Haggai 2 8

Haggai 2:8 kjv

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

Haggai 2:8 nkjv

'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of hosts.

Haggai 2:8 niv

'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty.

Haggai 2:8 esv

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts.

Haggai 2:8 nlt

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.

Haggai 2 8 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Deut 8:17-18Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand...'. Remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth...God gives power to gain wealth
1 Chr 29:11-12Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power... All that is in heaven and in earth is Yours... Both riches and honor come from You...God is source of all wealth and power
Psa 24:1The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell therein.God's absolute ownership of creation
Psa 50:10-12For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills... If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are Mine.God's ownership over all resources
Isa 60:5-7Then you shall see and be radiant... The wealth of the nations shall come to you... All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you...Nations' wealth will serve God's purpose/glory
Isa 60:11-17Your gates shall be open continually... that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations...Future influx of gentile wealth to Jerusalem
Rom 11:36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever.God's ultimate source and end of all things
1 Cor 10:26For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."Echoes Psa 24:1 on God's ownership
Matt 6:19-21Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...Contrast between earthly and heavenly treasure
Phil 4:19And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.God's limitless provision from His wealth
Col 1:16For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth... all things were created through Him and for Him.Christ as creator and owner of all
Hag 2:6-7For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake heaven and earth... and the wealth of all nations shall come in...Precedes 2:8, God promises to shake nations and bring wealth for the temple
Hag 2:9The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts, and in this place I will give peace...God's promise for the temple's greater glory
Zech 14:14And Judah also will fight at Jerusalem... and the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be gathered... much gold, silver, and garments.Future wealth gathered to Jerusalem
Psa 115:3Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.God's sovereignty and power to act
Mal 3:10Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.Implies God's claim on what He owns
Eze 38:12-13To capture spoil and to seize plunder... the land that has been re-peopled and has acquired livestock and goods...Gentile nations desiring the wealth of Israel
Rev 21:26They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.Nations' wealth and glory serving God's kingdom
John 1:3All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.Christ's creative power and ownership
1 Tim 6:7For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.Human impermanence, God's permanent ownership
Prov 8:21Endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries.Wisdom's promise of true wealth (from God)
Psa 33:9For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.God's sovereign word bringing things into being

Haggai 2 verses

Haggai 2 8 Meaning

Haggai 2:8 declares God's absolute ownership and sovereign control over all material wealth: "The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, declares the LORD of hosts." This statement is a direct affirmation that all the earth's riches belong to God, not to nations, rulers, or individuals. It serves as an encouragement and reassurance to the disheartened Jewish exiles who were rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, assuring them that the Almighty God possesses infinite resources to fulfill His purposes, specifically to bring greater glory to the second temple than the first. It powerfully asserts that any perceived lack of material wealth for His work is not a limitation on God's part, but a matter of His divine timing and will.

Haggai 2 8 Context

Haggai 2:8 is part of God's second message delivered through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel, Joshua the high priest, and the remnant of the people in the sixth month of the second year of King Darius's reign. The exiles had returned to Jerusalem but were discouraged about rebuilding the temple, which seemed insignificant compared to Solomon's glorious structure. They faced economic hardship and felt that the resources were insufficient.

In the preceding verses (Haggai 2:1-7), God challenges their discouragement, promising to "shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land" and that "the wealth of all nations shall come in" to His house, leading to its greater glory. Verse 8 reinforces this by emphatically stating His ownership over all material wealth. It addresses the practical and psychological obstacles—lack of funds, feelings of inadequacy, and discouragement—by reminding the builders that the true owner of all wealth is the Omnipotent LORD of hosts, who controls all nations and their resources, and can therefore supply everything needed for His work. The temple's glory would not depend on human strength or visible riches but on God's unlimited provision and presence.

Haggai 2 8 Word analysis

  • The silver: The definite article "the" emphasizes the totality, not just some silver, but all silver. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, silver and gold represented primary forms of wealth and economic power.
  • is Mine: The possessive pronoun "Mine" (לִי - li) is emphatic in the Hebrew, stressing absolute and exclusive ownership. It refutes any human claim to ultimate proprietorship over wealth.
  • and the gold: Again, "the" highlights complete ownership over all gold. Gold signified royal wealth, luxury, and divine splendor. Its inclusion with silver covers the full spectrum of material riches.
  • is Mine: Reiterated for strong emphasis. The repetition underscores the unchanging and comprehensive nature of God's ownership.
  • declares: (נְאֻם - ne'um) This is a common prophetic formula in the Old Testament, indicating a direct, authoritative, and irrevocable utterance from God. It signifies an oracle, not merely a statement, but a divinely revealed truth. It authenticates the message as coming directly from the Sovereign.
  • the LORD of hosts: (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת - YHWH Tzeva'ot) This powerful divine title denotes God as the sovereign commander of heavenly armies (angels) and earthly forces. "YHWH" (the covenant name) signifies His personal, unchanging character, while "Tzeva'ot" speaks of His supreme power, authority, and ability to marshal all resources—including the wealth of nations—to accomplish His will. For the post-exilic community, it affirmed that the God who brought them out of captivity could surely provide the wealth needed for His house.

Words-group by words-group analysis

  • "The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine": This couplet functions as a powerful, unequivocal statement of divine ownership. It encompasses all material riches and assets, establishing God's inherent right to everything. The parallel structure highlights that both forms of wealth, commonly considered supreme by humans, ultimately belong to a higher authority.
  • "declares the LORD of hosts": This concluding phrase grounds the declaration in the supreme authority of God. It authenticates the previous claim, transforming it from a mere statement into a divine, immutable decree. The full title "LORD of hosts" serves to remind the audience of God's infinite power and resources, countering their present feelings of weakness and lack. This God, who commands all cosmic forces, is the one declaring ownership of silver and gold, ensuring His ability to fulfill all His promises, including providing for the temple's glory.

Haggai 2 8 Bonus section

This verse stands as a fundamental biblical truth applicable throughout all dispensations. It serves as a direct rebuke to idolatry of wealth, human materialism, and self-reliance, constantly reminding humanity that we are but stewards of what God owns. The wealth of the world, whether hoarded by the righteous or the wicked, remains His property and will ultimately be used for His glory and kingdom purposes, as hinted in the eschatological prophecies of wealth coming to Zion. The financial concerns that often hinder God's work are trivial in light of His infinite resources. The declaration also implicitly challenges any idea that nations or empires possess intrinsic wealth independent of the Creator. God's ownership ensures that He can command the resources of the world—including its monetary systems—to fulfill His plans, making what appears impossible from a human perspective entirely possible for the LORD of hosts.

Haggai 2 8 Commentary

Haggai 2:8 is a profound theological declaration embedded within a practical context of discouragement. The core message is God's indisputable and absolute ownership of all material wealth. This truth directly challenges human anxieties about provision, scarcity, and perceived lack of resources for God's work. The "silver" and "gold" are metonymies for all earthly treasures. By declaring them "Mine," God not only asserts His proprietorship but also His ability and intention to utilize these resources according to His sovereign plan. The title "LORD of hosts" reinforces His boundless power, affirming that His purpose for the temple's glory (verse 9) is not contingent upon human strength, donations, or political conditions, but entirely upon His will and limitless dominion. This verse thus serves as both a comfort and a call to faith, urging the people to continue the rebuilding work with confidence in their powerful and wealthy God, who would provide for all their needs to fulfill His magnificent designs.