When was Haggai written?

Haggai means "my feast," or perhaps "the Festal one." Nothing is known of his personal history. He is mentioned in Ezra, chapter 5:1 and 6:14. The first verse of the book which bears his name gives us the date of his prophecy. It was in the second year of Darius the king. The king is Darius Hystaspes, and the year is 520 B.C. Two months later young Zechariah began to lift up his voice likewise. It seems that Haggai's prophetic office extended over four months only. Some have concluded from chapter 2:3 that he must have known the first temple. If he saw that temple he must have been at least 80 years old, if not older, when he prophesied. But the passage upon which this supposition rests does not necessarily imply this. He was probably born in the captivity, and a young man like his greater associate Zechariah.

The book of Haggai is the first of the three post-exile prophets. Haggai was a contemporary of Zechariah. His name means “my feast(s)” or “festive”. We are not told anything else about Haggai. From Haggai 2:3 many have concluded that he must have seen Solomon’s temple before its destruction in 586 BC. In this case Haggai would have been much older than 70 years when he wrote his book.

Haggai probably had returned from the 70 year Babylonian captivity with the first group to return in 537/536 BC. King Cyrus of Persia had issued an edict in 538/37 BC for the Jews to return to Judah. 42,360 Jews returned and began to rebuild the destroyed temple in Jerusalem in 536 BC. These events that build the historical background of the book of Haggai are described in detail in the book of Ezra. This is where we learn that the work of rebuilding the temple was interrupted for around 14 years but taken up again as a result of the prophetic ministry of Haggai and Zechariah in the second year of King Darius. The building of the temple was then accomplished in Darius’ 6th year (Ezra 4:24; 5:1 – 2; 6:14 – 15).

King Darius is known as Darius I (Darius the Great, Darius Hystaspes) in history. He reigned from 522 to 485 BC. His second year therefore was the year 521/520 BC. In this very year during a period of five months Haggai’s inspired ministry took place. From Ezra 6:14 one can see that Haggai’s oral ministry lasted at least up to the inauguration of the restored temple in 516 BC.

The book contains four messages, termed in each case, "the word of the Lord" delivered in Jerusalem in the second year of Darius Hystaspes, 522 B.C., and within a period of about three months.

Zechariah (whom the Lord remembered). This prophet commenced his prophetic service two months later than his contemporary and colleague Haggai (compare Zech. 1:1 with Haggai 1:1). The latter is simply termed "Haggai the prophet," whereas the father and grandfather of our prophet are expressly named. We gather from a comparison of the first verse with Neh. 12:4, and Ezra 5:1, that Zechariah was of priestly descent, as were Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ezra, and perhaps Habakkuk. We would direct special attention to the minute accuracy of the dates in the books of Zechariah and Haggai. They conclusively mark God's recognition of the sovereign power granted to the Gentiles, and under which His people were placed till the government of the world shall be once again exercised through the Jew, and from Jerusalem, the city of the Great King.

Darius Hystaspes had been king one year and had entered upon the second year, 520 B.C., when, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, the word of the Lord was given by Haggai. It was addressed to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of josedech, the high-priest. Zerubbabel and Joshua were the prominent civic and religious leaders of that day. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel (which means asking of God in prayer). Zerubbabel (sown in Babylon) was of royal seed, in direct line of descent from David. In Ezra this princely leader is called by his Persian name Sheshbazzar. In the genealogy of Luke 3:27 he is called a son of Neri, a descendant of David through his son Nathan; he is also called a son of Pedaiah. These divergent statements have been satisfactorily explained by the law of the Levirate marriage (Deut. 25:10).

WHEN CONSIDERING the 4th and 5th chapters of the book of Ezra, we saw how the adversaries of God and of the remnant, who had returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and started to rebuild the temple, succeeded in stopping the work; and that God raised up two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, under whose ministry the work was restarted. Turning now to the book of Haggai, we may find instruction in what God said through him.

