'The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says Hashem of hosts; and in this place will I give peace.' The priests rule on the hallowed flesh and the unclean touch; 'from this day will I bless you'; and Zerubbabel My servant is made as a signet.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of Hashem by Haggai the prophet, saying:
verse value 2005
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "was" (הָיָה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·word·of·Hashem" (דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "in·the·seventh" (בַּשְּׁבִיעִ֕י), "and·one" (וְאֶחָ֖ד). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai); "saying" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·month', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: בַּשְּׁבִיעִ֕י [in·the·seventh] (394) + בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים [in·twenty] (622) + וְאֶחָ֖ד [and·one] (19) + לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + הָיָה֙ [was] (20) + דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה [the·word·of·Hashem] (232) + בְּיַד־חַגַּ֥י [by·hand·of·Haggai] (37) + הַנָּבִ֖יא [the·prophet] (68) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 2005.
Radak
"In the seventh [month]." In all of them it is stated, "by the hand of Haggai the prophet," because his prophecy was a commission for them, by his hand, to do from now on whatever he would command.
Metzudat David
"In the seventh." This means in the seventh month.
’Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying:
verse value 4062
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 68 letters. The shortest word is "governor" (פַּחַ֣ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Shealtiel" (בֶּן־שַׁלְתִּיאֵל֙, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "say·please" (אֱמׇר־נָ֗א), "and·to·rest" (וְאֶל־שְׁאֵרִ֥ית). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "say·please" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·great', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֱמׇר־נָ֗א [say·please] (292) + אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֤ל [to·Zerubbabel] (272) + בֶּן־שַׁלְתִּיאֵל֙ [son·of·Shealtiel] (823) + פַּחַ֣ת [governor] (488) + יְהוּדָ֔ה [Judah] (30) + וְאֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֥עַ [and·to·Joshua] (428) + בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָ֖ק [son·of·Jehozadak] (267) + הַכֹּהֵ֣ן [priest] (80) + הַגָּד֑וֹל [the·great] (48) + וְאֶל־שְׁאֵרִ֥ית [and·to·rest] (948) + הָעָ֖ם [the·people] (115) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 4062.
Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? and how do you see it now? is not such a one as nothing in your eyes?
verse value 4833
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 72 letters. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·your·eyes" (בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם, 7 letters). 14 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "who?" (מִ֤י), "in·you" (בָכֶם֙), "that·remains" (הַנִּשְׁאָ֔ר). The root ראה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. First appearance of the root כבוד ("in·His·glory") in Haggai. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·first', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 9 words.
Rashi
“Who among you is the one who remains?”—that is, one who was among the exiles and is still alive.
"Who saw," etc. To one who saw the first [Temple], this one does not seem important in his eyes.
Is he not like nothing? I know that for one who has seen the first, the latter is regarded in his eyes as nothing.
"Like him is as nothing." He and nothing are equal, just as it is said (Hosea 4): “And it shall be like a people, like a priest,” so too here: like him is as nothing; he and nothing, both are equal.
Radak
"Who is among you?" The elders who remained from the exile:
"Like it? As nothing in your eyes." If you were to equate it, so that this one would be like it, behold, this one is as nothing in your eyes compared to the First Temple.
Metzudat David
"Who is among you?" Who is he among you who remains from those who were exiled from Jerusalem?
"This house." This refers to the First Temple, because it was in the very same location, it is called "this house."
"In its first glory." Just as Solomon built it with great wealth:
"And what are you? And what is it that you see it now in this building?"
Is it not as if it were nothing? That is to say, if one were to compare them side by side, this house, this structure, is akin to absence.
Malbim
Who among you has remained since the time of the exile and the destruction, who saw the First Temple and saw that the glory of this Temple is as nothing in comparison to the First?
Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says Hashem; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, says Hashem, and work; for I am with you, says Hashem of hosts.
verse value 4105
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 89 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "be·strong" (חֲזַ֣ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Jehozadak" (בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָק֩, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 121: and·stronger, and·stronger. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "all·with" (כׇּל־עַ֥ם), "earth" (הָאָ֛רֶץ), "and·do" (וַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ). The root חזק appears 3 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai). First appearance of the root חזק ("be·strong") in Haggai. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·do', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 5 words.
Radak
"And now. Let not your hands be weakened because of this, for the glory of this house shall yet be greater:"
"And act!" Its meaning is connected to the next verse: "This thing, if you do the thing which I have covenanted, I will be with you, and you shall go forth and be strong."
Metzudat David
“And now be strong”: This means that since this is the case, nevertheless, do not let your hands slacken from the building on account of this; rather, strengthen yourselves and build the House, for I will be with you to bestow good upon you through this House. Even though it has no comparison to the First House, nonetheless, the blessing that you seek will come to you through it.
Malbim
(4-5) “And now be strong, Zerubbabel” — from this you may see that you require strengthening, to fortify yourselves in the service of God. The measure of the verse is: “And do the thing which I made a covenant with you when you went out of Egypt” (and the statement “for I am with you” is a parenthetical remark). That is to say: Be strong and perform the matter of Torah and commandment, concerning which He made a covenant with them when they went out of Egypt, as it is stated: “And he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people.” And then the glory of this House will be greater than the first. And he explained this in what he said: “For I am with you, and My Spirit stands in your midst.” For even now I am with you, just as I was with you at the time of the Exodus from Egypt (on the condition that you observe the words of the Torah as you observed them then). And My Spirit stands in your midst even now. For although the Spirit is not stirred up to perform miracles and wonders openly, and the Spirit does not walk among you, nevertheless it stands and is present in potential, ready to act.
The word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt have I established, and My spirit abides among you; fear you not.
verse value 5057
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 51 letters. Verse gematria: 5057 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "with·you" (אִתְּכֶם֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "which·I·cut" (אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַ֤תִּי, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "the·word" (אֶֽת־הַדָּבָ֞ר), "which·I·cut" (אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַ֤תִּי), "when·you·went·out" (בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם). 9 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·your·midst', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 1 words. Full calculation: אֶֽת־הַדָּבָ֞ר [the·word] (612) + אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַ֤תִּי [which·I·cut] (1131) + אִתְּכֶם֙ [with·you] (461) + בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם [when·you·went·out] (553) + מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם [from·Egypt] (420) + וְרוּחִ֖י [and·My·spirit] (230) + עֹמֶ֣דֶת [stands] (514) + בְּתוֹכְכֶ֑ם [in·your·midst] (488) + אַל־תִּירָֽאוּ [do·not·fear] (648) = 5057.
