Haggai 1:4

A Call to Rebuild the Temple · Haggai 1:1–11
Read Haggai 1

Translations

Modern
“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”
Traditional
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
Literal
“Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this house is desolate?”
Latin
Numquid tempus vobis est ut habitetis in domibus laqueatis, et domus ista deserta?

Original

Hebrew
English
“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”

Notes

  • Is it a time for you: Rhetorical questions in prophetic literature seek agreement, not a reply (see Haggai 2:3). This question aims to prevent listeners from making excuses in response to the message.

  • The people's luxurious (paneled) houses contrasted with God's temple, which was desolate (in ruins) and unusable.

The first message urges the people of Jerusalem to restore proper worship of God.

Theme notes and profiles

Famine

Events

Parallels

Ezra 5:1–5

Glossary

Chronology of the Bible (Old Testament) Haggai, Book of Jehozadak Jeshua (Person) Josedech Joshua (Person) Postexilic Period Proverbs, Book of Shealtiel Temple Zechariah, Book of

Topics

Church Building Covetousness in Building Fine Houses While the House of the Lord Lay Waste Houses: Apartments of, Were often: Ceiled and Painted Parsimony (Stinginess) of the Jews: Toward the Temple Selfishness: General Scriptures Concerning Temple: The Second: Resumed the Second Temple: The Jews Reproved for not Building