The First Message and the People’s Response (Ch. 1). 

        To what extent the Temple had actually been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar must remain an open question, but IIKings 25:9 suggests little more than damage by fire, which would have left most of the stone-work in place. It is entirely con­sistent with this that while it took a wealthy king with all the resources of his kingdom at his disposal seven and a half years to build the original sanctuary (IKings 6:37f), the small body of impoverished people who had returned from Baby­lonia were able to do the bulk of the rebuilding in under four years (Ezra 6:15; Hag. 1:1). That is surely also the reason why Haggai lays chief stress on the timber needed (1:8, cf. 1:4).

        The response of the people headed by Zerubbabel seems to have been quick. The interpretation of 1:15 is not easy, for as it stands it seems to contradict 2:18. The Hebrew sepa­rates it from the preceding, linking it with what follows, but this does not seem to make sense. The simplest explanation is that 1:15 marks the date when the people began to collect material for building, 2:18 the actual beginning of the work.

        It is probable that 1:13 should be translated: Then spake Haggai, The Angel of the LORD is here with a message of the LORD for the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. For the Angel of Jehovah see p. 125.