Haggai 1:1

Haggai 1:1. In the second year of Darius Namely, the son of Hystaspes, king of Persia. Blair places the second year of his reign five hundred and twenty years before Christ. In the sixth month, in the first day of the month Therefore, about two months before Zechariah received a similar commission, for the word of God came to him in the eighth month of the same year: see Zechariah 1:1. These two prophets were sent to the Jews chiefly, it seems, to exhort them to go on with the rebuilding the temple. And the historical book of Ezra records, chap. 5., that the rebuilding of the temple was resumed and carried on again through the exhortations and encouragements of these prophets. Unto Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel And grandson of Jeconiah, who was carried captive to Babylon: see the margin. It is likely that Zerubbabel was regarded with as much respect by the Jews as if he had been their king, being of the royal family of David; but they did not give him the title of king, or invest him with the splendour of royal dignity, for fear of giving offence to the Persian kings, under whose protection they lived, and upon whom they were in a great measure dependant. And to Joshua the son of Josedech Son of Seraiah, who was high-priest when Jerusalem was taken, and who was slain at Riblah: see 1 Chronicles 6:14; 2 Kings 25:18-21. Haggai seems to have addressed Zerubbabel and Joshua probably in the hearing of the people: see Haggai 1:12.