Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. New Living Translation You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. English Standard Version You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Berean Standard Bible You 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. King James Bible Ye 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. New King James Version “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. New American Standard Bible “You start an ambitious project, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the LORD of armies. “It is because of My house which remains desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. NASB 1995 “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the LORD of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. NASB 1977 “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the LORD of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. Legacy Standard Bible “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; and you bring it home, and I blow it away. Why?” declares Yahweh of hosts, “Because of My house which lies waste, while each of you runs to his own house. Amplified Bible “You look for much [harvest], but it comes to little; and even when you bring that home, I blow it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house, which lies in ruins while each of you runs to his own house [eager to enjoy it]. Christian Standard Bible “You expected much, but then it amounted to little. When you brought the harvest to your house, I ruined it. Why? ” This is the declaration of the LORD of Armies. “Because my house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house. Holman Christian Standard Bible You expected much, but then it amounted to little. When you brought the harvest to your house, I ruined it. Why?” This is the declaration of the LORD of Hosts. “Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house. American Standard Version Ye 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. Contemporary English Version You expected much, but received only a little. And when you brought it home, I made that little disappear. Why have I done this? It's because you hurry off to build your own houses, while my temple is still in ruins. English Revised Version Ye 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 lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house. GOD'S WORD® Translation "You expected a lot, but you received a little. When you bring something home, I blow it away. Why?" declares the LORD of Armies. "It's because my house lies in ruins while each of you is busy working on your own house. Good News Translation "You hoped for large harvests, but they turned out to be small. And when you brought the harvest home, I blew it away. Why did I do that? Because my Temple lies in ruins while every one of you is busy working on your own house. International Standard Version You turned away in pursuit of abundance, but look at how little you found! What you did manage to bring home, I blew away! And why?' declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. 'It's because of my house! It lies in ruins while each of you runs off to his own house! Majority Standard Bible You 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. NET Bible You expected a large harvest, but instead there was little, and when you brought it home it disappeared right away. Why?' asks the LORD who rules over all. 'Because my temple remains in ruins, thanks to each of you favoring his own house! New Heart English Bible "You looked for much, and, look, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts, "Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house. Webster's Bible Translation Ye 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 my house that is waste, and ye run every man to his own house. World English Bible “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. Literal Translations Literal Standard Version“Looking for much, and behold, little, "" And you brought [it] home, and I blew on it—why?” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts, "" “Because of My house that is desolate, "" And you are running—each to his house, Young's Literal Translation Looking 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, Smith's Literal Translation Looking for much, and behold, to little; and ye brought to the house and I blew upon it For what? says Jehovah of armies. Because of mine house that it was laid waste, and ye run each to his house. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleYou 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. Catholic Public Domain Version You have looked for more, and behold, it became less, and you brought it home, and I blew it away. What is the cause of this, says the Lord of hosts? It is because my house is desolate, yet you have hurried, each one to his own house. New American Bible You expected much, but it came to little; and what you brought home, I blew away. Why is this?—oracle of the LORD of hosts— Because my house is the one which lies in ruins, while each of you runs to your own house. New Revised Standard Version You have looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while all of you hurry off to your own houses. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleYou looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why should these things happen? says the LORD. Because of my house that is waste, and you hasten every man to take care of his own house. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated You look for much and it has come to a little, and you enter within the house and I blow on it, and why are these things, says LORD JEHOVAH? Because my house is ruined and you run each man to his own house! OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Ye 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 My house that lieth waste, while ye run every man for his own house. Brenton Septuagint Translation Ye looked for much, and there came little; and it was brought into the house, and I blew it away. Therefore thus saith the Lord Almighty, Because my house is desolate, and ye run everyone into his own house; Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context A Call to Rebuild the Temple…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.… Cross References Malachi 3:8-11 Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings. / You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me. / Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure. ... Deuteronomy 28:38-40 You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locusts will consume it. / You will plant and cultivate vineyards, but will neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. / You will have olive trees throughout your territory but will never anoint yourself with oil, because the olives will drop off. Proverbs 11:24 One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. Leviticus 26:20 and your strength will be spent in vain. For your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit. Zechariah 8:10 For before those days neither man nor beast received wages, nor was there safety from the enemy for anyone who came or went, for I had turned every man against his neighbor. Isaiah 5:10 For ten acres of vineyard will yield but a bath of wine, and a homer of seed only an ephah of grain.” Amos 4:6-9 “I afflicted all your cities with cleanness of teeth and all your towns with lack of bread, yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. / “I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another without rain withered. / People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD. ... Micah 6:14-15 You will eat but not be satisfied, and your hunger will remain with you. What you acquire, you will not preserve; and what you save, I will give to the sword. / You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine. Jeremiah 12:13 They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.” 