Haggai 1:1

Introduction

1:1 On the first day of the sixth month 1  of King Darius’ 2  second year, the Lord spoke this message through the prophet Haggai 3  to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak: 4 

Haggai 2:18

2:18 ‘Think carefully about the past: 5  from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, 6  to the day work on the temple of the Lord was resumed, 7  think about it. 8 

1 sn The first day of the sixth month was Elul 1 according to the Jewish calendar; August 29, 520 b.c. according to the modern (Julian) calendar.

2 sn King Darius is the Persian king Darius Hystaspes who ruled from 522-486 b.c.

3 tn Heb “the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet” (בְּיַד־חַגַּי, bÿyad-khaggay). This suggests that the prophet is only an instrument of the Lord; the Lord is to be viewed as the true author (see 1:3; 2:1; Mal 1:1).

4 tn The typical translation “Joshua (the) son of Jehozadak, the high priest” (cf. ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV) can be understood to mean that Jehozadak was high priest. However, Zech 3:1, 8 clearly indicates that Joshua was high priest (see also Ezra 5:1-2; cf. NAB). The same potential misunderstanding occurs in Hag 1:12, 14 and 2:2, where the same solution has been employed in the translation.

5 tn Heb “set your heart.” A similar expression occurs in v. 15.

6 sn The twenty-fourth day of the ninth month was Kislev 24 or December 18, 520. See v. 10. Here the reference is to “today,” the day the oracle is being delivered.

7 sn The day work…was resumed. This does not refer to the initial founding of the Jerusalem temple in 536 b.c. but to the renewal of construction three months earlier (see 1:15). This is clear from the situation described in v. 19 which accords with the food scarcities of that time already detailed in Hag 1:10-11.

8 tn Heb “set your heart.” A similar expression occurs in v. 15 and at the beginning of this verse.