Haggai
A prophet of the return from exile, whose short book is precisely dated to the second year of Darius. The people had begun rebuilding the temple, then abandoned it for their own houses; Haggai's word was blunt — you live in panelled houses while this house lies in ruins, you sow much and harvest little. Within weeks the work restarted under Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. He answered those who wept that the new temple was nothing beside Solomon's with the promise that its latter glory would be greater.
What we know — and how we know it
Where in scripture
EzraHaggaiNow the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied to them in the name of the God of Israel.
Ezra 5:1
The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
Ezra 6:14
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai, the prophet, to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
Haggai 1:1
Then Yahweh’s word came by Haggai, the prophet, saying,
Haggai 1:3
“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste?
Haggai 1:4 — 'Is it time for you to dwell in panelled houses?'
Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed Yahweh, their God’s voice, and the words of Haggai, the prophet, as Yahweh, their God, had sent him; and the people feared Yahweh.
Haggai 1:12
Then Haggai, Yahweh’s messenger, spoke Yahweh’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says Yahweh.
Haggai 1:13
In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
Haggai 2:1
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
In their own words — 4 recorded sayings
“These are the words of the Lord of armies: These people say, The time has not come for building the Lord's house.” — Haggai 1:2
“Then Haggai, whom the Lord had sent to give his words to the people, said, I am with you, says the Lord.” — Haggai 1:13
“If anyone has some holy flesh folded in the skirt of his robe, will bread or soup or wine or oil or any other food be made holy if touched by his skirt? And the priests answering said, No.” — Haggai 2:12
“Then Haggai said, Will any of these be made unclean by the touch of one who is unclean through touching a dead body? And the priests answering said, It will be made unclean.” — Haggai 2:13
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
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