Rashi
The matter that I have established: You are keeping My Torah, and My Spirit rests upon your prophet; do not fear.
Radak
“The thing.” If you do the thing that I have made with you:
"And My Spirit stands in your midst." This refers to the Holy Spirit. However, after they sinned and did not observe the Torah and its commandments, the Holy Spirit ceased, and prophecy ceased in the days of Zechariah and Malachi. And He said, "Which I have cut with you," meaning with your fathers; and it is as if He said He cut it with you, as it is written in the Torah: "Not with our fathers did the Lord make this covenant, but with us." And the Targum [translates]: "And My Spirit stands in your midst, and My prophets teach among you."
Metzudat David
"The word" refers back to the word "and act" mentioned in the preceding verse, meaning: "Observe the Torah and the commandment concerning which I made a covenant with you when you went out of Egypt."
And my spirit. The spirit of prophecy still remains within you at this time, and therefore do not fear, for you will succeed, and the blessing will come through it.
For thus says Hashem of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
verse value 4720
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 65 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·the·dry·land" (וְאֶת־הֶחָרָבָֽה, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "for" (כִּ֣י), "yet" (ע֥וֹד), "one" (אַחַ֖ת). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai); "said" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). First appearance of the root הוא ("she") in Haggai. First appearance of the root רעש ("shaking") in Haggai. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'she', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Rashi
"One more [kingdom] is yet to come. This Persian kingdom that rules over you will be destroyed, and one more will arise to rule over you, to afflict you, from the kingdom of Greece; and the duration of its rule will be short."
"And I will cause to tremble" – through the miracles performed for the sons of Hashmonai.
"the heavens, etc." And they will understand that My Divine Presence rests in this House, and they will bring an offering of gold and silver, as it is written in the Book of Yosef ben Gorion.
Radak
For thus said the Lord: "Yet once more, it is a little thing, I shake." This is a metaphor for the abundance of honor and good that God will do for Israel in the time of the Second Temple. Some say that this refers to the days of the Hasmoneans, and some say he said this concerning the time of Herod; and this happened as is written in the book of Yosef ben Gorion. And the explanation is: "Yet once more" [means], "One more good thing I will do for you, besides what I am doing for you now." "It is a little thing" [means], "It is slight and easy in My eyes to do it, and it will be a greater good than this one. For now you have enemies regarding the building of the Temple, but in that time all the nations will honor this Temple with offerings, silver, and gold that they will bring there." Also, it is written in the book of Yosef ben Gorion that there was a great earthquake in the days of Herod. And what is said, "the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land," is an expression of hyperbole, for the heavens will not shake.
Metzudat David
"Ki kach" – "Thus says the Lord, yet once more" – this means, in addition to the Temple that was destroyed, another Temple will be built and established, and this is the Second Temple.
"A little" – but after a little while it will come to pass:
“And I will shake.” This means that I will bring destruction upon the Temple, as if the stars of the heavens were to fight against them from their courses, and the kings of the earth were to assemble to come against them.
"And the sea and the dry land." This means that many host divisions will come against them, by way of the sea and by way of the dry land, and they will destroy it.
Metzudat Zion
The dry land. The dry ground. And likewise, "to the dry land" (Joshua 4:18).
Malbim
"For thus said the Lord of Hosts: Yet a little while." The measure of the verse is: "Yet a little while." The Divine Spirit that stands within you is currently slight, and it lacks the power to perform great deeds and to shake with a great shaking; therefore, "yet another" is needed, meaning yet another spirit, namely an addition to the Spirit, through which the people will clothe themselves with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, whereby the Spirit will be added and become a great Spirit and shaking, which will shake with it the heavens and the earth. The allusion here is that His Spirit that stands is the spirit of prophecy, which has now returned to the nation, and prophets from among their sons have arisen, the last prophets who prophesied in the Spirit of the Lord. However, it is slight, for the generation is not worthy that prophecy and the Holy Spirit should be continuous. Therefore, yet another spirit is needed, one that will accompany it from the goodness of deeds, and then it will shake the heavens, meaning all the orders of nature, for He will give signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, in the sea and on dry land.
and I will shake all nations, and the choicest things of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Hashem of hosts.
verse value 4207
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 62 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "this" (הַזֶּה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·the·nations" (אֶת־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם, 9 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "and·I·will·shake" (וְהִרְעַשְׁתִּי֙), "all·the·nations" (אֶת־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם), "and·they·shall·come" (וּבָ֖אוּ). The root גוי appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai); "said" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). First appearance of the root גוי ("all·the·nations") in Haggai. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'all·the·nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וְהִרְעַשְׁתִּי֙ [and·I·will·shake] (991) + אֶת־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם [all·the·nations] (515) + וּבָ֖אוּ [and·they·shall·come] (15) + חֶמְדַּ֣ת [the·desire·of] (452) + כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם [all·the·nations] (114) + וּמִלֵּאתִ֞י [and·I·will·fill] (487) + אֶת־הַבַּ֤יִת [the·house] (818) + הַזֶּה֙ [this] (17) + כָּב֔וֹד [glory] (32) + אָמַ֖ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָאֽוֹת [hosts] (499) = 4207.
Radak
“And I will shake them.” I will place [fear] in their hearts, so that they will be terrified from their place, to come and behold this glory, and to bring in their hands silver and gold.
"And the desire of all the nations shall come." Explanation: all the nations that I will shake from their place will come with the desire of all the nations, meaning they will bring in their hands all precious things that they find in their land—vessels of silver and gold, garments, and precious stones. And "chemdat" lacks the letter bet of usage [i.e., it is to be understood as though it read "be-chemdat"], like "u-mar'eh ve-lo ve-chidot" [Numbers 12:8, where "u-mar'eh" stands for "be-mar'eh"], [and] "ha-nimtza beit Hashem" [2 Kings 12:11, where "beit" stands for "be-veit"], and similar cases.
Metzudat David
"And I will shake them." But after this, in the time of the Redemption, I will shake the nations to come against Jerusalem for war, and concerning the host of Gog it will say:
"And the precious things... shall come, etc." They shall bring with them the cherished part of their wealth.
"And I will fill." Then I will fill this House with glory, because the gentiles who come will be destroyed there, and Israel will plunder the delight of their wealth and bring the glory of riches to the House of the Lord, which will stand in that very same place where this one stands. Therefore, they called this House "this House," as stated above: "who saw this House in its former glory."
