Haggai 2:18 kjv
Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider it.
Haggai 2:18 nkjv
'Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid?consider it:
Haggai 2:18 niv
'From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid. Give careful thought:
Haggai 2:18 esv
Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider:
Haggai 2:18 nlt
"Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the LORD's Temple was laid. Think carefully.
Haggai 2 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hag 1:5 | "Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways." | Call to careful reflection. |
| Hag 1:7 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways." | Repeated call for self-examination regarding priorities. |
| Zec 8:9 | "Let your hands be strong, you who in these days hear these words... for the temple is being built." | Contemporary call to persevere in building God's house. |
| Zec 8:12 | "For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these." | Promise of future prosperity for the obedient remnant. |
| Mal 3:10 | "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse... test me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." | Blessing follows obedience and proper prioritization of God. |
| Deut 28:8 | "The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand..." | Promise of blessing in obedience. |
| Deut 28:11-12 | "The Lord will grant you plenty of goods... the Lord will open for you His good treasure..." | God's material blessings for the obedient. |
| Psa 126:5-6 | "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy... He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." | Endurance in service leading to future blessing. |
| Jer 29:10-11 | "For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed... I will visit you and perform My good word toward you... for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." | God's restoration and future plan after a period of discipline. |
| Eze 36:26-27 | "I will give you a new heart... I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes..." | Internal change leading to obedience and God's indwelling. |
| Ezra 3:10 | "When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets..." | The actual historical event of the foundation laying. |
| 1 Ki 8:13 | "I have surely built You an exalted house, and a place for Your dwelling forever." | Significance of God's house as His dwelling place. |
| 1 Chr 29:3 | "Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God my own special treasure..." | Valuing and prioritizing the house of God. |
| Isa 56:7 | "Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer." | The purpose and blessing of God's house. |
| Jn 2:19-21 | "Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' ... But He was speaking of the temple of His body." | The ultimate Temple as Christ Himself. |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" | Believers as the spiritual temple where God dwells. |
| Eph 2:20-22 | "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." | The New Testament understanding of God's people as His spiritual dwelling. |
| Heb 3:6 | "but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end." | Christ as builder and Lord over the spiritual house (believers). |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." | The ultimate dwelling of God with humanity. |
| Ps 90:17 | "And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands." | Prayer for God to bless and establish the work undertaken for Him. |
| Ecc 9:10 | "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." | Importance of diligent and earnest work, especially in God's service. |
Haggai 2 verses
Haggai 2 18 Meaning
Haggai 2:18 calls the people of Judah to reflect deeply on a pivotal moment: the laying of the foundation of the Lord's temple on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. This date marked a clear turning point. God declared that from this very day forward, because of their renewed obedience in rebuilding His house, He would begin to bless them. It signifies a divine shift from past scarcity and lack, experienced due to their neglect, to future prosperity and abundance directly tied to their faithful service.
Haggai 2 18 Context
Haggai chapter 2 follows the initial burst of obedience in chapter 1, where the people finally began rebuilding the temple after God rebuked them for prioritizing their own paneled houses. In 2:1-9, God encouraged the discouraged remnant, promising that the latter glory of this temple would be greater than the former, and He would fill this house with glory. Then, in 2:10-14, Haggai addressed the issue of ritual defilement, showing that the people's disobedience and impure motives had made them and their works unclean, preventing God's blessing. Verses 15-17 serve as a reminder of the past barrenness and economic hardship they faced due to their neglect of the temple. Haggai 2:18-19, then, acts as a divine turning point, introducing God's unconditional promise of blessing from this very day the foundation of the temple was re-established. It marks the precise moment God’s posture of judgment due to neglect transitioned to a posture of blessing due to renewed obedience.
Haggai 2 18 Word analysis
- Consider (שִׂימוּ נָא לְבַבְכֶם - sîmû nāʾ ləḇaḇkem): This Hebrew phrase literally means "set now your heart" or "place your heart upon." It is not merely a suggestion to think about something but a strong command to give intense, focused attention and careful deliberation. It demands a spiritual and intellectual reorientation, shifting their perspective from past failures and future doubts to God’s immediate action and promise. This same exhortation appears in Haggai 1:5 and 1:7, emphasizing the need for introspection and priority alignment.
