Haggai 1:2

KJV

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.

KJV (with Strong's)

Thus speaketh {H559} the LORD {H3068} of hosts {H6635}, saying {H559}, This people {H5971} say {H559}, The time {H6256} is not come {H935}, the time {H6256} that the LORD'S {H3068} house {H1004} should be built {H1129}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot says: 'This people is saying that now isn't the time - the time hasn't yet arrived for ADONAI's house to be rebuilt.'"

Berean Standard Bible

that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.’”

American Standard Version

Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, It is not the time for us to come, the time for Jehovah’s house to be built.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Haggai 1:2 captures the initial divine confrontation with the returned exiles in Jerusalem, revealing their primary excuse for neglecting the rebuilding of the Lord's Temple. After approximately sixteen years since their return from Babylonian captivity, the people, despite inhabiting well-appointed homes, collectively rationalized their inaction by claiming, "The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built." This verse sets the stage for Haggai's prophetic challenge to their misplaced priorities and spiritual apathy, asserting God's sovereign authority and immediate demand for obedience.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Haggai 1:2 serves as the opening declaration of the prophet Haggai, immediately following the superscription in [Haggai 1:1](/haggai/1-1 "Haggai 1:1 - The Prophetic Call"). It plunges directly into the core issue facing the post-exilic community: their failure to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. This verse articulates the people's collective excuse, which the subsequent verses in [Haggai 1](/haggai/1 "Haggai 1 - The Call to Rebuild the Temple") will directly refute by highlighting the consequences of their neglect and challenging their priorities (e.g., [Haggai 1:4](/haggai/1-4 "Haggai 1:4 - Prioritizing Personal Homes")). The divine address, "Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts," establishes the authoritative tone that will characterize the entire book, setting up a direct confrontation between God's will and the people's rationalizations.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical setting is crucial. It is 520 BC, the second year of Darius I's reign, approximately 16 years after the first wave of Jewish exiles returned to Judah under the decree of Cyrus the Great in [Ezra 1:1-4](/ezra/1-1-4 "Ezra 1:1-4 - Cyrus's Decree"). While the foundation of the new Temple had been laid shortly after their return ([Ezra 3:8-13](/ezra/3-8-13 "Ezra 3:8-13 - Laying the Temple Foundation")), opposition from surrounding peoples ([Ezra 4:1-5](/ezra/4-1-5 "Ezra 4:1-5 - Opposition to Rebuilding")) and internal discouragement led to a cessation of work. The people, having settled into their own homes, had become comfortable and complacent. Their excuse, "The time is not come," likely stemmed from perceived economic hardship, political instability, or simply a lack of spiritual urgency, prioritizing personal comfort and security over communal worship and obedience to God's command to rebuild His house.
* **Key Themes:** This verse introduces several pivotal themes that resonate throughout Haggai and the broader prophetic tradition. First, it highlights the theme of **procrastination and excuses** in the face of divine command, revealing a common human tendency to delay spiritual duties. Second, it implicitly points to **misplaced priorities**, which become explicit in [Haggai 1:4](/haggai/1-4 "Haggai 1:4 - Prioritizing Personal Homes"), where the people's focus on their "cieled houses" contrasts sharply with the desolation of God's house. Third, the phrase "Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts" immediately establishes the theme of **divine authority and sovereignty**, underscoring that God's will and timing supersede human convenience or rationalization. Finally, the verse emphasizes the **importance of God's house** not merely as a physical structure, but as a symbol of God's presence among His people and the centrality of worship in their national life. Its neglect signified a deeper spiritual indifference that required prophetic intervention.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Yᵉhôvâh (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** From H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. This is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal, unchanging nature and His active presence in the affairs of His people. The use of "the LORD of hosts" (Yᵉhôvâh tsâbâʼ) in this context powerfully asserts His ultimate authority and sovereign power over all creation, directly countering the people's human-centric excuses.
* **ʻêth (Hebrew, _ʻêth'_):** From H5703; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.; [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. The repetition of this word ("The time is not come, the time...") underscores the people's stubborn conviction that the "opportune moment" had not arrived. It highlights a human perception of timing that clashes with God's immediate command, revealing a lack of faith and spiritual discernment regarding divine providence.
* **bayith (Hebrew, _bayith'_):** Probably from H1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). Here, "house" refers specifically to the Temple, the dwelling place of the Lord. The people's neglect of God's "house" while focusing on their own "cieled houses" (mentioned later in [Haggai 1:4](/haggai/1-4 "Haggai 1:4 - Prioritizing Personal Homes")) reveals a profound spiritual misdirection and a failure to honor God's rightful place in their national and personal lives.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying,"**: This opening phrase is a powerful prophetic formula, immediately establishing the divine origin and authoritative nature of the message. "The LORD of hosts" (Yahweh Sabaoth) is a majestic title emphasizing God's supreme power and command over all heavenly and earthly armies, serving as a direct challenge to the people's human rationalizations and perceived limitations. It signals that the following words are not merely human opinion but a direct, unchallengeable word from the sovereign God.
* **"This people say,"**: This clause highlights the collective voice and shared sentiment of the community. It indicates a widespread consensus and justification for their inaction, suggesting a deep-seated spiritual apathy or a lack of conviction regarding their divine mandate. The prophet directly quotes their excuse, setting it up for divine refutation.
* **"The time is not come,"**: This is the core of the people's excuse. They claim that the conditions (economic, political, social) are not yet favorable for such a monumental undertaking as rebuilding the Temple. This reveals a human-centered perspective that prioritizes convenience and perceived security over immediate obedience to God's command, demonstrating a lack of faith in God's provision and timing.
* **"the time that the LORD'S house should be built."**: This clarifies the object of their procrastination: the rebuilding of the Temple. The repetition of "the time" emphasizes their stubborn insistence on their own timing, contrasting sharply with the divine urgency that Haggai is about to convey. Their delay in building God's "house" (the Temple) signifies a deeper spiritual neglect and a failure to prioritize God's presence and worship in their midst.

