Haggai 1:1-11 · Bible study
Haggai 1:1-11 Commentary: God's House, Our Priorities
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Haggai's precise dating underscores God's sovereignty over history.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God rebukes His people for prioritizing their homes over His house, uses hardship to reveal their hearts, and commands them to rebuild the temple.
- Key words: “Consider your ways” (שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם עַל־דַּרְכֵיכֶם), a call to set the heart on examining one’s actions and their results; “paneled houses” (סְפוּנִים), houses lined with costly wood, suggesting luxury.
- Main debate: Whether the “time not yet come” refers to a literal miscalculation of Jeremiah’s 70 years or a convenient excuse; both views agree the people were spiritually apathetic.
- Theological theme: The priority of God’s presence and worship over personal comfort; the connection between covenant obedience and the fruitfulness of creation.
- Best use: To challenge individuals and churches to re‑evaluate their financial and time priorities, and to call for concrete action to support the local work of the gospel.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, stating
2that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.’”
3Then the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying:
4“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”
5Now this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways.
6You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”
7This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways.
8Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD.
9You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the LORD of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.
10Therefore, on account of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth has withheld its crops.
11I have summoned a drought on the fields and on the mountains, on the grain, new wine, and oil, and on whatever the ground yields, on man and beast, and on all the labor of your hands.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
2“This is what Yahweh of Armies says: These people say, ‘The time hasn’t yet come, the time for Yahweh’s house to be built.’”
3Then Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste?
5Now therefore this is what Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Consider your ways.
6You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don’t have enough. You drink, but you aren’t filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.’
7“This is what Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Consider your ways.
8Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,” says Yahweh.
9“You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says Yahweh of Armies, “Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house.
10Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.
11I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on that which the ground produces, on men, on livestock, and on all the labor of the hands.”
KJV King James Version 1769
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
2Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.
3Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
5Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
6Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
7Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
8Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.
9Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
10Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
11And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
2Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, It is not the time for us to come, the time for Jehovah’s house to be built.
3Then came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste?
5Now therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways.
6Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
7Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways.
8Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith Jehovah.
9Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith Jehovah of hosts. Because of my house that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house.
10Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholdeth its fruit.
11And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the grain, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, unto Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and unto Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, saying:
2Thus spake Jehovah of Hosts, saying: This people! --they have said, `The time hath not come, The time the house of Jehovah is to be built.'
3And there is a word of Jehovah by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying:
4Is it time for you--you! To dwell in your covered houses, And this house to lie waste?
5And now, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, Set your heart to your ways.
6Ye have sown much, and brought in little, To eat, and not to satiety, To drink, and not to drunkenness, To clothe, and none hath heat, And he who is hiring himself out, Is hiring himself for a bag pierced through.
7Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Set your heart to your ways.
8Go up the mountain, and ye have brought in wood, And build the house, and I am pleased with it. And I am honoured, said Jehovah.
9Looking for much, and lo, little, And ye brought it home, and I blew on it, Wherefore? --an affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, Because of My house that is waste, And ye are running--each to his house,
10Therefore, over you refrained have the heavens from dew, And the land hath refrained its increase.
11And I proclaim draught on the land, And on the mountains, and on the corn, And on the new wine, and on the oil, And on what the ground doth bring forth, And on man, and on beast, And on all labour of the hands.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by the prophet Haggai unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
2Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that Jehovah's house should be built.
3And the word of Jehovah came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4Is it time for you that ye should dwell in your wainscoted houses, while this house lieth waste?
5And now thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways.
6Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but are not satisfied; ye drink, but are not filled with drink; ye clothe yourselves, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages for a bag with holes.
7Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways.
8Go up to the mountain and bring wood, and build the house, and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith Jehovah.
9Ye looked for much, and behold it was little; and when ye brought it home, I blew upon it. Wherefore? saith Jehovah of hosts. Because of my house that lieth waste, whilst ye run every man to his own house.
10Therefore over you the heavens withhold their dew, and the earth withholdeth its fruit.
11And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon man, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, governor of Juda, and to Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, saying:
2Thus saith the Lord of hosts, saying: This people saith: The time is not yet come for building the house of the Lord.
3And the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying:
4Is it time for you to dwell in ceiled houses, and this house lie desolate?