- now (nāʾ): This particle adds emphasis and urgency, reinforcing the immediacy of the call to "consider." It marks a decisive present moment.
- from this day forward: Signifies a distinct boundary line. The previous period of barrenness and discipline is concluded; a new era of blessing is commencing. It points to a clear divine demarcation.
- from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month: This precise date (Kislev 24) grounds the prophecy in a specific historical event. It demonstrates the tangible reality of God’s interaction with His people and ties His promised blessing directly to their concrete act of obedience on that particular day. It was about three months after the rebuilding work recommenced (Ezra 3:8).
- even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid: Re-emphasizes the significance of the previous clause. The act of laying the foundation (or its re-laying and official re-initiation after a long pause) was the catalyst. It was a tangible expression of their repentance and commitment to God's priority. This was the second laying of the foundation; the initial laying occurred many years prior but was stopped (Ezra 3:8-13, Ezra 4). The re-initiation of this crucial work was what triggered the change in God’s covenantal response.
- the Lord’s temple: Beit Yahweh. Explicitly identifies the building as belonging to God, not merely a communal structure. This emphasizes that their work was ultimately service to Yahweh, which is why He responds with blessing. The structure’s dedication and purpose matter.
- consider it: A repetition of the initial command, serving as a forceful re-emphasis. It underlines the crucial importance of grasping the direct link between their renewed obedience and God’s forthcoming blessing. It encourages deep reflection on God's faithfulness and their responsibility.
- Words-group: "Consider now from this day forward... consider it": This framing emphasizes both the command for introspection and the new beginning. It stresses that the people must grasp the divine pivot point. Their future well-being hinges on understanding and embracing this transition from barrenness to blessing, which is predicated on their changed behavior.
- Words-group: "from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid": This exact dating highlights God’s specific interaction with humanity. It is not an abstract promise but one rooted in a historical act of obedience. This specificity provides assurance and an unshakeable basis for God's forthcoming action.
Haggai 2 18 Bonus section
The specific date, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (Kislev 24), holds further significance as it likely falls around December in the Gregorian calendar, a time when seeds for winter crops would have already been sown. Thus, the blessing promised "from this day forward" (in the very next verse, Haggai 2:19, promising blessing upon the seed and vines) would indicate a retroactive blessing or an assurance for the coming harvests, despite initial lack. This emphasizes that God’s blessing is not merely contingent on immediate, visible results, but upon His sovereign will to effect a change in circumstances. It is a powerful affirmation that God intervenes at His chosen moment to honor the obedience of His people, changing their future trajectory from a specific turning point. This demonstrates God's immediate acknowledgment of their obedient acts, regardless of their current material state.
Haggai 2 18 Commentary
Haggai 2:18 is a powerful declaration of God's covenant faithfulness and the direct correlation between human obedience and divine blessing. It acts as a divine watershed moment for post-exilic Judah. For years, they had experienced scarcity—their crops failed, and their income diminished (Hag 1:6, 1:9-11)—because they neglected God’s house while comfortably residing in their own homes. God had, in effect, placed a "curse" on their work (Hag 1:11), and their efforts produced little. This verse announces the end of that period. From the exact moment they resumed laying the foundation of the temple, a symbol of their rectified priorities and renewed commitment to God, the divine curse was lifted, and blessings were assured. This promise wasn't instantaneous manifestation of abundance but the commencement of a new flow of God's favor. It highlights that true prosperity stems not merely from human effort, but from right relationship with God and prioritizing His purposes.
Example: A person struggling with repeated financial hardship may be neglecting stewardship of their resources for God's kingdom or prioritizing self over divine principles. This verse challenges them to "consider" their ways and shift their priorities towards honoring God first, trusting that genuine blessing will follow their renewed obedience.