2:14 2:14

Haggai 2:15

2:16 2:16

Bible Versions

And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:
And now, I pray you, consider {H7760}{H3824} from this day {H3117} and upward {H4605}, from before {H2962} a stone {H68} was laid {H7760} upon a stone {H68} in the temple {H1964} of the LORD {H3068}:
Now, please, from this day on, keep this in mind: before you began laying stones on each other to rebuild the temple of ADONAI,
Now consider carefully from this day forward: Before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,
And now, I pray you, consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of Jehovah.

Haggai 2:15 serves as a poignant call to reflection for the people of Judah, delivered through the prophet Haggai. After returning from Babylonian exile, the community had prioritized their own homes over the rebuilding of the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, which lay in ruins for many years. This verse urges them to look back at their past and consider the consequences of their inaction.

Historical and Cultural Context

The prophet Haggai ministered around 520 BC, during the early post-exilic period when the Jewish people had returned to Judah under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest. While the foundation of the Second Temple had been laid years prior (Ezra 3:10), construction had stalled for about 16 years due to opposition and the people's lack of zeal. Haggai's message challenged this apathy, directly linking their economic struggles and lack of prosperity to their neglect of God's house. Verse 15 specifically asks them to recall the period before any significant progress was made on the Temple, emphasizing the spiritual and material barrenness that characterized that time.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Call to Reflection: God, through Haggai, compels the people to actively remember their past state of spiritual and material stagnation. This act of "considering" (Hebrew: śîmû lēḇ, meaning "set your heart" or "give attention") is crucial for understanding the cause-and-effect relationship between their actions and God's blessings.
  • Consequences of Neglect: The verse implicitly reminds them of the unproductive years when their focus was on personal gain rather than God's glory. This neglect resulted in a lack of divine favor, as explicitly detailed in later verses of Haggai 2 (e.g., Haggai 1:6, Haggai 2:16).
  • The Importance of God's House: The dilapidated state of the Temple symbolized the spiritual condition of the people. God's call to rebuild was not just about bricks and mortar, but about restoring a right relationship with Him and acknowledging His priority in their lives.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "consider from this day and upward" (KJV) or "consider carefully from this day forward" (NIV) uses the Hebrew verb śîmû lēḇ (שִׂימוּ לֵב), which literally means "set your heart" or "pay attention." It's a strong imperative, urging deep and thoughtful introspection rather than a casual glance. The phrase "from before a stone was laid upon a stone" vividly paints a picture of the complete lack of progress and the desolation that marked the period before they recommenced the Temple work.

Practical Application

Haggai 2:15 offers timeless lessons for believers today. It challenges us to:

  • Examine Our Priorities: Are we prioritizing God's will and His kingdom (as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33) or our own comfort and desires?
  • Reflect on Past Actions: Taking time to consider the outcomes of past disobedience or neglect can provide valuable lessons and motivate us towards greater faithfulness.
  • Understand Divine Principles: God often links blessing to obedience and diligent pursuit of His purposes. Just as the people of Judah experienced a turning point when they recommenced the Temple work (Haggai 2:19), our commitment to God's priorities can usher in His favor.
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.

  • Haggai 1:5

    Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

  • Ezra 4:24

    Then ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

  • Haggai 1:7

    Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

  • Ezra 3:10

    And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

  • Haggai 2:18

    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].

  • Hosea 14:9

    Who [is] wise, and he shall understand these [things]? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD [are] right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

  • Romans 6:21

    What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things [is] death.
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