Metzudat Zion
"Honor." Regarding wealth, it says:
Malbim
“And I will shake all the nations,” and then will come the signs that must come before the true redemption, that all the nations will be shaken and will gather for the war of Gog and Magog, until afterward “the desired of all nations” will come as an offering to the Lord, and “I will fill this house with glory,” for then it will be the final building, the hope, which will be built on the tops of the mountains, and all the nations will stream toward it.
Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold, says Hashem of hosts.
verse value 886
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 25 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "hosts" (צְבָאֽוֹת, 5 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "to·me" (לִ֥י), "silver" (הַכֶּ֖סֶף), "and·to·Me" (וְלִ֣י). The root לי appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'gold', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: לִ֥י [to·me] (40) + הַכֶּ֖סֶף [silver] (165) + וְלִ֣י [and·to·Me] (46) + הַזָּהָ֑ב [gold] (19) + נְאֻ֖ם [utterance] (91) + יְהֹוָ֥ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָאֽוֹת [hosts] (499) = 886.
Rashi
“The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.” And it is in My hand to bring [them] to whomever I have desired.
Radak
"The silver is mine." Regardless of whose hand it may be in, it is Mine and under My authority, to take it from one and give it to another. And I will place in the hearts of the nations to bring to this house silver and gold in abundance.
Metzudat David
"Mine is the silver. And in My hand—thus, to bring them here:"
Malbim
"Mine is the silver, so that all will recognize that the silver is Mine and that everything belongs to Me, and they shall bring it to Jerusalem to its Owner, the Master of all, and then."
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, says Hashem of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, says Hashem of hosts.’
verse value 3881
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 73 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "this" (הַזֶּ֤ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·the·first" (מִן־הָ֣רִאשׁ֔וֹן, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 499: hosts, hosts. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "great" (גָּד֣וֹל), "it·will·be" (יִֽהְיֶ֡ה), "the·last" (הָאַֽחֲרוֹן֙). The root זה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai); "said" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hosts', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
Rashi
"Great shall it be." Rav and Shmuel: one said that this refers to its construction, and the other said that it refers to the number of years. For the First Temple stood for four hundred and ten years, and the Second Temple for four hundred and twenty years.
Radak
“Great shall it be.” Our rabbis, of blessed memory, disagreed regarding this: some say it refers to the number of years, and others say it refers to its structure. And both were so, for the First Temple stood for 410 years, and the Second Temple for 420 years. And likewise, it was great in its structure, as it is written in the words of our Sages of blessed memory and in the Book of Yosef ben Gorion, that the structure which Herod built in the Temple was never seen as a building so good and beautiful as it.
"I will give peace." For even though there were many wars during the time of the Second Temple, for a long time there was peace in the land.
Metzudat David
"This last house": This means the future house that will stand in this place.
"From the first." From the house that Solomon built:
And in this place. In Jerusalem I will grant peace, and violence and robbery shall not be heard within its borders.
Malbim
The glory of the latter house shall be greater than that of the former, for it shall be the latter house that will no longer be destroyed, and in this place I will grant peace, and there shall be no baseless hatred among you, which was truly the cause of the destruction of the Second Temple. According to this, the entire statement is conditional: if another spirit comes, namely, if they perform the deed that He made a covenant with them when they went out from Egypt, then it shall be the latter house after which there is no other house, and it shall be greater than the first. And when the condition was not fulfilled, because they did not keep the covenant and there was no peace in the place, because the lawless ones and sects multiplied, along with baseless hatred, the promise was not then fulfilled, until the latter house is built at the end of days, when these promises will be fulfilled. See the commentary on the words.
In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Hashem by Haggai the prophet, saying:
verse value 4421
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "was" (הָיָה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·word·of·Hashem" (דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה, 7 letters). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai); "saying" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'of·Darius', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: בְּעֶשְׂרִ֤ים [in·twenty] (622) + וְאַרְבָּעָה֙ [and·four] (284) + לַתְּשִׁיעִ֔י [ninth] (820) + בִּשְׁנַ֥ת [in·year·of] (752) + שְׁתַּ֖יִם [two] (750) + לְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁ [of·Darius] (550) + הָיָה֙ [was] (20) + דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה [the·word·of·Hashem] (232) + אֶל־חַגַּ֥י [to·Haggai] (52) + הַנָּבִ֖יא [the·prophet] (68) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 4421.
Radak
“On the twenty-fourth.” They began to prepare the construction of the House in the sixth month, which is Elul, and in the ninth month, which is Kislev, on the twenty-fourth of it they began to build. And on that very day the word of the Lord came by the hand of the prophet Haggai, to say to the priests and to ask them concerning the laws of impurity and purity. And even though they had already offered sacrifices several years prior to this—since the day that the first returnees from the exile arrived in their cities, they built the altar and offered upon it, while the Temple of the Lord was not yet founded—and the altar was built nineteen years before the construction of the House—why did He not ask them all these years from the time they began to offer sacrifices? Because the matter of the sacrifices was not established until the day they began the construction of the House.
’Thus says Hashem of hosts: Ask now the priests for instruction, saying:
verse value 2586
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 35 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֥ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·priests" (אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "ask·please" (שְׁאַל־נָ֧א), "the·priests" (אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים), "law" (תּוֹרָ֖ה). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai); "said" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hosts', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: כֹּ֥ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֖ר [said] (241) + יְהֹוָ֣ה [Hashem] (26) + צְבָא֑וֹת [hosts] (499) + שְׁאַל־נָ֧א [ask·please] (382) + אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים [the·priests] (531) + תּוֹרָ֖ה [law] (611) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 2586.
Rashi
"Ask, please, the priests for a ruling." Perhaps they forgot in exile the laws of holiness, impurity, and purity.
Radak
"Thus said the LORD." [Meaning: Haggai] will say to the priests that it is in the name of the LORD of Hosts that he is asking them—for He said to him: "Ask, please, the priests for a ruling," that is, the ruling of impurity and purity.
Metzudat David
“Ask now.” Ask now the priests the laws of the Torah, if they have not forgotten them in their exile.
"Saying." This connects to the verse that follows it, "saying: Behold, if a man carries...," etc. That is to say: ask them by way of a question, "Behold, if a man carries...," etc.
Malbim
"Ask now the priests for a ruling": He commanded [Haggai] to ask them a question of Torah law, by means of which it would become clear to them that they have not yet purified and sanctified themselves sufficiently, until the great divine matter, which they await will befall the House and the Nation in the End of Days, shall come upon them.
