“In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, by: Heb. by the hand of governor: or, captain”
Darius Hystaspes. (Calmet) — When the Jews had no king, the prophets dated from the reign of the monarch on whom they were dependent. (Theodoret) — Sixth; Elul, the last of the civil year, corresponding with our September. The harvest had been bad, and Aggeus assigns the reason. (Calmet) — Governor. Literally, “duke,” or captain. Septuagint, “of the tribe of Juda.” (Haydock) — He descended from the kings of Juda, and was now chief governor by leave of Darius. (Worthington) — Yet Cyrus had appointed Sarasar, (1 Esdras i. 8.) who perhaps, after the death of Cambyses, fled; as Zorobabel and Jesus are designated judges, and a crown is made for them, chap. ii. 24., Zacharias iii., and vi. 11. Still Thartanai, governor beyond the Euphrates, took cognizance of the Jewish affairs, 1 Esdras v. 3. The prince of Juda was therefore under him. Zorobabel was son or grandson of Salathiel, (1 Paralipomenon iii. 17.) or was adopted by him, being born of Phadaia. (Calmet) — Josedec, who was led into captivity, 1 Paralipomenon vi. 15.
“Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.”
Yet come. God’s service must be restored without delay, and manners reformed; as otherwise many will be lost eternally. (Worthington) — The Jews refrained from commencing the temple till the time marked out by Jeremias xxv. 11., and Zacharias i. 7. (Calmet) — From the beginning of the last siege sixty-nine years had elapsed. (Usher, year of the world 3485.) — Others, reflecting on the obstacles placed by Cyrus and Cambyses, thought it was not yet time to work at the temple: but these were only pretexts. The kingdom was now held by another family, and the former decrees abolished. Fear of labour, therefore, was the only impediment.
“Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?”
Ceiled: superbly adorned. Hebrew, “covered.” You are not content with what is merely necessary, while the temple lies in ruins. (Calmet)
“Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Consider: Heb. Set your heart on your ways”
Ways. Sound the real motives of your neglect. (Haydock) — See if your misfortunes do not originate in this cause, and if God does not require you to build the temple, ver. 9. (Calmet)
“Ye have sown much, and bring 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 to put it into a bag with holes. with holes: Heb. pierced through”
Filled. Literally, “inebriated,” (Haydock) so as to become cheerful. (St. Jerome)
“Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.”
The mountain Libanus. Wood had been purchased before, but had been used for other purposes, 1 Esdras iii. 7. Now the people went to procure more. The following year Darius confirmed the decree of Cyrus, which was a change plainly effected by Providence. (Calmet)
“And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new 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.”
Drought. Hebrew choreb, (Haydock) is rendered the sword, by the Septuagint and may best signify “a burning wind,” according to the different pronunciation. (St. Jerome) — This was not then determined by the vowel points (Calmet) of the Masora, Sophonias ii. 14. (Haydock)
“Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.”
Messenger. To excite the people’s attention, Aggeus declares that he is sent by God, (Worthington) like the prophets of old. Some Jews have asserted (Calmet) that he, Malachias, [John] the Baptist, and Jacob, were angels incarnate. But let us leave (St. Jerome) these learned dreams. (Calmet) — They have no better foundation than the ambiguity of malac, which signifies “an angel, or a messenger.” (Haydock) — With you. This is often repeated, to encourage the dejected people. (Menochius)
“And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,”
Work. Septuagint, “works.” (Haydock) — They prepared materials, and began the temple on the 24th of the ninth month, chap. ii. 16, 19. (Menochius)