Haggai Chapter 1

“In the second year of Darius the King, etc.] That is, of Persia; he is spoken of as if he was the only king in the world; and indeed he was the then greatest king in it; and therefore is emphatically called “the king”. This was not Darius the Mede, as Genebrard; who was contemporary with Cyrus, and partner in the kingdom; nor Darius Nothus, as Scaliger, and those that follow him; since the second year of this Darius was, according to Cocceius, who follows this opinion, one hundred and thirty eight years after the first edict of Cyrus; and so Zerubbabel and Joshua must exercise their office, the one of governor,…”

“HAGGAI CALLS THE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER THEIR WAYS IN NEGLECTING TO BUILD GOD'S HOUSE: THE EVIL OF THIS NEGLECT TO THEMSELVES: THE HONOR TO GOD OF ATTENDING TO IT: THE PEOPLE'S PENITENT OBEDIENCE UNDER ZERUBBABEL FOLLOWED BY GOD'S GRACIOUS ASSURANCE. (Hag 1:1-15) second year of Darius--Hystaspes, the king of Medo-Persia, the second of the world empires, Babylon having been overthrown by the Persian Cyrus. The Jews having no king of their own, dated by the reign of the world kings to whom they were subject. Darius was a common name of the Persian kings, as Pharaoh of those of Egypt, and CÃ&brvbrsar of those of Rome.…”

“In the second year of Darius - , i. e., Hystaspis. The very first word of prophecy after the captivity betokens that they were restored, not yet as before, yet so, as to be hereafter, more than before. The earthly type, by God’s appointment, was fading away, that the heavenly truth might dawn. The earthly king was withdrawn, to make way for the heavenly. God had said of Jeconiah Jeremiah 22:30, “No man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling anymore in Israel:” and so now prophecy begins to be dated by the years of a foreign earthly ruler, as in the Baptism of the Lord Himself Luke…”

“Son - Adoptive son to Shealtiel, being of the royal line, but by nature, son of Pedaiah. Governor - Appointed to this by the Persian king, over the remnant returned out of Babylon. Joshua - A type of the great deliverer; one Joshua leads them into Canaan, another restores the temple. Haggai 1:4”

“1:1-15 The first message calls the people of Jerusalem to focus on restoring proper worship of God. 1:1 This introductory statement (superscription) identifies the author, the audience, the date, and the occasion prompting the prophecy. • the second year: King Darius I (Hystaspes) ruled Persia 521–486 BC, early in the Persian Empire (539–331 BC). The messages of Haggai are among the most precisely dated prophecies in the Old Testament. • Prophet (Hebrew nabi’) designates Haggai as a representative of God who speaks with the authority of God, who sent him. • Zerubbabel led one group of Hebrews back to Palestine…”

“second: Hag 2:1, Hag 2:10, Hag 2:20; Ezr 4:24, Ezr 5:1, Ezr 5:2; Zac 1:1 the sixth: Elul the sixth month of the ecclesiastical year, answering to a part of September. by Haggai: Heb. by the hand of Haggai, Exo 4:13; Kg1 14:18; Kg2 14:25; Ezr 6:14 unto: Hag 1:12, Hag 1:14, Hag 2:2, Hag 2:4, Hag 2:21-23; Ch1 3:17, Ch1 3:19, Salathiel, Ezr 2:2, Ezr 3:2, Ezr 3:8, Ezr 4:2, Ezr 5:2; Neh 7:7; Zac 4:6-10; Mat 1:12, Mat 1:13, Zorobabel, Salathiel, Luk 3:27 governor: or, captain, Ezr 1:8, Ezr 2:63; Neh 5:14, Neh 8:9 Joshua: Ezr 2:2, Ezr 3:8, Ezr 5:2; Neh 12:1, Neh 12:10 Josedech: Ch1 6:14, Ch1 6:15, Jehozadak Haggai 1:2”

“In Hag 1:1 this address is introduced by a statement of the time at which it had been delivered, and the persons to whom it was addressed. The word of Jehovah was uttered through the prophet in the second year of king Darius, on the first day of the sixth month. דּריושׁ answers to the name Dâryavush or Dârayavush of the arrow-headed inscriptions; it is derived from the Zendic dar, Sanskrit dhri, contracted into dhar, and is correctly explained by Herodotus (vi. 98) as signifying ἑρξείης = corcitor. It is written in Greek Δαρεῖος (Darius). The king referred to is the king of Persia ( Ezr 4:5, Ezr 4:24), the…”