Haggai-Chap-1
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Colour coded details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all
other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song
of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and
Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and
Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have
been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was
pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
However, sadly both the later priests as well as our rabbis of long ago and of today have, and are shamefully disobeying this command of אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ – ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben
Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction to Haggai Chapter 1:
The Book of Haggai is set in 520 BC, during
the second year of King Darius of Persia. After returning from Babylonian
exile, the Israelites had begun rebuilding the מקדש - Temple in Jerusalem but
halted work for 16 years due to opposition and apathy. Haggai’s message is a
Divine “wake up call”, challenging the people to prioritize אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s house over their own personal comforts.
Let us
read Haggai Chapter 1:
(JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).
1. In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in “the first day of the month, came the word of יְהוָה - the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying”:
2. ‘Thus speaketh צְבָאוֹת-יְהוָה - the LORD of hosts, saying: This people say: The time is not come, the time that יְהוָה - the LORD’s house should be built’.
3. Then came יְהוָה - the word of יְהוָה - the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying:
4. “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste?
5. Now therefore thus saith יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת-יְהוָה - the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.
6. Ye have sown much, and brought in little, ye eat, but ye have not enough, ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink, ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages for a bag with holes.
7. Thus saith יְהוִה צְבָאוֹת - the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.
8. “Go up to the hill-country, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified”, saith יְהוָה - the LORD.
9. Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith יְהוִה צְבָאוֹת - the LORD of hosts. Because of My house that lieth waste, while ye run every man for his own house.
10. Therefore over you the heaven hath kept back, so that there is
no dew, and the earth hath kept back her produce.
11. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
12. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, hearkened unto the voice of יְהוָה - the LORD their אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, had sent him; and the people did fear before יְהוָה - the LORD.
13. Then spoke Haggai-יְהוָה - the LORD’s messenger in יְהוָה - the LORD’s message unto the people, saying: 'I am with you, saith יְהוָה - the LORD’
14. And יְהוָה - the 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 did work in the house of יְהוִה צְבָאוֹת - the LORD of hosts, their אֱלֹהִים,
15. in the four and twentieth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
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Let us now look at
the interesting ‘verse by verse’ item, with Explanations, and a closing
message.
Verse 1: In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest”.
Explanation: Haggai addresses the civil leader (Zerubbabel) and the spiritual leader (Joshua). By dating the prophecy, Haggai roots the message in a specific historical moment of spiritual stagnation.
Verse 2: This is what יְהוָה - the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house.’”
Explanation: The people weren’t saying they wouldn't build it, but that it wasn’t the “right time”. They used procrastination as a mask for spiritual indifference.
Verses 3-4: Then the word of יְהוָה - the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
Explanation: “Paneled houses” refers to luxury. While the Temple lay in ruins, the people spent their resources on interior decorating and personal comfort.
Verses 5-6: Now this is what יְהוָה - the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill ... You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it”.
Explanation: אֱלֹהִים calls them to “Consider your ways” . He reveals that their economic hardship inflation and crop failure, is a direct result of their misplaced priorities. They were working hard but lacked אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s blessing.
Verses 7-8: “This is what יְהוָה - the LORD Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored’”, says יְהוָה - the LORD”.
Explanation: אֱלֹהִים provides a simple solution: Action. He doesn’t ask for complex theology, but for the physical labour of gathering wood and building”.
Verses 9-11: “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little ... Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house”.
Explanation: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim explicitly claims responsibility for the drought. He “called for a drought” to get their attention because they were “busy” with their own lives while ignoring His.
Verse 12: Then Zerubbabel ... Joshua ... and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of יְהוָה - the LORD their אֱלֹהִים - Elohim ... And the people feared יְהוָה - the LORD.
Explanation: This is a rare moment in scripture where the people respond immediately with “holy fear” and obedience.
Verse 13: Then Haggai, יְהוָה - the LORD’s messenger, gave this message of יְהוָה - the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares יְהוָה - the LORD.
Explanation: As soon as the people decide to obey, אֱלֹהִים offers the greatest encouragement possible: His presence (“I am with you”).
Verses 14-15: So יְהוָה - the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel ... and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of יְהוָה - the LORD ... on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.
Explanation: Exactly 23 days after the first prophecy, work resumed. אֱלֹהִים
“stirred up” their spirits, providing the internal motivation to match their
external obedience.
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My Closing Message:
Haggai 1 teaches us that our priorities dictate our peace. The Israelites were exhausted because they were chasing satisfaction in things that cannot satisfy while neglecting their relationship with אֱלֹהִים. The central message for us in 2026 remains: “Consider your ways”. When we feel like we are putting our “wages into a purse with holes”, it is often a sign to stop and ask if we are building our own kingdom at the expense of ‘ אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s. When we put אֱלֹהִים first, He promises His presence and the “stirring” of our spirits to accomplish what seems impossible.
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This site was originally created, for those
who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work
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Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem; walk
in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances,
and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and
you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
- the LORD your Eloheichem”.
Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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follows;
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More Life”
For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name,
He
is the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts. be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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