Haggai 2:3 kjv
Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?
Haggai 2:3 nkjv
'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?
Haggai 2:3 niv
'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?
Haggai 2:3 esv
'Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?
Haggai 2:3 nlt
'Does anyone remember this house ? this Temple ? in its former splendor? How, in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all!
Haggai 2 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 6 | He built the house, the house of the LORD... covered its ceiling... built it of cedar and cypress. | Solomon's Temple: Architectural splendor |
| 1 Kgs 8:10 | ...the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. | Solomon's Temple: Glory of God's presence |
| 2 Chr 7:1-3 | When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering... the glory of the LORD filled the temple. | Solomon's Temple: Divine fire & glory |
| Jer 52:13 | ...he burned the house of the LORD, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem... | Temple Destruction: Babylonian conquest |
| Lam 1:1 | How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become... | Jerusalem's state after temple destruction |
| Ezra 3:12 | But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid. | Old men weeping over new temple foundation |
| Neh 4:10 | Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is much rubble, so that we are not able to build the wall.” | Discouragement in rebuilding |
| Zech 4:6 | "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts. | Divine power for difficult tasks |
| Zech 4:10 | “For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven eyes of the LORD which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth rejoice to see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel." | Do not despise humble beginnings |
| Hag 2:6-9 | “For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth... And I will fill this house with glory... The glory of this latter temple shall be greater..." | God promises future greater glory |
| Isa 60:7 | All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you... and I will glorify the house of My glory. | Prophecy of future temple's glory |
| Mal 3:1 | “And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple..." | Messiah's coming to the Second Temple |
| John 2:19-21 | Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ...He was speaking of the temple of His body. | Jesus as the new Temple |
| Eph 2:20-22 | ...having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple... | Believers as spiritual temple |
| 1 Pet 2:4-5 | ...coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house... | Believers building spiritual house for God |
| Heb 3:3-6 | For He who built the house has more honor than the house itself... 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 builds and oversees God's true house |
| 2 Cor 5:7 | For we walk by faith, not by sight. | Overcoming discouragement with faith |
| 2 Cor 4:18 | While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. | Focusing on eternal perspective |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” | God's perspective vs. human perception |
| Rom 8:18 | For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. | Present difficulty vs. future glory |
| Rev 21:22 | But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. | Ultimate temple: God and Lamb |
| Isa 2:2-3 | ...the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains... and all nations shall flow to it. | Prophecy of universal future temple worship |
| Joel 2:28 | “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh..." | Spirit dwelling not limited to physical temple |
Haggai 2 verses
Haggai 2 3 Meaning
Haggai 2:3 captures the stark contrast between the faded memory of Solomon's magnificent Temple and the disheartening reality of the humble structure being rebuilt by the returned exiles. It serves as a rhetorical question posed by God through the prophet Haggai, directly challenging the generation who had seen the first Temple's glory to acknowledge how insignificant the current temple seemed in their human eyes, prompting reflection on their disillusionment and limited perspective.
Haggai 2 3 Context
Haggai chapter 2 follows God's initial call for the returned exiles to resume the stalled work of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem (Hag 1:1-11). After the foundation was laid sixteen years prior (Ezra 3:8-13), construction ceased due to opposition and their own misplaced priorities. Haggai's first message spurred them to action, and they began work in the sixth month of Darius's second year. Just one month later, the word of the Lord comes again in Haggai 2:1-9, specifically addressing a renewed wave of discouragement. The workers and leaders were disheartened, comparing the current, meager progress and physical structure to the magnificent first Temple of Solomon, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. The former glory was a deeply ingrained memory, contrasting sharply with the 'nothingness' they perceived in their present effort. This verse directly taps into that sense of inadequacy and despondency, serving as a rhetorical setup for God's powerful promises of future, even greater glory (Hag 2:7-9) and His enduring presence (Hag 2:4-5).
Haggai 2 3 Word analysis
- "Who is left among you": (Hebrew: Mi vakhem hannish'ar מִי בָכֶם הַנִּשְׁאָר) This refers to the remnant, a generation that survived the exile and could personally remember the pre-exilic Temple. This rhetorical question highlights their unique perspective shaped by historical memory. It implicitly suggests that only a small, specific group held this vivid memory.
- "that saw this house": The "house" refers to the First Temple built by Solomon, known for its unparalleled grandeur, precious materials, and sheer scale (1 Kgs 6-7). The phrase emphasizes eyewitness accounts, making the contrast with the present situation profoundly felt.
- "in its former glory?": (Hebrew: bikhavodow harishon בִּכְבוֹדוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן) "Glory" (Hebrew: kavod) implies not just physical splendor but also the spiritual weight of God's manifest presence (Shekinah) that filled the Temple at its dedication (1 Kgs 8:10-11; 2 Chr 7:1-3). The "former" aspect indicates a bygone era of magnificent display.
- "And how do you see it now?": This second rhetorical question abruptly shifts from nostalgic memory to the harsh, current reality of the rebuilt structure. It forces an immediate comparison and confrontation with their present perceptions and feelings.
- "Is it not in your eyes as nothing?": (Hebrew: Halo chamohu k'ayin be'eyneykhem הֲלוֹא כָמֹהוּ כְּאַיִן בְּעֵינֵיכֶם) This is a strong, emphatic rhetorical question, expecting an affirmative answer. "In your eyes" (be'eyneykhem) highlights their human, limited, and discouraged perspective, often focused on visible appearance (1 Sam 16:7). "As nothing" (k'ayin) is a potent Hebrew word meaning "nothingness" or "non-existence," underscoring the depth of their disappointment and the insignificance they attached to the fledgling Temple compared to the original. This reveals a heart burdened by visual comparison, leading to despair.
- Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory?": This opening question draws upon living memory, validating the audience's deep-seated recollections of grandeur. It acknowledges their legitimate point of reference, even if their conclusion drawn from it is flawed. It implicitly divides the community into those who remember and those who do not, focusing on the despair of the former group.
- "And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes as nothing?": This dramatic shift to the present underscores the painful gap between memory and reality. The repetition of "see" (implicit in "eyes") emphasizes the visual aspect of their discouragement. The phrase "as nothing" reveals a perception so distorted by comparison that it overlooks God's involvement in small beginnings (Zech 4:10). This collective despair risks undermining the very work God commanded.
Haggai 2 3 Bonus section
The prophet Haggai's address in this verse acts as a profound divine therapy for discouraged workers. By voicing their deepest fear and perception ("as nothing"), God brings it into the open, making it easier to confront and offer hope against. This direct, rhetorical challenge functions not as an accusation but as an empathetic identification with their human disappointment, immediately followed by a transcendent promise. This shift from "nothingness" (human perspective) to "greater glory" (God's promise) encapsulates the central message of hope amidst struggle in the book of Haggai. Furthermore, the question highlights a common human tendency: to let past achievements or grand visions paralyze current, incremental progress, failing to see divine significance in humble, immediate steps of obedience.
Haggai 2 3 Commentary
Haggai 2:3 captures the deeply human struggle of discouragement when present realities fall short of past glories or future expectations. The returned exiles, tasked with rebuilding God's house, felt a profound sense of inadequacy as they compared the modest new foundation to the splendor of Solomon's Temple. God's question, "Is it not in your eyes as nothing?", directly addresses their visual and emotional despair, highlighting that their human perception was limited and failing to grasp the divine perspective. They saw physical smallness and nothingness, forgetting God's ultimate power and the significance of even humble beginnings (Zech 4:6, 10). This verse sets the stage for God's subsequent promise (Hag 2:6-9) that the latter glory of this very Temple, or more broadly, the spiritual reality it represented, would far surpass the former. It's a reminder that outward appearances can deceive, and God's true glory is not bound by human magnificence but by His presence and promises, encouraging the faithful to press on despite perceived insignificance.