5And now thus saith the Lord of hosts: Set your hearts to consider your ways.
6You have sowed much, and brought in little: you have eaten, but have not had enough: you have drunk, but have not been filled with drink: you have clothed yourselves, but have not been warmed: and he that hath earned wages, put them into a bag with holes.
7Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Set your hearts upon your ways:
8Go up to the mountain, bring timber, and build the house: and it shall be acceptable to me, and I shall be glorified, saith the Lord.
9You have looked for more, and behold it became less, and you brought it home, and I blowed it away: why, saith the Lord of hosts? because my house is desolate, and you make haste every man to his own house.
10Therefore the heavens over you were stayed from giving dew, and the earth was hindered from yielding her fruits:
11And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, and upon all that the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon beasts, and upon all the labour of the hands.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Haggai 1:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this opening prophecy has one central message: the people’s neglect of God’s house has brought economic hardship, and rebuilding the temple is both an act of obedience and the path to blessing. The precise date, the second year of Darius, the sixth month, the first day, roots the prophecy in real history and authenticates Haggai’s authority (Barnes; Cambridge). The people’s excuse, “The time hasn’t yet come,” is shown to be hollow: they have found time to build their own paneled houses while the temple still lies waste (Calvin; Clarke). The repeated command “Consider your ways” (literally “set your heart upon your ways”) calls for honest reflection on the results of their selfish choices (Keil & Delitzsch; Lange). The result of their misplaced priorities is a series of frustrated harvests and a “pierced” income, which God explicitly ties to His house lying waste (Gill; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). The solution is clear: rebuild the temple, and God will take pleasure in it and be glorified (Wesley; Matthew Henry).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal chronological excuse: The people’s claim ‘The time is not come’ reflects a genuine belief that Jeremiah’s seventy years had not elapsed; they misread prophecy rather than being merely lazy (Clarke).
- Spiritual apathy dressed as piety: The contradiction between their paneled houses and the ruined temple shows the real issue is not chronology but selfishness (Calvin; Barnes).
- Covenant curse interpretation: The drought, failed harvests, and poverty follow the pattern of covenant curses in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28; the passage is a covenant lawsuit (Keil & Delitzsch; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
What is clear: All interpreters agree that the people’s neglect of the temple led to tangible hardship and that God’s call to rebuild comes with a promise of restored blessing when they obey.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of the precise date | The date is historically specific (520 BC) and authenticates the prophecy as a real event in time. | Some commentators stress the date to assert God’s sovereignty over Persian rule (Barnes); others focus on the timing relative to Jeremiah’s seventy years (Clarke vs. Calvin). |
| The phrase 'this people' in verse 2 | God is distancing Himself from their attitude, calling them 'this people' rather than 'my people.' | Barnes sees it as a direct expression of divine displeasure and judgment; others (e.g., Cambridge) note that the same phrase can be neutral, but here the context suggests reproach. |
| The cause of the drought | The drought is a direct consequence of the people’s neglect of the temple; it is not random. | Some see it exclusively as covenant curse (Leviticus 26); others also highlight a pun between 'waste' (charēb) and 'drought' (choreb) as a verbal mirror of the sin. |
| The identity of 'the mountain' in verse 8 | The people are to go up and bring wood for the temple. | Some identify it as Mount Lebanon (Clarke; to bring cedar), others as the surrounding hills near Jerusalem (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown; local timber). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The date, “the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month”, places the prophecy in late August 520 BC, a full eighteen years after the first wave of exiles returned from Babylon in 538 BC under Cyrus’s decree. The original return had been marked by great enthusiasm: the altar was rebuilt and the temple foundations were laid (Ezra 3). But opposition from surrounding peoples, combined with the people’s own shifting priorities, stopped the work. By 520 BC, the temple foundation still sat unfinished, a “waste” or “desolate” house, while many of the returnees lived in comfortable, paneled homes.
The opening names two leaders: Zerubbabel, the governor (a descendant of David, via Jeconiah, 1 Chronicles 3:17-19), and Joshua, the high priest (son of Jehozadak, who had been taken into captivity, 1 Chronicles 6:14-15). This dual civil and religious leadership mirrors the structure of post-exilic Judah under Persian rule, where a local governor and high priest shared authority. The phrase “Yahweh of Armies” (Yᵊhōvâ ṣᵊḇā’ôt) appears repeatedly, asserting God’s sovereignty over all powers, angelic, human, and cosmic, and reminding the people that He is not dependent on Persian permission.
The people’s excuse that “the time hasn’t yet come” likely reflects a mistaken understanding of Jeremiah’s 70‑year prophecy (Jeremiah 25:11; 29:10). They thought the years had not fully elapsed. But as Calvin and others argue, the seventy years had run their course by this point; the delay was due to spiritual apathy, not chronology. The self‑centeredness exposed in verse 4, dwelling in “paneled houses” while God’s house lies desolate, is the heart of the sin. The Hebrew word sᵊfûnîm (paneled, covered) suggests ceilings lined with costly wood, a luxury that contrasts sharply with the rubble of the temple.
Verse 6 describes the consequences in a series of vivid fragments: “You have sown much, and bring in little… you put your wages into a bag with holes.” This is not random misfortune; it is divine discipline. The drought named in verses 10‑11 extends from the heavens to the land to the livestock and human labor, covering every source of livelihood. The play on words between chārēb (waste, of the temple) and chōreb (drought) is noted by Jewish commentators (Cambridge; Keil & Delitzsch): the punishment matches the crime. The people ran to their own houses; God’s house remained empty, so creation stopped yielding its abundance.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentary sources note no significant textual variants for Haggai 1:1-11. The Hebrew text is well preserved across manuscripts, and the few minor differences among translations (e.g., ‘bag with holes’ vs. ‘pierced bag’) reflect idiom rather than textual uncertainty.
Reception History
This passage has been read across the church as a pointed call to examine priorities where God’s house is concerned. Early Jewish interpretation in the Targum links the drought directly to the people’s reluctance to build. In the Christian tradition, reformers like Luther and Calvin used it to challenge the church’s neglect of true worship in favor of private comfort. The phrase “consider your ways” (verses 5, 7) became a standard call to self‑examination in Puritan preaching, often paired with Haggai’s practical command to “go up to the mountain and bring wood.” During times of personal or national hardship, pastors have returned to this text to ask whether the struggle might be a symptom of misplaced priorities. More broadly, the passage has reinforced the principle that obedience to God’s commands about worship and community is not optional, it is woven into the fabric of a life that flourishes.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The excuse that hides the heart (verses 2, 4). The people claim “the time is not come,” yet they are busy building comfortable homes for themselves. Their words reveal their priorities: self‑interest dressed as piety.
- The evidence that demands reflection (verses 5, 7, 9, 11). God points to the concrete results of their choices: sown much but harvested little, eaten but not satisfied, earned wages that vanish. The drought is not merely weather; it is a message written in the harvest.
- The remedy that restores blessing (verse 8). “Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house.” When they prioritize God’s dwelling place, God promises to take pleasure in it and be glorified. The same obedience that stopped the curse will release the blessing.
Five-point outline
- Precision in history (verse 1). God speaks at a specific moment through a specific prophet to specific leaders. His Word is never vague or untimely.
- The people’s false calculation (verses 2, 3). They misread the clock of prophecy to justify their neglect. Self‑deception uses theological language.
- The exposed contradiction (verse 4). “Is it a time for you to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste?” The question exposes the double standard.
- Consider your ways (verses 5, 7, 9). This is the hinge of the prophecy. Honest self‑examination is the road to repentance.
- Rebuilding as worship (verses 8, 10, 11). Constructing the temple becomes an act that honors God and restores the land. Obedience and blessing are linked, not as magic, but as covenant relationship.
Illustration hooks
- A family decides to remodel their kitchen while the local church roof leaks and children’s ministry lacks basic supplies. The same hands that paint cabinets are never free to hold a hammer for the church work day.
- A farmer saves seed corn but plants none, expecting the field to produce anyway. His harvest is precisely what he did not sow. The people of Haggai’s day wanted abundance without investing in the place where God promised to dwell.
- An employee works overtime to earn more, but fees, inflation, and unmet needs eat every extra dollar. The harder he works, the more he leaks. The “bag with holes” feels painfully contemporary.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Is it really wrong to take care of my own needs first, before giving time or money to the church?”
