USE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN HAGGAI

Haggai was a prophet active, along with Zechariah, in the postexilic period, and his name is mentioned in Ezra 5:1; 6:14-15. Coad states that the “two prophets were well matched. Haggai was simple, practical, direct. His words are in simple metrical form, appealing to the people's sense of shame and rousing them from their selfish lethargy and resignation. Zechariah was a visionary and poet, raising their demoralized spirits by heart-warming words.”

The prophet often draws on words and ideas from previous OT writings. “The ancient covenant seems to be in the air in every case of Haggai's use of scriptural tradition...Haggai's pervasive use of scriptural traditions establishes the defining authority of the identity and destiny of the postexilic congregation.” (Schnittjer)  Kessler adds, “The book contains numerous allusions to other Old Testament texts and themes, and creative configurations of them, in light of the new realities of the Persian period.”

Haggai 1:2 “It is possible the people claim to be waiting to rebuild the temple until the full seventy years of Jeremiah's prophecy have expired (Jer 25:11,12; 29:10)...If the people try to use Jeremiah's prophecy to excuse their responsibilities, Haggai is not impressed.” (Schnittjer)

Haggai 1:3-11 Kessler explains: “In Haggai's vision....restoration would be incomplete without the Jerusalem temple, and he views neglect of it as evidence of disdain for Yahweh (cf. Deuteronomy 28:58-59).” Specific parallels detected by Kessler for this section are given below:

Haggai 1     Parallels

6a               Deuteronomy 28:38a

6b               Leviticus 26:26

9                Deuteronomy 28:38a

10              Leviticus 26:19-20; Deuteronomy 11:17a; 28:23-24

11              Deuteronomy 28:51

1:4 Schnittjer: “Haggai's use of the rare term 'paneled' seems to be an intentional allusion to the materials used to build Solomon's temple (I Kgs 6:15; cf. 6:9)...Haggai accuses the people of living in temple-like houses while the temple remains in ruins.”

1:5-6 “The poor conditions in Judah were evidence of the people's disobedience to the covenant (Lev 26)...” (Mobley)

1:11 Similarly, Wiseman states that their poor economic conditions were due to national sin (see Deuteronomy 11:17 and Amos 4:7).

Haggai 1:12-15 The people obey Haggai's message. “Their response is phrased so as to contrast it with the community that refused to heed Jeremiah (cf. Jer 43:4)...” (Kessler)

1:12 Mobley notes, “The remnant probably refers to those who had recently returned from Babylon (Jer 43:5).”

1:15 “This date...would place this oracle during the festival of booths (Lev 23:33-36, 39-42), which would make the reference to the Exodus (2:5) all the more appropriate.” (Mobley)

Haggai 2:1-6 Haggai's words of encouragement echo Genesis 15:1; Exodus 14:15; Deuteronomy 1:21, 31:6-7; Joshua 1:6,9; and Isaiah 35:4.

2:4 Coad notes, “The parallel [to the Exodus]...echoes the similar encouragement given to another Joshua as Israel had entered the promised land long centuries earlier (Jos. 1:5,6).”

2:4-6 Mobley explains: “By using the style of war oracles (cf. Deut 31:7; Josh 1:9), the prophet rhetorically casts the building drive as nothing short of heroic.”

2:6 Schnittjer points out that “Haggai uses the term 'shake,' which appears in Isaiah's threat of doom upon Babylon.” See Isaiah 13:13.

Wiseman notes, “Once again is another reference back to the Sinai events (cf. Ex. 19:18).”

2:6-9 Wiseman: “The heavens withholding their dew was a direct sign of God's displeasure on sin (cf. Dt. 11:10-12; 28:23-28; Amos 4:7) and as such was to be regarded as a sign for repentance.”

Haggai 2:7 See Isaiah 60:5-16; 61:5-6.

Haggai 2:11-19 For the background of this passage, see Leviticus 10:10-11. The concept is that since “the prophet's audience is like what is ritually impure, they contaminate everything they do and make it unfit for worship.” (Schnittjer)  Kessler adds that it “more likely refers to the need for the ceremonial ritual purification of the temple from its earlier defilement by both the people's sin (cf. Ezek 6:4-5; 9:7-9; 20:43; 22:6-16) and the Babylonian invaders.”

2:12-13 Mobley points to a parallel in Numbers 19:11-16: “From a ritual point of view, the unclean is more 'contagious' than the consecrated, or clean.”

2:17 “Blight and mildew were given as signs that the Law had been broken (cf. Dt. 28:22; Am. 4:9).” (Wiseman)

2:19 See Joel 3:16.

Haggai 2:20-23 “addresses the question of the future of promise of an eternal dynasty to David (2 Sam 7:4-17) and the seeming rejection of that promise in Jer 22:24-30.” (Kessler)

2:21 “God...Himself remains unshaken, a secure foundation for faith and trust amidst collapsing worlds. It is the same note on which Habakkuk closed his prophecy (Hab. 3:17-19),” as pointed out by Coad.

2:23 Kessler: “The oracle in Haggai 2:23, using language saturated by earlier tradition, affirms that Jerubbabel, like the nation (Deut 7:6), David (I Kings 8:16) and Jerusalem (I Kings 11:13), has been chosen by Yahweh...” It does this by reversing the judgment pronounced on Zerubbabel's grandfather Jeconiah. See Jeremiah 22:24. Several other commentators mention this verse in Jeremiah as forming the background for Haggai 2:23.