Haggai 1 14

Haggai 1:14 kjv

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,

Haggai 1:14 nkjv

So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,

Haggai 1:14 niv

So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God,

Haggai 1:14 esv

And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,

Haggai 1:14 nlt

So the LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God's people. They began to work on the house of their God, the LORD of Heaven's Armies,

Haggai 1 verses

Haggai 1 14 Meaning

Haggai 1:14 describes the immediate and profound response of God's people to His word delivered through the prophet Haggai. After being reproved for their neglect of the Temple in favor of their own houses, the verse reveals that the Lord Himself supernaturally stirred up the spirits—the inner drive and will—of their key leaders, Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest, along with the spirit of all the returned exiles. This divine activation resulted in their unified obedience, as they promptly came and resumed work on the neglected house of the Lord, their God. The verse highlights that true spiritual and communal action originates from a divinely inspired disposition rather than mere human effort or guilt.

Haggai 1 14 Context

Haggai 1:14 falls within the opening chapter of the prophet Haggai's book, set in the second year of King Darius's reign (circa 520 BC), about 16 years after the first wave of exiles returned from Babylon. God had commissioned Zerubbabel and Joshua to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 3). However, the people, after initial attempts (Ezra 4:1-5, 24), abandoned the work, focusing instead on building and paneling their own houses. Drought and unproductive harvests (Hag 1:6, 9-11) were God's judgment for their misplaced priorities. Haggai's preceding message (Hag 1:1-11) directly challenged their apathy: "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this temple lies in ruins?" (Hag 1:4). Verse 14 is the divine response to the people's humble acknowledgment of God's word (Hag 1:12) and His subsequent promise: "I am with you" (Hag 1:13). It marks a crucial turning point from communal stagnation to fervent action, demonstrating that a spiritual revival often begins with God's empowering Spirit in response to His Word.

Haggai 1 14 Word analysis

• So the Lord: Initiates the divine causality for the change. God is the primary agent behind the renewed effort.
• stirred up: (Hebrew: ʿôrēr, עוֹרֵר) To rouse, awaken, excite, animate. This word denotes an act of God causing an inward awakening or stirring. It's not manipulation, but divine enablement of their will.
• the spirit: (Hebrew: rûaḥ, רוּחַ) Here, it refers to the human inner disposition, will, courage, and zeal. It's their internal readiness to act, divinely enlivened.
• of Zerubbabel: The governor, the civil and political leader, a descendant of King David (thus, of royal lineage), representing hope for national restoration and the Messianic line.
• the son of Shealtiel: Identifies Zerubbabel.
• governor of Judah: His official capacity and sphere of authority over the returned exiles.
• and the spirit of Joshua: The high priest, the spiritual leader. His lineage and role were crucial for re-establishing proper worship and the sacrificial system.
• the son of Jehozadak: Identifies Joshua.
• the high priest: His sacred office, indicating the unified religious leadership alongside the political leader.
• and the spirit of all the remnant of the people: Emphasizes that the divine stirring extended beyond the leaders to every person of the returned exiles. The "remnant" refers to those preserved by God and returned to rebuild. This signifies communal solidarity and collective participation.
• and they came: Indicates immediate and decisive movement from their places to the work site. This is active, voluntary obedience following the internal stirring.
• and worked: (Hebrew: wayyaʿăśû, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ) They did, made, performed. It highlights the concrete, physical action of building. Their actions confirmed their stirred spirit.
• on the house of the Lord of hosts: Refers specifically to the Second Temple. "Lord of hosts" (Hebrew: YHWH Tseva'ot) signifies God as sovereign over all heavenly and earthly armies, highlighting His immense power and authority. Building His house demonstrates submission to His lordship.
• their God: Personal and covenantal relationship, implying the Temple work was for their God, the one who led them and provides for them.

Words-group analysis:

• "So the Lord stirred up the spirit...": This phrase underlines divine initiative. Human action here is a response to God's prior work in the heart, not an independent undertaking. It is God who grants the desire and ability.
• "...of Zerubbabel...and...Joshua...and...all the remnant of the people...": This sequence emphasizes the comprehensive scope of God's work, unifying all segments of leadership (civil and spiritual) with the common people. This unity was essential for such a large-scale project and underscores the absence of internal conflict in the task.
• "...and they came and worked...": This shows the practical, immediate result of the stirred spirit. The inward disposition directly manifested in outward obedience and diligent labor. It signifies moving from apathy and inactivity to devoted effort.
• "...on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God.": This phrase establishes the purpose and focus of their labor—God's dwelling place. The divine name "Lord of hosts" reminds them of His supreme authority and their sacred responsibility to build for such a mighty God, who is also intimately "their God."

Haggai 1 14 Bonus section

The divine stirring in Haggai 1:14 provides a powerful model for Christian action today. It illustrates that spiritual tasks often feel overwhelming or inconvenient to our natural inclinations. However, when God's word is proclaimed and received, He can supernaturally imbue individuals and communities with the necessary zeal and unity. This negates human pride, as the ability to obey is God's gift, yet it compels human responsibility, as the "coming and working" still requires a choice to respond. This concept is foundational to understanding how believers are equipped for good works, reflecting that God enables what He commands. The united effort of Zerubbabel (political) and Joshua (spiritual) leaders, together with the people, also prefigures the holistic and harmonious leadership often required for major undertakings in God's kingdom, emphasizing that true spiritual advancement occurs when various gifts and callings work together under divine anointing.

Haggai 1 14 Commentary

Haggai 1:14 stands as a profound testament to the principle that God's work, ultimately, is done by God Himself, even when it involves human hands. After their prolonged neglect, the returnees' immediate turnaround was not due to a sudden surge of human willpower or renewed motivation stemming purely from guilt or rational planning. Instead, the verse clearly attributes this dramatic shift to the Lord stirring their spirits. This "stirring" is a divine enablement, igniting within them the zeal, courage, and unified determination to prioritize His agenda. It signifies that true and lasting spiritual productivity originates from an empowered inner disposition, provided by God, making the leaders and the entire community willing and able to carry out His commands. Their prompt "came and worked" demonstrates genuine faith: hearing God's word (Hag 1:12) and responding in active obedience (Hag 1:14), trusting in His promise of presence (Hag 1:13). The completed Temple would ultimately point to God's faithfulness and prepare for the coming of Christ, the true Temple (John 2:19-21).

Examples:

• A disheartened church board suddenly feels a unified spiritual urgency to begin a difficult community outreach, finding energy and resources previously lacking.
• An individual procrastinating on a biblical task experiences an unexpected inner zeal to commence, overcoming former apathy.
• A discouraged mission team facing obstacles finds their spirit renewed, leading to persistent and effective work.