#### Literary Devices
Haggai 1:2 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. The most prominent is **Repetition**, specifically of the phrase "the time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built." This repetition not only emphasizes the people's stubborn and collective excuse but also highlights the central point of contention between God's will and human procrastination. It creates a sense of the people's unified, albeit misguided, stance. The use of **Divine Address** ("Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts") immediately establishes the absolute authority of the message, setting a stark contrast between the people's flimsy excuses and the unassailable word of God. This prophetic formula serves as a powerful rhetorical device, underscoring the gravity of the people's disobedience. Furthermore, there is an element of **Irony** present; the people claim the "time is not come," yet God's very act of sending a prophet to speak to them demonstrates that the time *has* indeed come, and it is urgent. Their human perception of "time" is ironically challenged by God's sovereign intervention.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Haggai 1:2 powerfully illustrates the perennial human tendency to rationalize disobedience and postpone spiritual duties, often cloaking self-interest in the guise of prudence or unfavorable circumstances. The people's excuse, "The time is not come," reflects a deeper theological issue: a lack of faith in God's provision and sovereignty, and a failure to prioritize His kingdom above personal comfort. This verse underscores that God's commands are not contingent on human convenience or perceived optimal conditions, but on His sovereign will. It teaches that true worship and obedience are demonstrated not just in grand gestures, but in diligent attention to God's stated priorities, even when circumstances seem challenging. The divine title "LORD of hosts" serves as a theological anchor, reminding the audience that the God who commands is also the God who is fully capable of enabling and providing for the fulfillment of His will.

