Haggai
The prophet who, in the second year of Darius, called the returned exiles to stop putting off the rebuilding of the temple. His four short oracles are dated to the day.
Haggai’s book contains four messages, all dated within four months of the second year of Darius I, 520 BC (Haggai 1:1) (Haggai 2:1, 10, 20). He told the governor Zerubbabel, the high priest Jeshua the High Priest and the people that their hardships came from leaving the house of God in ruins, and the work began again within weeks (Haggai 1:2–15). Ezra names him with Zechariah as the prophets through whose preaching the temple was finished (Ezra 5:1–2; 6:14).
His last oracle calls Zerubbabel the Lord’s chosen signet ring (Haggai 2:20–23). The letter to the Hebrews quotes his promise that God will once more shake heaven and earth (Haggai 2:6) (Hebrews 12:26). Nothing is recorded of his life.
In the timeline
- March 515 BC, estimated dateThe Second Temple Is Completed
After years of delay the returned exiles, urged on by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah and backed by a decree of Darius, finish rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. It is dedicated in the spring of 515 BC.