Haggai 1:7-11

Haggai 1:7 urges the people again to stop and consider. It is possible, however, that “consider your ways” is an erroneous repetition from Haggai 1:5, and that Haggai 1:6 should be followed immediately by the direct appeal to build the temple (Haggai 1:8), introduced by the common formula, “Thus saith Jehovah of hosts.”

Go up to the mountain To gather wood for building material. The article is used generically: any mountain upon which building material could be found, not necessarily Mount Lebanon. At the time of Haggai the hills around Jerusalem may have been covered with woods.

Bring wood The term may include building material of every sort. Wood would be the most important, since stones from the ruins of the first temple might be used in the foundation of the new. After gathering the material they were to proceed with the building operations.

I will take pleasure in it Which he will prove by taking his abode there (compare Psalms 132:13-14).

I will be glorified Better, I will glorify myself. The completion of the temple will mark the dawn of the Messianic age, when Jehovah will glorify himself by pouring his blessing upon his people in abundant measure.

Haggai 1:9-10 enforce the appeal of Haggai 1:8 by calling attention once more to the present calamity and by emphasizing the thought that it is the direct result of their neglectfulness. They were disappointed in their expectations of a rich harvest, and the little they did reap vanished without doing any good.

I did blow upon it So that it vanished. Misfortune came not by chance; Jehovah sent it because they neglected his house while living in luxury in their own (compare Haggai 1:4). The description of the judgment is continued in Haggai 1:10-11.

Over you Better, R.V., “for your sake.” On account of your transgressions.

Dew Jehovah withheld the dew, which is of great importance in Palestine (see on Hosea 14:5), and as a result of this and of the drought mentioned in Haggai 1:11, the land remained barren. The tenses should be changed in English so as to agree with those of 9a and 11. Some of the expressions in the original are peculiar, and several minor emendations have been proposed, but even with these the thought remains the same.

I called for a drought As a means of judgment (see on Amos 4:7). “Drought,” Hebrews horebh, corresponds to “lieth waste,” Hebrews harebh (Haggai 1:4; Haggai 1:9). Because they left his house harebh he punished them with horebh, the judgment being according to the lex talionis.

Upon the mountains So that the forests suffered.

Corn,… new wine,… oil The chief products of Palestine (see on Joel 1:10).

That which the ground bringeth forth All products of the soil not previously mentioned. The terrible drought brought intense suffering to man and beast (see on Joel 1:18).

All the labor of the hands The drought made of no effect all the labor expended in the cultivation of the soil (compare Psalms 128:2).