* [Matthew 6:33](/matthew/6-33 "Matthew 6:33 - Seek First the Kingdom of God")
* [James 4:17](/james/4-17 "James 4:17 - Knowing and Doing Good")
* [Proverbs 3:5-6](/proverbs/3-5-6 "Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Haggai 1:2 serves as a timeless mirror reflecting our own spiritual tendencies. Just as the post-exilic community found excuses to delay the rebuilding of God's house, we too can rationalize our procrastination in areas of spiritual growth, service, or obedience. This verse challenges us to honestly examine our priorities, asking whether our "cieled houses" (our comfort, careers, material pursuits, or even our perceived busyness) have taken precedence over God's call on our lives and the needs of His church. It reminds us that God's timing is often "now," and delaying obedience based on perceived unfavorable circumstances or a lack of resources ultimately stems from a lack of trust in the "LORD of hosts" who is able to provide and empower. Our response to God's clear commands reveals the true state of our hearts and the depth of our faith.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "house of the Lord" (e.g., spiritual disciplines, acts of service, evangelism, community building) might I be postponing in my life, claiming "the time is not come"?**
* **How might my current priorities reflect a greater focus on my "own house" than on God's kingdom and His will?**
* **In what areas of my life do I need to trust the "LORD of hosts" more fully, acting in obedience even when circumstances seem challenging or inconvenient?**
* **What specific action can I take *today* to address a spiritual task or calling that I have been procrastinating?**

### FAQ

**Why did the people claim "the time is not come" for rebuilding the Temple?**

Answer: The people's claim likely stemmed from a combination of factors. Historically, they had faced significant opposition from surrounding peoples when they initially began rebuilding ([Ezra 4:1-5](/ezra/4-1-5 "Ezra 4:1-5 - Opposition to Rebuilding")), which led to a cessation of work. This external pressure, coupled with perceived economic hardship (as implied by later verses in [Haggai 1:6-11](/haggai/1-6-11 "Haggai 1:6-11 - Consequences of Neglect")), and a general spiritual apathy or complacency after settling into their own homes, led them to rationalize that conditions were not yet favorable for such a monumental undertaking. They prioritized their personal comfort and security over the command to rebuild God's house, essentially using "timing" as an excuse for their inaction and misplaced priorities.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Haggai 1:2, with its stark portrayal of human procrastination regarding the building of God's physical house, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Testament's emphasis on the spiritual house of God. While the Old Testament Temple was a physical dwelling for God's presence, Jesus declared Himself to be the ultimate Temple, the true dwelling place of God among humanity ([John 2:19-21](/john/2-19-21 "John 2:19-21 - Jesus and the Temple")). Furthermore, through Christ, believers are now living stones built into a spiritual house, a "holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" ([1 Peter 2:5](/1_peter/2-5 "1 Peter 2:5 - Living Stones")). The "time is not come" excuse of Haggai's day is utterly shattered by the advent of Christ, who inaugurated the "fullness of time" ([Galatians 4:4](/galatians/4-4 "Galatians 4:4 - The Fullness of Time")) and commanded His disciples to "go ye therefore, and teach all nations" ([Matthew 28:19](/matthew/28-19 "Matthew 28:19 - The Great Commission")) with an immediate urgency. The spiritual Temple, the Church, is always in the process of being built, not by human hands alone, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the "time" for participating in this divine work is always "now" ([2 Corinthians 6:2](/2_corinthians/6-2 "2 Corinthians 6:2 - The Acceptable Time")). Thus, Haggai's call to immediate action in building God's house foreshadows the Christian's call to actively participate in the building of Christ's spiritual body, the Church, recognizing that the "LORD of hosts" has already provided all that is needed for His kingdom work.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ezra 4:23

Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter [was] read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

Ezra 5:2

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem: and with them [were] the prophets of God helping them.

Nehemiah 4:10

And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and [there is] much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.

Ecclesiastes 9:10

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Ecclesiastes 11:4

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Numbers 13:31

But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they [are] stronger than we.

Proverbs 26:13

¶ The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion in the way; a lion [is] in the streets.