If one bear hallowed flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it be holy?’ And the priests answered and said: ‘No.’
verse value 3966
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 91 letters. The shortest word is "they" (הֵ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·all·food" (וְאֶל־כׇּל־מַאֲכָ֖ל, 9 letters). 13 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "they" (הֵ֣ן), "carries·a·man" (יִשָּׂא־אִ֨ישׁ), "flesh·male temple prostitute" (בְּשַׂר־קֹ֜דֶשׁ). The root כנף appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). First appearance of the root ענה ("and·answered") in Haggai. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·consecrate', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 4 words.
Rashi
"Flesh of holiness." Flesh that is rendered unclean by a carcass or by a creeping creature.
“And the pottage.” A stew.
"[It shall] not become impure." Rav and Shmuel disputed this matter. One said: the priests erred, for they were asked about the fourth degree of impurity for consecrated items, and they answered him, "[It is] pure"; and the other said: the priests did not err — they were asked about the fifth degree of impurity for consecrated items.
"And touched with its corner." He did not touch the creeping creature itself, but rather the garment, which is [at the] first [degree of impurity].
"Will it become sanctified?" [Meaning:] did it become tainted?
Radak
"Behold, if he carries." He [Haggai] asked them the law of impurities, lest they had forgotten it in exile. And the question was: If a man carries holy flesh in the corner of his garment, and it [that corner] touched a creeping creature, and [then] he carried holy flesh in the corner of his garment—behold, the corner has first-degree impurity, and the holy flesh [becomes] second-degree [impure].
"And [it] touched with its corner the bread." Explanation: that which was in its corner—namely the flesh—touched with it the bread, or the stew, or the wine, or the oil, and it touched any food among these.
"Will it be consecrated?" The meaning is: Will this food become impure, since it is fourth-degree impurity? For the creeping creature is the source of impurity, the wing is first-degree, the holy flesh is second-degree, and the bread, the stew, and the liquids that touched the flesh are third-degree; and the food that touched these is fourth-degree. And regarding this they asked them about the food that is fourth-degree: whether it would become impure. And the priests answered and said, "No." And the proof is that they asked about the food alone, for he said, "Will it be consecrated?" (singular), and did not say, "Will they be consecrated?" (plural). And there are among our Sages of blessed memory who said that the priests erred in this answer, for the fourth-degree is impure with regard to holy things. But in the second question, which they asked whether one who is impure due to a corpse would defile all of these, they answered correctly. The meaning is: If the wing were impure with corpse-impurity, it would turn out that the wing is the source of impurity, and the flesh is a primary derivative of impurity, and the bread, the stew, and the liquids are second-degree, and the food is third-degree. And the priests answered and said, "It will become impure." And they knew that third-degree with regard to holy things is impure, but they did not know that fourth-degree with regard to holy things is impure. And in this they erred. Therefore, the prophet answered them: "That which they offer there is impure." And there are among our Sages of blessed memory who said that they did not err in either of them. Some of them said that he asked about fifth-degree with regard to holy things in the first instance, and they answered him correctly that it is not impure. And some of them said that before they decreed that fourth-degree with regard to holy things is impure, he asked them, and they answered him correctly. And what he said, "That which they offer there is impure," means: Even though they know the laws of impurity and purity, all that they offer before [God] is as if it were impure, since they are negligent in the building of the Temple. And the matter of the passage indicates this reason that they did not err, for he rebuked them only regarding the matter of the Temple throughout the entire passage.
היקדש. Explanation: "היקדש" means "he became defiled," i.e., he is forbidden due to his impurity with regard to sacred things, which are forbidden. And in a manuscript it reads "היתאסר" [he was forbidden], and in some versions it reads "היסתאב" [he became impure].
The pottage. The stew, as in “and a pottage of lentils.”
Metzudat David
"If a man shall carry." Behold, if a man carries in the corner of his garment flesh that is kept apart on account of impurity, such as a creeping creature or a carcass.
"And he touched its wing." With its wing, which is primary in terms of impurity, he touched the bread, and thus it became secondary.
And to the pottage. This means that the bread came into contact with the pottage and thereby became a third-degree [source of impurity].
"And to the wine." This means that the pottage came into contact with the wine, and thus it became a fourth [degree of impurity].
"And oil." This means that if the pottage came into contact with oil. But wine is a drink and does not render other objects impure according to the Torah, even if it had first-degree impurity [rishon la-tumah].
"And to all food." This means: or, the stew touched another food.
"Will it become holy?" In the question, he said to them: if the fourth [item] becomes separated and impure:
And they said, "No." And in truth they erred, for even with sacred [items], the fourth [degree] is also impure.
Metzudat Zion
“Yisa.” The word is related to “masa” and “sevel,” meaning burden and load.
Kadosh. This means set apart on account of impurity, for the term kadosh is used for something that is set apart, whether for purity, for impurity, or for prohibition, as it is stated, “lest the increase be forfeited” (Deuteronomy 22:9).
“With the corner of his garment.” [This means] with the hem of his garment.
The pottage. The dish, as it is written: "and a pottage of lentils" (Genesis 25:34).
Malbim
"If a man carries holy flesh in the corner of his garment"—this refers to actual holy flesh that has been sanctified to the Most High, namely the flesh of sacrifices, and the corner containing it touches the bread or the pottage, etc.: will it become sanctified? That is to say, does the item that came into contact with the holy flesh acquire sanctity and become holy like it? The priests answered and said, "No." For the verse states, "Whatever touches its flesh shall be holy," which means that what is absorbed into its flesh from the flesh of the sin-offering becomes holy, because it imparts a taste, and taste is considered as the essence itself, as our Sages of blessed memory expounded — but that is not so if it merely touched from the outside.
Then said Haggai: ‘If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?’ And the priests answered and said: ‘It shall be unclean.’
verse value 1630
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "Haggai" (חַגַּ֔י, 3 letters) and the longest is "unclean·because·of·a·corpse" (טְמֵא־נֶ֛פֶשׁ, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "if·touches" (אִם־יִגַּ֧ע), "unclean·because·of·a·corpse" (טְמֵא־נֶ֛פֶשׁ), "in·all·these" (בְּכׇל־אֵ֖לֶּה). The root טמא appears 3 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). First appearance of the root טמא ("unclean·because·of·a·corpse") in Haggai. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·be·unclean', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + חַגַּ֔י [Haggai] (21) + אִם־יִגַּ֧ע [if·touches] (124) + טְמֵא־נֶ֛פֶשׁ [unclean·because·of·a·corpse] (480) + בְּכׇל־אֵ֖לֶּה [in·all·these] (88) + הֲיִטְמָ֑א [will·be·unclean] (65) + וַיַּעֲנ֧וּ [and·answered] (142) + הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים [the·priests] (130) + וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ [and·they·said] (263) + יִטְמָֽא [he·shall·be·impure] (60) = 1630.
