. Perhaps most significant is Haggai’s wedding of the abiding presence of Yahweh (2:4) with the word of Yahweh’s covenant promise (2:5). The prophet may have had Isaiah 59:20-21 in mind, where the combination of God’s covenant word and the presence of his Spirit are tokens of Yahweh’s unswerving commitment to the restoration of his people.

The prophet urged his audience not to despair over the diminished state of the second Temple in comparison with the memory of the grandeur of Israel’s first Temple (2:3; cf. Ezra 3:12). Though Zerubbabel’s Temple paled in comparison to the magnificence of Solomon’s architectural wonder, Haggai predicted the “future glory” of the second Temple would outstrip the “past glory” of Solomon’s majestic Temple (2:9). The prophet bolstered his claim by emphasizing that in the eschaton the tribute of the nations would flow into Jerusalem (2:7). The real glory of the Jerusalem Temple, however, will not be the revenues of silver and gold bursting its coffers. Rather, the glory of God’s Temple will consist of his presence in it and among his people (2:4-5; cf. Merrill 1994:41). Perhaps Haggai’s forecast of unrivaled future glory for the Lord’s Temple anticipated the incarnation of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:23; John 1:14; cf. Isa 7:14). It may be that the return of the “divine presence” to Israel in the person of Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled this prophecy about the future glory of the Temple being far greater than its past glory (Luke 2:25-35, 49; cf. Wolf 1976:37-38).

Haggai’s apparent fixation with the treasures of the nations deserves mention lest he be misrepresented as a vindictive nationalist and a crass materialist (2:7-8). Smith (1984:158) declares there is no hint of greed or covetousness on the part of the prophet here. Rather, as von Rad (1966:240) has correctly discerned, Haggai boldly predicted the complete recognition of God’s sovereignty over the entire world. In the eschaton, the treasures of the world, once withheld from their true purpose as the property of Yahweh, will return to his exclusive control. This is only appropriate since he is the rightful owner of the wealth of the nations. Jones (1962:34-35) adds the element of universalism to Haggai’s discussion of the wealth of the nations. He has noted that “racialism” is dead because in the Day of the Lord the nations come to Zion not only to bring tribute (2:7) and to receive instruction (Isa 2:2-4), but also to be incorporated into the people of God (Zech 2:11). All this is in keeping with Zechariah’s vision of the eschaton—a time when the wealth and the worship of the nations will be centered in Jerusalem (Zech 14:14, 17).