His prophecy is carefully dated, and noting this we see it divides into four sections, though all were uttered in the second year of Darius. The first utterance was on the first day of the sixth month (Hag. 1:1): the second on the twenty-first day of the seventh month (Hag. 2:1): the third on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (Hag. 2:10): the fourth, though distinct from the third, was given on the very same day (Hag. 2:20). Our first remark must be that God always recognizes the validity of His own governmental actions. He had set Israel aside as a nation, and the times of the Gentiles had begun; hence the dating is that of the ruling Gentile power and not that of the Jews.

The remnant that returned to Jerusalem by permission of Cyrus, King of Persia (Ezra 1:1-4), had at first begun to build, but this was hindered until the reign of Darius. In the sixth month of the second year of his reign Haggai prophesied (Haggai 1:1). Zechariah wrote in the eighth month of the same year.

Haggai is simply styled, "Haggai the prophet." We have nothing about him more than that. The word of the Lord was delivered by him on several distinct occasions; but all in the second year of Darius the king of Persia: and all was directed to this end, to set agoing and to further the building of the house of the Lord.

I can look at them only in the most general way, noticing the time of each, during this second year of Darius the Persian.

6th month, 1st day. Haggai arouses the careless, self-indulgent people — the returned remnant, who were neglecting the Lord's house, and serving themselves.

6th month, 24th day. He promises them that the Lord will be with them; thus, as in the name of the Lord, appreciating the fear that had been awakened; and, consequently, the people begin to work.

Some introductory words are necessary to enable the reader to enter intelligently upon the study of this most interesting prophet. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi all prophesied after the return of the remnant from their Babylonish captivity; and this fact gives their writings a special interest for those who have been delivered, in any measure, from the corruptions of Christendom in these last days. It must be remembered that they, as we, are in the times of the Gentiles; for God had removed the seat of His sovereignty from Jerusalem, and bestowed the throne of the earth upon the Gentiles. This is indicated by the manner in which this book commences. The prophets before the captivity are dated according to the period of the kings of Judah or Israel in which they exercised their office. Haggai is reckoned from the second year of Darius the king, so also Zechariah. (Compare Luke 3:1.) It could not indeed be otherwise; for God never ignores His own arrangements. He recognized the sovereignty of the Gentiles, as deriving its right and authority from Himself, and He will have His people also in subjection to the powers which He has ordained. (See Rom. 13.) While therefore He Himself stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to interest himself in the building of His house at Jerusalem, and to issue his proclamation giving the people permission to return, He made it manifest to all that His people were dependent upon this proclamation for their liberty. It is partly on this account that the position of the remnant, addressed in the last three prophets, corresponds so intimately with that of our own. Owning God as supreme in authority and power, confessing that His will is our only law, we are yet subject to kings and all that are in authority; and when oppressed by the unjust exercise of power, by tyranny or persecution, we do not seek relief in agitation, disobedience, or rebellion, but we look to the Lord, who turneth the hearts of kings whithersoever He will (as illustrated in the case of Cyrus) to interpose on our behalf, to influence the governments, which have their source in Himself, to moderation and tolerance. The Christian for this very reason, if indeed he understand his place and position, cannot be a politician, to say nothing of the heavenly character of his calling. Subject to human authorities, he is dependent only upon God; and hence, whatever his needs, difficulties, trials or perils, to God alone does he look. Such is the path of faith, and the path of faith is one of peace and liberty.

Zechariah’s first prophecy (Zech. 1:1) was uttered two months later than Haggai’s first message in the second year of Darius I (522 – 485 BC), which would have been 521/520 BC. A further date is found in chapter 7:1 where king Darius’ fourth year is mentioned (519/18 BC). Zechariah probably wrote the undated part of his book (chap. 9 – 14) only around 480 BC. He then is likely to have been killed by his own compatriots (see 3. Peculiarities).

Haggai ("My feasts") was written after the Jews' return to Jerusalem from the captivity. It subject is the temple, once destroyed, but its foundations built again on a smaller scale. The prophet presses upon the people the shame of their laxity in reference to the house of God and its building, urging them to consider their ways. A true prophet, he seeks to "shake" them from their selfishness in running every man to his own house, while God's house was neglected. For very soon the Lord would shake everything in heaven and earth; and "the desire of all nations." That is, Christ, the great Messiah, would come, through whom God's house would be filled with glory.