John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Let your hands be strong , etc.] In going on with the building of the temple, which was typical of the church of God, since so many great and good things were promised by the Lord, ( Haggai 2:4): ye that hear in these days ; such as Zerubbabel the ruler, Joshua the high priest, and the rest of the people of the land: these words by the mouth of the prophets ; that is, these prophecies of future good things, which were delivered by Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi; who were the prophets, which [were] in the day [that] the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid ; which was in the second year of Darius, on the twenty fourth day of the ninth month, ( Haggai 2:10,18): that the temple might be built ; in order to the rebuilding of it, the foundation was laid; and from that time it was to continue building, till it was finished f157 .
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-17 - Those only who lay their hands to the plough of duty, shall have the strengthened with the promises of mercy: those who avoid their fathers faults have the curse turned into a blessing. Those who believed the promises, were to show their faith by their works, and to wait the fulfilment. When God is displeased, he can cause trade to decay, an set every man against his neighbour; but when he returns in mercy, all is happy and prosperous. Surely believers in Christ must not trifl with the exhortation to put away lying, and to speak every man peac with his neighbour, to hate what the Lord hates, and to love tha wherein he delights.
Original Hebrew כה3541 אמר559 יהוה3068 צבאות6635 תחזקנה2388 ידיכם3027 השׁמעים8085 בימים3117 האלה428 את853 הדברים1697 האלה428 מפי6310 הנביאים5030 אשׁר834 ביום3117 יסד3245 בית1004 יהוה3068 צבאות6635 ההיכל1964 להבנות׃1129
