HAGGAI, Book of. In connection with the work of Haggai it is desirable to notice the historical situation just preceding. The precise events are difficult to trace with certainty, be cause the data are principally from the work of the Chronicler and are evidently not entirely historical. The accounts as given are as fol lows: Cyrus, king of Persia, in the first year after his conquest of Babylonia, 537, issued a decree permitting the return of the Jews and the rebuilding of the temple; this is given partly in 2 Chron. xxxvi, 22-23 and fully in Ezra i, 1-4. The return soon after this is told in Ezra i, 5-11. A list of those returning, with their num ber, 42,360, is given in Ezra ii. The subsequent events, principally building the altar and lay mg the foundation of the temple, are told in Ezra iii-iv. It is probable, being in accord with the general policy of Cyrus, that he issued such a decree as is mentioned. But the list of those returning is a later list; it is probable that those returning at first were a much smaller number, with others returning later. But the total number of those returning in the early years is probably much less than that given to Ezra, this being in accord with the situa tion as depicted in Haggai and Zechariah. The altar was probably built ; it is shown to be stand ing by Haggai ii, 14. Nothing in Haggai and Zechariah indicates that the building of the temple was actually begun, which is, therefore, extremely doubtful. If begun, the progress Was so small as to be negligible.
The work of Haggai was entirely during the year 520. He found the people in Palestine feeble and discouraged, lax in their religious observances. It is probable that the utterly dis organized condition of the Persian Empire at the beginning of the reign of Darius was a prominent consideration which led Haggai to think it a favorable time for the activity of the Jews; he anticipated no serious danger of in terference by the Persians. His message was
one of admonition and encouragement to the Jews, exhorting them to build the temple. His arguments are principally that their present lack of prosperity is due to their unfaithfulness in religious matters, and that the building of the temple and faithfulness in worship will bring prosperity. Verses 20-23 (Chap. ii) have erence to the governor, Zerubbabel, of Davidtc descent, and should probably be understood as predicting for him a career as the Messianic king, a prediction, if so, which was not fulfilled.
The work of Haggai was a practical one, and succeeded in inspiring the Jews to undertake the building of the temple. The thought of the book is such as is familiar from other prophets. It is characterized by the usual pro phetic attitude of strong faith in Yahweh and confidence in his care for the nation, and pre sents vividly the future plans which Yahweh has for them.
All the sermons of the book are precisely dated. It is probable that the book was not written by Haggai himself but by one of his disciples. This is principally because the prophet is always described in the third person. But the account is given with so much definite ness that it must have been written very soon after 520. The book is generally considered tO be practically a unit.
Bibliography.— Driver, S. R., 'The Minor Prophets' ((Century Bible', Edinburgh 1906) ; Mitchell, H. G., 'Haggsi and Zechariah' ((In ternational Critical Commentary,' New York 1912); Perowne, T. T.,