Haggai 2:8

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Haggai 2:8 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts.
Haggai 2:8 — American Standard Version

Context — Haggai 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“The silver [is] mine, and the gold [is] mine, saith the Lord of hosts.] This seems designed to anticipate an objection taken from the gold and silver, with which the first temple was either decorated, or were in gifts dedicated to it; and which, it might easily be foreseen, would be wanting in the second temple; and in answer to which the Lord observes, that all the gold and silver in the world were his, were made by him, and were at his dispose; and therefore whatever were bestowed upon the former temple was only giving him his own; what he had a prior right to, and was no accession of riches or honour to him; and so it would be the same, let what would be expended on this; and therefore it…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The silver is mine-- (Job 41:11; Psa 50:12). Ye are disappointed at the absence of these precious metals in the adorning of this temple, as compared with the first temple: If I pleased I could adorn this temple with them, but I will adorn it with a "glory" (Hag 2:7, Hag 2:9) far more precious; namely, with the presence of My divine Son in His veiled glory first, and at His second coming with His revealed glory, accompanied with outward adornment of gold and silver, of which the golden covering within and without put on by Herod is the type. Then shall the nations bring offerings of those precious metals which ye now miss so much (Isa 2:3; Isa 60:3, Isa 60:6-7; Eze 43:2, Eze 43:4-5; Eze…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine - These words, which have occasioned some to think, that God, in speaking of the glory with which He should fill the house, meant our material riches, suggest the contrary. For silver was no ornament of the temple of Solomon. Everything was overlaid with gold. In the tabernacle there were bowls of silver, in Soloman’s temple they and all were of gold 1Ki 7:50; 2 Chronicles 4:8. Silver, we are expressly told, “was nothing accounted of 1 Kings 10:21 in the days of Solomon: he 1 Kings 10:27. made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones - for abundance.” Rather, as God says by the Psalmist Psalms 50:10-12, “Every beast of the forest is Mine, so are the cattle…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The silver - The treasures of both: doubt not therefore but I will give enough to build this house. Haggai 2:9”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“1Kings 6:20-35; Ch1 29:14-16; Psa 24:1, Psa 50:10-12; Isa 60:13, Isa 60:17 Haggai 2:9”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“Jehovah can fill this house with glory, because the silver and gold which the heathen nations possess belong to Him. By shaking all kingdoms He can induce the nations to present their treasures to Him as gifts for the glorification of His house. Thus (the promise closes with this in Hag 2:9), the later glory of this house will be greater than the former was. Hâachărōn might be regarded as belonging to habbayith hazzeh, in the sense of "the glory of this latter house;" and the majority of the commentators have taken it so, after the Itala, Vulgate, and Peschito. But it is quite as admissible to connect it with kâbhōd, in the sense of "the later glory of this house," inasmuch as when one…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification