Haggai 2 6

Haggai 2:6 kjv

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

Haggai 2:6 nkjv

"For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;

Haggai 2:6 niv

"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

Haggai 2:6 esv

For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.

Haggai 2:6 nlt

"For this is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land.

Haggai 2 verses

Haggai 2 6 Meaning

Haggai 2:6 conveys a profound prophecy from God concerning a future, decisive cosmic and global upheaval. The verse, delivered by the "Lord of hosts," announces that "yet once more," in a brief period, He will initiate a transformative shaking affecting the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land. This shaking is not merely a physical tremor but a comprehensive reordering that impacts all realms of creation, including human systems and nations, paving the way for God's ultimate glory and the establishment of His enduring kingdom.

Haggai 2 6 Context

Haggai 2:6 is part of a series of oracles delivered by the prophet Haggai to the post-exilic Jewish community in Jerusalem. The people, having returned from Babylonian captivity, had neglected the reconstruction of the Temple of the Lord, prioritizing their own houses. When they finally resumed building, they were disheartened because the new Temple seemed meager compared to Solomon's glorious former Temple. This verse, given in the second prophetic message (Haggai 2:1-9), addresses this despondency.

Haggai reminds them of God's covenant and reassures them that despite the present humble appearance of the Temple, its future glory would be greater than the former. The "shaking" mentioned in verse 6 is the cosmic prelude to the events of verse 7, where God promises to shake all nations and bring "the desire of all nations" (often understood as the Messiah, or the accumulated wealth and glory of the nations) into this Temple, filling it with even greater glory. Historically, the prophecy hints at profound eschatological shifts that culminate in the Messianic age and the establishment of God's unshakable kingdom, far beyond the initial, humble Temple structure. It challenged the human perspective based on outward appearance, emphasizing God's ultimate sovereignty and future intervention.

Haggai 2 6 Word analysis

• For thus says: Introduces a direct divine utterance, establishing the absolute authority and certainty of the following prophecy. This is the declaration of Yahweh Himself.
• the Lord of hosts: (Hebrew: YHWH Sabaoth) – A divine title emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty over all celestial and earthly armies, forces, and realms. It highlights His omnipotence and control over everything, including the cosmic shaking He is about to enact. It signals that this is not a human prediction but a declaration from the one true sovereign.
• Yet once more: (Hebrew: achath meat) – The phrase achath means "once" or "one time," and meat` can mean "a little while" or "a little bit." The combination implies a singular, decisive, final act of shaking, distinct from previous shakings in history (like the giving of the law at Sinai, cf. Heb 12:26). It signals a profound and unparalleled future event.
• in a little while: (Hebrew: meat) – Reinforces the idea of imminence and divine timing. While "a little while" might feel long from a human perspective, from God's eternal view, it is a swift, imminent action. This gives hope and urgency to the disheartened builders.
• I will shake: (Hebrew: ra`ash) – Refers to a violent trembling, quaking, or convulsing. This shaking implies not only physical disruption but also political, social, and spiritual upheaval. It denotes the radical alteration of established orders and the removal of all that is unstable or opposes God's purposes. This term is used frequently in prophetic texts to describe divine judgment and intervention.
• the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land: This comprehensive list signifies the totality of creation. "Heavens and earth" denotes the cosmos, all visible and invisible realms. "Sea and dry land" covers all terrestrial domains. The expression means that no part of existence—physical, natural, or humanly established order—will be exempt from this divine reordering.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake": This opening phrase underscores the unique and undeniable authority behind the prophecy. It is not just any shaking, but God's decisive, final, and imminent act. The repeated emphasis on divine initiative ("I will shake") points to a sovereign action that transcends all human capability or expectation.
• "the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land": This powerful merism encompasses all of creation. It means that the impending shaking will be universal, impacting every corner of existence. It is a cosmic disturbance with profound implications for every human system, government, and society built on earthly foundations, all of which are temporary in God's eternal plan.

Haggai 2 6 Bonus section

• The prophecy of "shaking" is foundational to understanding the transition from the old covenant order, which was temporal and could be shaken, to the new covenant and the enduring kingdom of God. This concept is most explicitly developed in Hebrews 12, interpreting Haggai's prophecy as fulfilled through Christ's first coming (which shook the spiritual and religious foundations) and awaiting a final, complete shaking before His return.
• While initially addressed to the builders of the Second Temple, the scope of Haggai 2:6 points to an event far grander than their immediate physical surroundings. It transcends the physical temple to encompass a spiritual and cosmic reality. The ultimate glory (Hag 2:7-9) is not confined to a stone structure but reflects the outpouring of God's presence in a universal sense, associated with the Messianic age.
• The "shaking" can be understood on multiple levels: physical disruptions (earthquakes, natural calamities), political upheavals (wars, changes in world powers), social unrest, and spiritual awakening/convulsion. All these contribute to the reordering of the world under God's ultimate authority.

Haggai 2 6 Commentary

Haggai 2:6 stands as a pivotal prophetic utterance, providing profound eschatological insight within the context of encouragement for temple reconstruction. The divine declaration "I will shake" is a hallmark of God's sovereign intervention. Unlike historical shakings that impacted limited geographical areas or specific nations, this prophecy foresees a comprehensive cosmic and earthly convulsion. This shaking signifies the removal of all that is temporal, unstable, or rooted in human structures, paving the way for the eternal and unshakable Kingdom of God. The phrase "yet once more" highlights its uniqueness and finality, distinguishing it from past divine acts. "In a little while" conveys divine immediacy, though from a human perspective it might involve significant historical epochs. This universal shaking prepares for "the desire of all nations" to come, pointing ultimately to the Messiah and His ultimate glory filling a spiritual house—His church—or the new heavens and earth. The Temple's glory would thus not be primarily physical grandeur but the unique divine presence that such a cataclysmic preparation ushers in. This assures the disheartened returnees that God's grander, global plan will overshadow their present humble endeavors.