Rashi
"If a person defiled by a corpse touches [these]." [I.e., one who became impure through] the corpse itself [directly].
He becomes impure. For the corpse is the father of fathers of impurity, and the fifth degree of impurity from a creeping creature is the fourth degree of impurity from a corpse.
Radak
And Haggai said. It is clear:
Metzudat David
And Haggai said. He added [this] to test them, whether they at least know that the third [degree] is impure. And he said, "If a person defiled by a corpse touches any of these"—this means: if this sequence of contacts occurs through corpse-impurity, which is the father of fathers of impurity, then the corner [of the garment] becomes the primary source of impurity, the bread becomes first-degree [impurity], the stew becomes second-degree, and the wine, etc., become third-degree.
And they said, "It shall be impure." From this they learned that there is impurity in the third [degree].
Malbim
And Haggai said: If a person defiled by contact with a corpse, who is ritually impure due to a dead body, touches [something]...
In all these cases, if it becomes susceptible to impurity. And regarding this, they responded in accordance with the law that it becomes susceptible to impurity.
Then answered Haggai, and said: ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before me, says Hashem; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
verse value 2867
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·so·the·nation" (וְכֵן־הַגּ֨וֹי, 7 letters). 12 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "and·he·answered" (וַיַּ֨עַן), "so" (כֵּ֣ן), "this·people" (הָֽעָם־הַ֠זֶּ֠ה). The root כן appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai); "and·said" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·hands', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Rashi
"So is this people." Just as you err in this matter, so too do you err in many halakhot.
"And whatever they offer there." [It is defiled] if they do not apply their minds to study.
Radak
“And Haggai answered and said: ‘Thus is this people, and thus is this nation.’” The matter is twofold in what is stated, or rather, it is explained that “thus is this people” refers to the priests, and “thus is this nation” refers to Israel. He declared that they are all guilty concerning the building of the House, for it was incumbent upon the priests to admonish the people to build. And just as you said that [what they bring] becomes defiled, so too all the work of their hands is defiled before Me. And likewise, what the priests will offer is defiled before Me, for they are offering upon the altar without a House, and they do not care for My honor.
Metzudat David
“Even this people.” This is stated regarding the priests, as if complaining: “Behold, even this people [is like those] whom you see do not know the Torah.”
And likewise, "this nation." The matter is repeated using different words [i.e., synonyms].
"Before Me": This means in the words of the Torah that was given from Me.
And likewise all their handiwork. Just as they erred in this matter, so too do they err in all their handiwork.
"And that which they shall offer there." And from now on, whatever they offer there on the altar is considered impure unless they apply their minds to study and to know.
Malbim
And Haggai answered and said: On the basis of this question and answer, he addressed them with a moral reproof in three aspects:
A] So it is with this people, who are the priests, and so it is with this nation, which is the general populace. They are similar to the resolution of this question: if they approach and touch holiness, holiness does not adhere to them; but when they approach impurity, it immediately adheres to them, and they become impure, just like the impurity they approached and joined in fellowship with.
B] Likewise, all their works of the hands. Just as in this parable, if the common touches the holy, it does not become holy like it; only if the holy is absorbed into the flesh and enters within it—but not if it merely touches from the outside—so too, holiness does not adhere to a person unless it is absorbed into him and enters within him. This means: if they grasp it in their heart and inner soul, but not if it merely touches them from the outside. For the external body has no proximity to holiness, which is a spiritual matter; but impurity adheres even if it touches from the outside upon the body, for it has a connection with the physical. Likewise, all their works of the hands, since they perform only with the external hands, and it is not the work of their heart and soul, therefore it is impure. They adhere to impurity, not to holiness.
C] And that which they offer there is impure. Since they do not offer before the Lord with holiness, so that the offering would be a spiritual offering with the appropriate intention, but rather they offer "there"—the word "there" indicating the distant, physical place where they offer a physical, animal sacrifice upon the stones—consequently, it is impure. For the impurity of their bodies and their land clings to their offering. And by this, He showed them that until now they had not sanctified themselves to adhere to holiness and to build a spiritual Temple and altar in heart and soul, upon which they would offer their very souls as a burnt offering to the Lord.
And now, I pray you, consider from this day and forward—before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of Hashem,
verse value 2166
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 53 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "this" (הַזֶּ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "set·now" (שִֽׂימוּ־נָ֣א, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 151: from·the·day, and·unfaithful or treacherous act. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "before" (מִטֶּ֧רֶם), "laying·a·stone" (שֽׂוּם־אֶ֛בֶן), "to·stone" (אֶל־אֶ֖בֶן). The root שום appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·unfaithful or treacherous act', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְעַתָּה֙ [now] (481) + שִֽׂימוּ־נָ֣א [set·now] (407) + לְבַבְכֶ֔ם [your·heart] (94) + מִן־הַיּ֥וֹם [from·the·day] (151) + הַזֶּ֖ה [this] (17) + וָמָ֑עְלָה [and·unfaithful or treacherous act] (151) + מִטֶּ֧רֶם [before] (289) + שֽׂוּם־אֶ֛בֶן [laying·a·stone] (399) + אֶל־אֶ֖בֶן [to·stone] (84) + בְּהֵיכַ֥ל [in·temple·of] (67) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2166.
Rashi
And "that which is above" refers to the years that have passed.
Before any stone was laid upon another stone. Before your return to resume and add to the foundation you had laid in the days of Cyrus, and now it has been nullified; set your hearts to engage in the building and in the study of the needs of the priesthood.
Radak
“And now, and upward.” From the day that they began in the building and upward, and set your heart before laying stone upon stone. That is to say: set your heart in your deeds, considering what was the case before the building and what will be after the building.
"Stone upon stone." This is like the phrase "upon a stone," similar to "unto the mountains ... and did not eat," and the like. For they had already laid the foundation of the building when they constructed the altar, but the adversaries prevented them from continuing to build, as it is written in the Book of Ezra. And Jonathan's Targum translates: "Before a course was laid upon a course."
Metzudat David
"And now." This means: even though their offering is not yet acceptable, since they do not know the laws of impurity and purity, and thus the building of the Temple is merely a preparation for offering sacrifices there once they have learned; only then will it be acceptable.
“Place, I pray you.” This means: Nevertheless, understand the difference between after the beginning of the building and before the beginning, and “place, I pray you,” and so on.
