translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: HAG

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet” ( בְּיַד־חַגַּי , bÿyad-khaggay ). This suggests that the prophet is only an instrument of the Lord ; the Lord is to be viewed as the true author (see 1:3; 2:1 ; Mal 1:1 ).


text: The typical translation “Joshua (the) son of Jehozadak, the high priest” (cf. ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV) can be understood to mean that Jehozadak was high priest. However, Zech 3:1, 8 clearly indicates that Joshua was high priest (see also Ezra 5:1-2 ; cf. NAB). The same potential misunderstanding occurs in Hag 1:12, 14 and 2:2 , where the same solution has been employed in the translation.


text: Heb “the time has not come, the time for the house of the Lord to be built” (similar KJV). A number of English versions refer to “rebuilding” (so NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT) since the reconstruction of Solomon’s temple is actually in view.


text: Heb “and the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying.” Cf. the similar expression in v. 1 and the note there.


text: Heb “Is it time for you, [yes] you, to live in paneled houses, while this house is in ruins”; NASB “lies desolate”; NIV “remains a ruin.”


text: Heb “Set your heart upon your ways” (see 2:15, 18 ); traditionally “Consider your ways” (so KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB).


text: Some translate “pockets” (so NLT) but the Hebrew word צְרוֹר ( tsÿror ) refers to a bag, pouch, or purse of money (BDB 865 s.v. צְרוֹר ; HALOT 1054 s.v. צְרוֹר 1). Because coinage had been invented by the Persians and was thus in use in Haggai’s day, this likely is a money bag or purse rather than pouches or pockets in the clothing. Since in contemporary English “purse” (so NASB, NIV, NCV) could be understood as a handbag, the present translation uses “money bags.”


text: Heb “Set your heart upon your ways”; see v. 5 .


text: Heb “and build the house” (so NIV, NRSV), with “house” referring specifically to the temple here.


text: The Hebrew verb אֶכָּבְדָ (’ ekkavda ) appears to be a defectively written cohortative (“that I may be glorified”). The cohortatives (note that the preceding אֶרְצֶה , ’ ertseh , “I will be pleased,” may also be taken as cohortative) indicate purpose/result (cf. NIV, NRSV “so that”; CEV “so”) following the imperatives of v. 8 a (“go up,” “bring back,” “build”).


text: Heb “look!” ( הִנֵּה , hinneh ). The term, an interjection, draws attention to the point being made.


text: Heb “I blew it away” (so NRSV, TEV, NLT). The imagery here suggests that human achievements are so fragile and temporal that a mere breath from God can destroy them (see Ezek 22:20, 21 ; and Isa 40:7 with נָשַׁב , nashav ).


text: Heb “and each of you runs to his own house”; NIV “is busy with”; TEV “is busy working on”; NCV “work hard for.”


text: The Hebrew text has “over you” (so KJV), but this is redundant in contemporary English and has been left untranslated.


text: Heb “all the labor of hands” (similar KJV, NASB, NIV); cf. NAB “all that is produced by hand.”


text: Many English versions have “Joshua [the] son of Jehozadak, the high priest,” but this is subject to misunderstanding. See the note on the name “Jehozadak” at the end of v. 1 .


text: Heb “all the remnant of the people.” The Hebrew phrase שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם ( shÿ ’ erit ha ’ am ) in this postexilic context is used as a technical term to refer to the returned remnant (see Ezra 9:14 ; Isa 10:20-22; 11:11, 16 ; Jer 23:3; 31:7 ; and many other passages). Cf. TEV “all the people who had returned from the exile in Babylonia.”


text: Heb “heard the voice of”; NAB “listened to the voice of.”


text: Heb “and according to the words of Haggai the prophet just as the Lord their God sent him.” Some English versions (e.g., NAB, NIV, NCV) take the last clause as causal: “because the Lord their God had sent him.”


text: Heb “and the people feared from before the Lord ”; NASB “showed reverence for the Lord .”


text: Heb “Haggai, the messenger of the Lord , said by the message of the Lord to the people.” The Hebrew is highly repetitive; in keeping with contemporary English style this has been simplified in the translation.


text: Heb “stirred up” (as in many English versions). Only one verb appears in the Hebrew text, but the translation “energized and encouraged” brings out its sense in this context. Cf. TEV “inspired”; NLT “sparked the enthusiasm of”; CEV “made everyone eager to work.” sn It was God who initiated the rebuilding by providing the people with motivation and ability.


text: Heb “the spirit of Zerubbabel” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).


text: Heb “the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest” (as in many English versions), but this is subject to misunderstanding. See the note on the name “Jehozadak” at the end of v. 1 .


text: Heb “and the spirit of all the remnant of the people.” The Hebrew phrase שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם ( shÿ ’ erit ha ’ am ) in this postexilic context is used as a technical term to refer to the returned remnant; see the note on the phrase “the whole remnant of the people” in v. 12 .