- “How can I tell if my economic struggles are just bad luck or if God is trying to get my attention about something?”
- “What would it actually look like today to ‘go up to the mountain and bring wood’, what is the equivalent of rebuilding the temple in my context?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts the subtle shift that happens when a good thing, providing for our families, becomes the only thing. The people of Judah had every comfort they could afford, while the house of God lay in ruins. They did not reject God outright; they simply reasoned that the time was not yet right. Haggai calls them (and us) to lay down our excuses, examine our priorities, and rebuild.
Discussion questions
- Read Haggai 1:1-11 together. What details stand out to you first, the date, the names, the description of houses, the drought?
- Why do you think God gives such a precise date and names Zerubbabel and Joshua? What does that tell us about how God works in history?
- Verse 2 records what “these people say.” What does their excuse reveal about their thinking? Have you ever used a similar reason to postpone obedience?
- Verse 4 contrasts “your paneled houses” and “this house lies waste.” What makes that contrast so powerful? What kinds of “paneled houses” compete today with the work of God’s kingdom?
- Verses 5-6 and 9-11 describe the consequences of their neglect. What pattern do you see? How does God use ordinary hardship to speak to us?
- The phrase “consider your ways” (verses 5, 7) literally means “set your heart on your ways.” What would it mean for you to set your heart, not just your calendar, on your priorities this week?
- Verse 8 is the turning point: “Bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified.” What step of rebuilding, whether personal, relational, or corporate, might God be inviting your group to take?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 4:13 | Moses said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.” |
| I Kings 14:18 | All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet. |
| II Kings 14:25 | He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to Yahweh, the God of Israel’s word, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher. |
| I Chronicles 3:17 | The sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, |
| I Chronicles 3:19 | The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah; and Shelomith was their sister; |
| I Chronicles 6:14 | Azariah became the father of Seraiah. Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak. |
| I Chronicles 6:15 | Jehozadak went into captivity when Yahweh carried Judah and Jerusalem away by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. |
| Ezra 1:8 | even those, Cyrus king of Persia brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the people were building their own homes while ignoring the temple foundation that had lain unfinished for fourteen years. He believes God caused a drought because they failed to restore his house of worship.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the people’s excuse, "the time is not come," is exposed as hollow by their own actions. They have built themselves luxurious, paneled houses while leaving God’s temple in ruins. Their claim of poverty is false; they simply chose to spend on themselves. God calls them "this people," not "My people," because they have acted as if they do not belong to Him.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the Jews' famines and failed harvests were not accidents but direct, visible punishments from God for neglecting His house. He insists the people must "set their heart on their ways" and learn from their own suffering that God was chastising them for their selfishness and indifference to true worship.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary notes the historical detail that the Jews now date events by a Persian king's reign, a sign of their subjugation. It argues that the claim "the time is not come" was a transparent excuse: they were building paneled houses while God's house lay waste. The wordplay between "waste" and "drought" ties their neglect to the punishment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes points out that the Lord blames the people’s focus on their own homes for the lack of crops and the drought. He says they neglect His temple by caring only for themselves.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses the play on words in verse 11: because the people left God's house waste, God called a wasting drought upon their land. He also emphasizes the sharp contrast between their paneled houses and the neglected temple, and the repeated call to consider how their selfish labor brought only emptiness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown emphasize the bitter irony in the people's excuse that it is not the right time to build God's house, while they themselves live in comfortable, paneled homes. Their selfish procrastination masks a deeper indifference, and God's judgment exactly matches their sin: they left His house desolate, so drought desolates everything they own.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight that the people's excuse for neglecting the temple is undone by the stark contrast with their own paneled houses. They emphasize the double curse: not only did crops fail, but even the little they harvested God blew away, showing that withholding from God's house brought a futility no human effort could overcome.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the Temple’s desolation shows God sees their selfishness while they focus on their own homes and wealth. He believes the poor and rich both face ruin if they do not start rebuilding the Temple.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Haggai and Zechariah spoke at different times after the Jews returned from Babylon. Some have the honor of beginning the work while others have the honor of continuing it.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the people’s work fails because they do not truly worship God. They offer empty sacrifices that bring no real comfort or honor to God.