"From this day and onward." This means: prior to it.
Before any stone was placed. Until the building stone was set upon the foundation stone of the Temple to build the wall, for the foundation was built in the days of Cyrus, as it is written in Ezra.
Malbim
"And now, set your hearts," besides the fact that He desires them to set their hearts to contemplate the conduct of the Lord, that His conduct toward them from this day onward, as they begin to build the Temple, will change for blessing and for good, it also alludes that they should set their hearts in the Temple of the Lord, that they should strive that the heart be found in the Temple of the Lord, meaning that the building and the service of the Temple should not be merely a physical act, but rather an act of the heart and the soul. And before you set stone upon stone to establish the building, you shall set your hearts in the Temple of the Lord, for the building of stones without the heart will not possess holiness, for holiness does not adhere to external actions, which are like touching the matter from the outside, as stated above.
through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the winevat to draw out fifty press-measures, there were but twenty;
verse value 5170
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "went·in" (בָּא֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "since·they·were" (מִֽהְיוֹתָ֥ם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 620: twenty, twenty. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "since·they·were" (מִֽהְיוֹתָ֥ם), "to·heap" (אֶל־עֲרֵמַ֣ת), "ten" (עֲשָׂרָ֑ה). The root היה appears 3 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ten', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: מִֽהְיוֹתָ֥ם [since·they·were] (501) + בָּא֙ [went·in] (3) + אֶל־עֲרֵמַ֣ת [to·heap] (741) + עֶשְׂרִ֔ים [twenty] (620) + וְהָיְתָ֖ה [and·it·shall·be] (426) + עֲשָׂרָ֑ה [ten] (575) + בָּ֣א [went·in] (3) + אֶל־הַיֶּ֗קֶב [to·the·wine·vat] (148) + לַחְשֹׂף֙ [to·strip] (418) + חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים [fifty] (398) + פּוּרָ֔ה [winepress] (291) + וְהָיְתָ֖ה [and·it·shall·be] (426) + עֶשְׂרִֽים [twenty] (620) = 5170.
Rashi
“From their coming to the heap of twenty.” [This teaches] that there will be a curse sent upon your deeds, as until now they would set up a heap from which a measure was to be taken, containing twenty se’ah, and yet he would find only ten.
“He came to the vat.” It is the pit located before the winepress, into which the wine flows down.
"To uncover fifty *porah*." [This means] to draw from it fifty measures, which are the measures used to measure wine in winepresses, and their name is *porah*.
To uncover. To fill, like “to uncover waters from a reservoir” (Isaiah 30:14), and similarly “uncover the train” (ibid. 16).
"And it was twenty." This does not mean that a curse struck the wine more than the grain; rather, a person errs in estimating the measure of the winepress because it is deep, whereas the grain-pile stands before him. And in the Mishnah of Avot de-Rabbi Natan we learned the reason why it did not state a diminished measure for wine, as it did for grain, such as "to uncover twenty-five purah, and it was ten" — to teach you that wine is always a greater measure. And when wine is diminished, it is always a bad omen. And since wine needs to be abundant, it counted in it a greater number.
Radak
“From their being.” Before their coming into existence in this matter, they will be able to recognize that the matter was from Me. For whoever comes to a heap of twenty—that is to say, to a pile of wheat from which twenty seahs ought to have emerged, but only ten emerged due to the curse that is sent upon it—
"To draw fifty measures." The word "to draw" is like [the phrase] "to draw water from a cistern"; its meaning is to take or to draw.
“Purah.” Just as it says, “I have trodden the winepress alone” (Isaiah 63:3), which refers to the treading of grapes in the wine vat.
"And fifty": This means fifty measures in the wine press. And the Targum renders it as "fifty jars of wine." As for the mention of ten and twenty, these numbers are not exact, for sometimes one will find only half, or slightly less, or slightly more. In any case, the affliction is evident in them.
Metzudat David
"From their being." This means: Understand that it refers to when each of you came to a single heap, thinking he would find in it twenty measures, but found in it only ten, because a curse had been sent upon it.
“to uncover.” This means that when he calculated, expecting to find fifty measures of wine flowing from the press, he found only twenty.
Metzudat Zion
“Aremat.” Thus a heap of grain is called, as it is stated: “at the end” (Ruth 3:7).
The vat. It is the vat into which the wine flows from the winepress.
To draw. The matter is one of drawing [water], like "and to draw water from a cistern" (Isaiah 30:14):
"Poreh." Thus is the winepress called; and so, "I trod the winepress [purah] alone" (ibid. 63).
Malbim
From the fact that they were [in that state], he brings proof from what they have seen thus far: that one who came to a heap of twenty found only ten, for there was a curse upon it; and likewise:
I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the work of your hands; yet you turned not to Me, says Hashem—
verse value 3572
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (אֵלַ֖י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·none·of·you" (וְאֵין־אֶתְכֶ֥ם, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "I·smote" (הִכֵּ֨יתִי), "with·blasting" (בַּשִּׁדָּפ֤וֹן), "mildew" (וּבַיֵּֽרָקוֹן֙). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·hands', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words.
Radak
"I have struck you." [This refers to] 'all the work of your hands' — [where] אֵת is used like the preposition בְּ, as in 'with/in all the work of your hands.' Similarly, 'and do not rebel against us' [וְאֹתָנוּ אַל תִמְרֹדוּ] is used like 'against us' [ובנו].
"And you are not to Me." [This means] 'and not yourselves' — that is, despite all this, you are not [returned] to Me. Similarly, '[he] will come, himself' [יבא אתו], and 'the shepherds fed them' [וירעו הרועים אותם] — themselves [i.e., these are cases where את/אתו/אותם means 'itself/themselves']. Or the interpretation is: 'I do not see you returning to Me.'
Metzudat David
"I have struck you, etc." And He returns to explain: "All the works of your hands"—the crops that you sowed—them I struck with blight and with mildew.
"And you are not with Me." This means: "And I do not see you returning to Me."
Metzudat Zion
“B’sh’dafon.” The matter refers to a disease of the grain before it has fully ripened.
"And with mildew." This is the paling of the grain's surface, which then turns to mildew.