2 Chronicles 24:20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’” Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Luke 12:29-31 And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it. / For the Gentiles of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. / But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added unto you. James 4:3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. Matthew 23:37-38 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! / Look, your house is left to you desolate. John 15:5 I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Treasury of Scripture You looked for much, and, see it came to little; and when you brought it home, I did blow on it. Why? said the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that is waste, and you run every man to his own house. Ye looked. Haggai 1:6 Ye 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. Haggai 2:16,17 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty… Isaiah 17:10,11 Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: … blow upon it. 2 Samuel 22:16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 2 Kings 19:7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. Isaiah 40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. Why. Job 10:2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. Psalm 77:5-10 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times… Because. Haggai 1:4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Joshua 7:10-15 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? … 2 Samuel 21:1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. Jump to Previous Armies Blew Blow Busy Home Hosts House Little Run WasteJump to Next Armies Blew Blow Busy Home Hosts House Little Run WasteHaggai 1 1. The time when Haggai prophesied.2. He reproves the people for neglecting the building of the house. 7. He incites them to the building. 12. He promises them, being forward, God's assistance. You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. The Israelites had returned from Babylonian exile with high hopes of prosperity and restoration. They anticipated abundant harvests and economic success. However, their expectations were not met, reflecting the covenant curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28:38-40, where disobedience leads to agricultural failure. This phrase highlights the futility of their efforts without God's blessing, emphasizing the principle that material success is ultimately dependent on spiritual obedience. 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. Persons / Places / Events 1. HaggaiA prophet sent by God to the people of Judah after their return from Babylonian exile. His mission was to encourage the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. 2. Zerubbabel The governor of Judah during the time of Haggai's prophecy. He played a key role in the reconstruction efforts of the Temple. 3. Joshua The high priest at the time, who worked alongside Zerubbabel in leading the people in the rebuilding process. 4. The Remnant of the People The group of Israelites who returned from exile and were tasked with rebuilding the Temple. 5. Jerusalem The city where the Temple was located, central to Jewish worship and identity. Teaching Points Prioritizing God's WorkHaggai 1:9 highlights the importance of putting God's work first. The people focused on their own homes while neglecting the Temple, leading to dissatisfaction and lack. Consequences of Neglect The verse illustrates that neglecting God's priorities can lead to unfulfilled lives and divine discontent. Call to Action Just as the Israelites were called to rebuild the Temple, believers today are called to build God's kingdom through service and obedience. Reflection on Resources Consider how personal resources (time, money, talents) are being used. Are they aligned with God's purposes? God's Faithfulness Despite the people's neglect, God remains faithful and provides opportunities for repentance and restoration.(9) Ye looked for much.--Literally, There has been a turning about for much. I did blow upon it--scil., for the purpose of dispersing it. Even the little that was brought into the garner was decimated by God's continued disfavour. Verse 9. - He shows the real cause of the calamities that had befallen them. Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little. Emphatic infinitive, as in ver. 6. "To look for much, and behold! little." They fixed their expectations upon a rich harvest, and they reaped less than they had sown (Isaiah 5:10). And when they had stored this miserable crop in their barns, I did blow upon it; or, did blow it away (ἐξεφύσησα, Septuagint), dissipated it as if it were mere chaff, so that it perished. Doubtless, as Dr Pusey observes, they ascribed the meagreness of their crops to natural causes, and would not see the judicial nature of the infliction. The prophet brings the truth home to their conscience by the stern question, Why? And he answers the question for them, speaking with God's authority. Because of mine house that is waste. The reason already given in ver. 4, etc., is repeated and enforced. And (while) ye run. Ye are indifferent to the miserable condition of the house of God, while ye haste with all diligence to your own houses for business or pleasure, being entirely absorbed in worldly interests, or eager only to adorn and beautify your own habitations. Or, your zeal is all expended on your own private dwellings.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew You expectedפָּנֹ֤ה (pā·nōh) Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute Strong's 6437: To turn, to face, appear, look much, הַרְבֵּה֙ (har·bêh) Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great but behold, וְהִנֵּ֣ה (wə·hin·nêh) Conjunctive waw | Interjection Strong's 2009: Lo! behold! it amounted to little. לִמְעָ֔ט (lim·‘āṭ) Preposition-l | Adverb Strong's 4592: A little, fewness, a few And what you brought וַהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם (wa·hă·ḇê·ṯem) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go home, הַבַּ֖יִת (hab·ba·yiṯ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1004: A house I blew away. וְנָפַ֣חְתִּי (wə·nā·p̄aḥ·tî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Strong's 5301: To breathe, blow Why? יַ֣עַן (ya·‘an) Adverb Strong's 3282: Heed, purpose, to indicate the reason, cause declares נְאֻם֙ (nə·’um) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5002: An oracle the LORD יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel of Hosts. צְבָא֔וֹת (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ) Noun - common plural Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign Because יַ֗עַן (ya·‘an) Adverb Strong's 3282: Heed, purpose, to indicate the reason, cause My house בֵּיתִי֙ (bê·ṯî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 1004: A house still lies in ruins, חָרֵ֔ב (ḥā·rêḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2720: Parched, ruined while each אִ֥ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person of you וְאַתֶּ֥ם (wə·’at·tem) Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you is busy רָצִ֖ים (rā·ṣîm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 7323: To run with his own house. לְבֵיתֽוֹ׃ (lə·ḇê·ṯōw) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 1004: A house Links Haggai 1:9 NIVHaggai 1:9 NLT Haggai 1:9 ESV Haggai 1:9 NASB Haggai 1:9 KJV Haggai 1:9 BibleApps.com Haggai 1:9 Biblia Paralela Haggai 1:9 Chinese Bible Haggai 1:9 French Bible Haggai 1:9 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Haggai 1:9 You looked for much and behold it (Hagg. Hag. Hg) |
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