Haggai 2:17-19

Haggai 2:17 explains why the threshing floor and the winepress proved sore disappointments. Jehovah smote the fields with “blasting and mildew” (see on Amos 4:9).

Hail Concerning the frequency with which hail falls in Palestine G.A. Smith says ( Historical Geography, p. 64), “During most winters both hail and snow fall on the hills; hail is common.” It is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament; always as an instrument of divine judgment.

The labors of your hands Everything they had cultivated with great effort and toil. The purpose of the judgment was to bring the people to their senses, but it failed (see on Haggai 1:5, and references there).

Yet ye turned not to me This is undoubtedly the thought, but it is difficult to get it from the present Hebrew text, which Keil calls “a perfectly unusual construction.” Originally the words here may have been identical with the refrain in Amos 4:6-11. It is worthy of note that the causes of calamity mentioned here are not the same as those named earlier in the book, though the calamity itself is the same. Here they are blasting, mildew, hail; in Haggai 1:10-11, drought. This with some linguistic peculiarities has led Andre to conclude that this discourse does not come from Haggai; but the linguistic peculiarities are by no means conclusive, and surely there may have been several different causes that brought about barrenness or the failure of the crops. Others consider only Haggai 2:17 a later addition, originally a marginal note, based upon Amos 4:9. In support of this claim it is pointed out that LXX. contains an addition to Haggai 2:14, which, in part at least, is based upon Amos 5:10.

With the calamities of the past fresh in their minds, they are to observe the change in fortune which is about to occur. If they bring this change into connection with their former indifference and their present zeal, they can no longer doubt that there exists a relation of cause and effect between indifference and calamity and between zeal and prosperity; and this recognition should greatly increase their interest in the cause of Jehovah.

18a is to be interpreted as in Haggai 2:15 (see there); upward again points to the future. This day is defined in the succeeding clause, “from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,” and this in turn is called “the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid.” Both explanatory clauses are considered later additions by some, because (1) they are superfluous; (2) Haggai 1:15, states that the work was begun three months earlier; (3) Ezra 3:10, says that the foundation was laid about fifteen years before. To these arguments reply may be made: (1) Even granting the historicity of Ezra 3:10 (see pp. 548ff.), the two passages are not necessarily contradictory, for it is not impossible that after an interval of fifteen years the foundations were found to be in a sufficiently unsatisfactory condition to demand a relaying. (2) Three months may have been spent in doing the preliminary work; rubbish had to be cleared away, building material had to be hauled, etc. (3) That the words might have been omitted is true, but, since the change in fortune was closely connected with the rebuilding of the temple, is it not perfectly natural that the pivotal point of time should receive special emphasis? From this very moment the prophet desires them to have their eyes open to see what the future will have in store. At the time of the laying of the foundation a religious gathering may have been held, and that would be a suitable occasion on which to utter these words of encouragement. It cannot be objected that the manifestations of enthusiasm three months earlier should have been the turning point in their fortune. How could they tell what would become of the next spring’s crops? The critical time of the year comes after the date mentioned here (compare Amos 4:7). Besides, Haggai 2:19 makes it clear that a partial change could be seen, the drought had ceased. The careful definition of the date is in perfect accord with the repetition of the exhortation “consider it.”

Haggai 2:19 states what they are to consider, but it is not parallel with Haggai 2:16-17, as if it called attention once more to the calamity of the past; it points rather to the restoration of the divine favor present and future.

Seed The seed corn. Haggai inquires whether it is still in the barn; he evidently expects a negative answer. But if the seed is sown, this in itself is an evidence that the divine favor is returning. In former years it had to be left in the barns because the absence of rain made plowing and sowing impossible. Now the prophet points to the fact that rain has come and that the seed has been sown. The succeeding clauses also should be translated as a question, “Hath not as yet the vine, the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive borne fruit?” This question presupposes an affirmative answer, as the presence of not clearly shows. These trees have given evidence of a change, for they have borne fruit. The ingathering of these fruits begins at the time of the year when the first steps were taken (Haggai 1:15), and continues several months. If for a year or two the crops were poor, the people could be persuaded very readily that the better results were due to their renewed activity. But the blessings already experienced are only the beginning; in the closing words the prophet promises a continuation of the divine favor.