Malbim
"I struck you with blight and mildew and hail. And why was this? He explains (the word 'I struck'): 'All your works'—and you were not with Me; that which was only 'your works' toward Me, and you were not present in the deeds. This means that they were merely external actions, mere manual labor, while you yourselves were not oriented toward Me; that is to say, you performed deeds without intent, a body without a soul, a sanctuary of stones without hearts. Therefore, I struck and sent a curse upon the works of your hands."
consider, I pray you, from this day and forward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of Hashem’S temple was laid, consider it;
verse value 3937
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "this" (הַזֶּ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·temple·of·Hashem" (הֵֽיכַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 151: from·the·day, and·unfaithful or treacherous act. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "from·day·of" (מִיּוֹם֩), "from·the·day" (לְמִן־הַיּ֛וֹם), "which·was·founded" (אֲשֶׁר־יֻסַּ֥ד). The root יום appears 3 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·unfaithful or treacherous act', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 9 words. Full calculation: שִׂימוּ־נָ֣א [set·now] (407) + לְבַבְכֶ֔ם [your·heart] (94) + מִן־הַיּ֥וֹם [from·the·day] (151) + הַזֶּ֖ה [this] (17) + וָמָ֑עְלָה [and·unfaithful or treacherous act] (151) + מִיּוֹם֩ [from·day·of] (96) + עֶשְׂרִ֨ים [twenty] (620) + וְאַרְבָּעָ֜ה [and·four] (284) + לַתְּשִׁיעִ֗י [ninth] (820) + לְמִן־הַיּ֛וֹם [from·the·day] (181) + אֲשֶׁר־יֻסַּ֥ד [which·was·founded] (575) + הֵֽיכַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה [the·temple·of·Hashem] (91) + שִׂ֥ימוּ [put] (356) + לְבַבְכֶֽם [your·heart] (94) = 3937.
Rashi
“Which was founded” – They now began, in the second year, to add to the original foundation that had been built in the days of Cyrus.
Radak
"Set [your heart]." '[From the day] that the Temple of the LORD was founded' — this refers to when they built it upon its foundation, for the foundation had already been built at the time of the building of the Altar.
Metzudat David
And upward. This means: and onward.
"From the day." This means that it is from the day on which the foundation of the Temple was laid; from then onward, take note of what is done in these days.
Malbim
“Set your hearts from this day onward and upward, set your hearts”—this means: Pay attention and examine the matter that from this day onward, namely from the day that the Temple was established, the outer actions will no longer be merely in practice alone; rather, set your hearts so that the building [service] will be with the intention of the heart, and then you will see.
is the seed yet in the barn? indeed, the vine, and the fig-tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive-tree has not brought forth—from this day will I bless you.’ .
verse value 2976
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·until·the·vine" (וְעַד־הַגֶּ֨פֶן, 7 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "is·there·yet" (הַע֤וֹד), "seed" (הַזֶּ֙רַע֙), "in·the·barn" (בַּמְּגוּרָ֔ה). 12 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'lifted', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: הַע֤וֹד [is·there·yet] (85) + הַזֶּ֙רַע֙ [seed] (282) + בַּמְּגוּרָ֔ה [in·the·barn] (256) + וְעַד־הַגֶּ֨פֶן [and·until·the·vine] (218) + וְהַתְּאֵנָ֧ה [and·the·fig] (467) + וְהָרִמּ֛וֹן [and·the·pomegranate] (307) + וְעֵ֥ץ [and·tree·of] (166) + הַזַּ֖יִת [the·olive] (422) + לֹ֣א [not] (31) + נָשָׂ֑א [lifted] (351) + מִן־הַיּ֥וֹם [from·the·day] (151) + הַזֶּ֖ה [this] (17) + אֲבָרֵֽךְ [I·will·bless] (223) = 2976.
Rashi
“Is the seed still in the barn?” You have not yet sown in this year, and the trees have not yet formed their fruit; from now on you shall sow in a time of blessing, for with the building of the House will come blessing to the work of your hands.
Radak
“Is there still seed in the barn?” See if there is still seed in the barn, for you have taken out the majority for sowing, and only a small amount remains for you to eat from the barn. And from this day onward, I will bless both what is in the barn and what you have sown, since you have begun to build it.
"And the vine." And likewise, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree did not bear fruit, for their time to bear leaves or fruit had not yet arrived, for this was in Kislev, which is the ninth month, and from this day onward I will bless them, and they will bear fruit abundantly and well. And he mentioned these trees, which are abundant in the Land of Israel, as it is stated: "A land of wheat and barley, and vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey." And it is wondrous that he said regarding the olive tree that it did not bear fruit, for the time of the olive tree to bear its fruit is in Marcheshvan and Kislev. And perhaps due to the curse that was upon them from the beginning, it was delayed in bearing its fruit.
Metzudat David
"And yet the seed is still in the granary." Is there really any seed left in the granary? Have you not taken out all of it for sowing, because there was so little?
"And until the vine, etc." And even the vine, etc., did not bear fruit.
“From that day.” But from the day the construction began, I will send a blessing.
Metzudat Zion
"במגורה" – So is the granary called; and so it says, "the granaries are ruined" (Joel 1).
And until. Its meaning is like "even," and similarly, "and even unto the unwalled village" (1 Samuel 6).
Nasa. The meaning is growth and sprouting.
Malbim
"Is it still?" meaning: Will there still be such a thing as what has been until now, namely that the seed (which is now in the granary and ready for sowing) did not yield its fruit, as it had been until now that it did not yield its fruit? Not only the seed of the earth, for this included everything from the seed of the earth to the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree, in that even the tree did not yield its fruit. And you will see: will this matter still be so? It will not be so from now on, for from this day I will bless, and all of them will yield fruit.
And the word of Hashem came the second time to Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying:
verse value 2594
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "and·it·was" (וַיְהִ֨י, 4 letters) and the longest is "the·word·of·Hashem" (דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֤ה, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "second" (שֵׁנִית֙). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·word·of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai); "saying" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). Full calculation: וַיְהִ֨י [and·it·was] (31) + דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֤ה [the·word·of·Hashem] (232) + שֵׁנִית֙ [second] (760) + אֶל־חַגַּ֔י [to·Haggai] (52) + בְּעֶשְׂרִ֧ים [in·twenty] (622) + וְאַרְבָּעָ֛ה [and·four] (284) + לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ [to·the·month] (342) + לֵאמֹֽר [saying] (271) = 2594.
Radak
"And the word of the Lord came unto him the second time." The second time was on that same day, which was the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; and twice He spoke with him on that day.
Metzudat David
A second time. On that very same day, the twenty-fourth of the ninth month:
Malbim
And the word of the Lord came a second time: that on the twenty-fourth day of the month, the prophecy came to him twice on one day.
’Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: I will shake the heavens and the earth;
verse value 3482
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "say" (אֱמֹ֕ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "governor·Judah" (פַּֽחַת־יְהוּדָ֖ה, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "governor·Judah" (פַּֽחַת־יְהוּדָ֖ה). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "say" (root אמר, 26x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: אֱמֹ֕ר [say] (241) + אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל [to·Zerubbabel] (272) + פַּֽחַת־יְהוּדָ֖ה [governor·Judah] (518) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [saying] (271) + אֲנִ֣י [I] (61) + מַרְעִ֔ישׁ [shaking] (620) + אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם [the·heavens] (796) + וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ [and·the·earth] (703) = 3482.
Radak
He said, “I will shake.” This is an allegory referring to the wars that occurred during the time of the Persian Empire, and He said that this message would be conveyed to Zerubbabel to inform him that because of those wars, his status would not be diminished, but rather it would be greatly increased. This is what is stated: “And I will take you, and I will set you as a signet ring.” These wars took place either in the days of Darius, or in the days of Artaxerxes who reigned after him, or perhaps this prophecy was spoken concerning the abolition of the Persian Empire and the establishment of the Greek Empire. This is what is stated: “And I will overturn the throne of kingdoms.” And this occurred thirty-four years after the building of the Temple, for then the Persian Empire ceased and the Greek Empire arose. And so we find in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, who said: It is taught: Rabbi Yose says: The Persian Empire stood before the Temple for thirty-four years; the Greek Empire stood before the Temple for 180 years; the Hasmonean dynasty stood for 103 years; the Herodian dynasty stood for 103 years. Thus, the Second Temple stood for a total of 420 years.
Metzudat David
"I will shake." This means that this house will not stand forever, for I will shake the heavens as if the stars of the heavens were fighting against them from their orbits, and the kings of the earth would gather to come against them.
Malbim
He said to Zerubbabel: "For the fact that the sprout will sprout for the House of David is dependent on the time when the true redemption will arrive, and the war of Gog and Magog must precede it. In the time of the Second Temple, no king from the House of Judah reigned, and Zerubbabel was called the governor of Judah, not a king. The prophet saw that then the time of rectification had not arrived, because that generation did not merit it according to their deeds. He informed Zerubbabel that nevertheless, the word of the Lord will not return empty; it will surely come at some point in time. If they merit, it will be hastened; if they do not merit, it will come at its appointed time. And then I will shake the heavens and the earth, as it is written above (verse 6): 'Yet a little while, and I will shake.' And he explained to him what this shaking will be, namely:"
and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
verse value 4882
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 81 letters. The shortest word is "throne" (כִּסֵּ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·destroy" (וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔י, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 536: kingdoms, kingdoms·of. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "throne" (כִּסֵּ֣א), "and·I·will·destroy" (וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔י), "the·nations" (הַגּוֹיִ֑ם). The root הפך appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 9 words.
Rashi
"And I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations." This refers to the kingdom of Persia, which currently rules over the entire world; it will fall into the hands of another kingdom, thirty-four years after the building of the Temple, as we learn in Tractate Avodah Zarah.
Radak
"And I will overturn." It is self-evident.
Metzudat David
And I will overturn. This means: But in the end, I will take vengeance from them, and I will overturn the throne of all the kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms.
And they shall go down. Into the depths of Sheol:
A man by the sword of his brother. The tumult of the LORD shall come upon them, and they shall be slain, each by the sword of his brother, as it is stated: "I called ... [etc.] a sword, a man against his brother" (Ezekiel 38:21).
Metzudat Zion
"And I will destroy." The matter is one of destruction.
Malbim
“And I will overturn the throne of the kingdoms,” and by virtue of this, “and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations,” namely, their fortified cities and their armies. And he explains that this will be through “the sword of a man against his brother,” which will occur in the war of Gog and Magog, as it is stated (Ezekiel 38:21): “The sword of a man against his brother shall be.”
In that day, says Hashem of hosts, will I take you, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, says Hashem, and will make you as a signet; for I have chosen you, says Hashem of hosts.’
verse value 4626
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 81 letters. Notable word values: "my·servant" (עַבְדִּי֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 4626 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "utterance" (נְאֻ֖ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Shealtiel" (בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵ֤ל, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 499: hosts, hosts. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Haggai. Unique to this verse in Haggai (hapax): "that" (הַה֣וּא), "I·will·take·you" (אֶ֠קָּחֲךָ֠), "my·servant" (עַבְדִּי֙). The root יהוה appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "says·Hashem" (root יהוה, 34x in Haggai). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·the·seal', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 5 words.
Rashi
"And I will set you like a signet ring." This is in contrast to what was decreed regarding his father, Yechanyah, as it is stated: "As I live, declares the Lord, if Coniah the son of Jehoiakim were a signet ring on My right hand, yet would I pluck you off" (Jeremiah 22:30). And it is stated there: "Write this man as childless." From this we learned that his repentance was effective for him, and Zerubbabel was born to him, and he was set like a signet ring.
Radak
"On that day, I will take you" – to elevate you to a higher level than you were until that day; and the Targum translates: "I will bring you near."
"And I will set you as a seal." The ring with which documents are sealed is called a "seal." Similarly, it says, "Set me as a seal [upon your heart]" [Song of Songs 8:6]. That ring does not depart from a person's hand, neither by day nor by night — meaning that God's providence will be continually upon him. And our Sages of blessed memory said: Great is repentance, for it tears up a decree, as it is stated, "Write this man as childless" [Jeremiah 22:30]. And since he repented, the decree was reversed for good, and a son was born to him in the prison house. And it says, "As I live, declares the LORD, though Coniah were a seal on My right hand, etc." [Jeremiah 22:24]. And since he repented it was reversed for good, and it was said to Zerubbabel, his grandson, "I will set you as a seal" — the opposite of what was said to him, "though Coniah were a seal, etc."
Metzudat David
"I will take you, Zerubbabel." This means: I will take a man from your lineage, and it is of the Messiah that it is said:
"And I will set you as a seal." Just as a ring's seal does not move from a person's hand, so too shall My love not depart from him.
“For in You have I chosen.” In the seed that comes forth from you have I chosen him to be the Messiah King.
Metzudat Zion
As a seal. A ring made for sealing letters:
Malbim
"On that day," then shall the Branch of the House of David sprout forth, and then I will take you (meaning: the offspring that will arise from him, or he himself will arise in the resurrection), and I will set you as a seal, meaning that he will be the ultimate purpose of creation and its seal, like the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is truth and established forever, for I have chosen you on account of the choice that He made in choosing David His servant and his offspring.
Radak
Metzudat David