Haggai Chapter 1 — The Call to Rebuild the Temple
The prophet Haggai confronts the leaders and people of Judah for neglecting the Temple's reconstruction while focusing on their own homes, leading to a spiritual and economic renewal.
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, the LORD’s*When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “יהוה”, usually pronounced Yahweh). 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,
2“This is what the LORD of Armies says: These people say, ‘The time hasn’t yet come, the time for the LORD’s house to be built.’ ”
3Then the LORD’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste?
5Now therefore this is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘Consider your ways.
6You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don’t have enough. You drink, but you aren’t filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.’
7“This is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘Consider your ways.
8Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,” says the LORD.
9“You looked for much, and, behold,†“Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection. it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the LORD of Armies, “Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house.
10Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.
11I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on that which the ground produces, on men, on livestock, and on all the labor of the hands.”
12Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the LORD their God’s‡The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim). voice, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him; and the people feared the LORD.
13Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, spoke the LORD’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says the LORD.
14The LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of Armies, their God,
15in the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Haggai 1:5
“Now therefore this is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘Consider your ways.’”
This recurring exhortation calls the people to examine the relationship between their spiritual neglect and their current hardships.
Haggai 1:13
“Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, spoke the LORD’s message to the people, saying, 'I am with you,' says the LORD.”
This verse offers immediate divine assurance to the people as they commit to the difficult task of rebuilding.
Chapter Summary
Haggai 1 is set in the second year of King Darius of Persia. The prophet Haggai delivers a message from the Lord to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua, the high priest. The people have been claiming it is not yet time to rebuild the Temple, but Haggai points out the hypocrisy of living in 'paneled houses' while the Lord's house remains in ruins. He explains that their recent economic struggles—poor harvests, insufficient food, and disappearing wages—are a direct result of their misplaced priorities. Haggai urges the people to 'consider your ways' and gather materials from the mountains to start building. The message proves effective; Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the remnant of the people respond with reverence and obedience. Encouraged by God's promise that 'I am with you,' the community begins working on the Temple just twenty-four days after Haggai's first message.
Frequently Asked Questions
Haggai addressed Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, who was the governor of Judah, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. He also spoke to the 'remnant of the people' who had returned from the Babylonian exile.
This is a metaphor for the inflation and economic futility the people were experiencing. Because they neglected God's house, their hard work and earnings never seemed to be enough to provide security or satisfaction.
Unlike many instances in the Old Testament where prophets were ignored, the leaders and the people of Judah obeyed Haggai's message. They showed a healthy fear of the Lord and began the work of reconstruction shortly after the prophecy.
Study Note
The mention of the 'second year of Darius' identifies the date as 520 B.C., a pivotal time for the Jewish exiles who had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon.
Continue in the App
Get the full experience — immersive audio, instant explanations, highlights, notes, and reading plans.