Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Festive, one of the twelve so-called minor prophets. He was the first of the three (Zechariah, his contemporary, and Malachi, who was about one hundred years later, being the other two) whose ministry belonged to the period of Jewish history which began after the return from captivity in Babylon. Scarcely anything is known of his personal history. He may have been one of the captives taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. He began his ministry about
sixteen years after the Return. The work of rebuilding the temple had been put a stop to through the intrigues of the Samaritans. After having been suspended for fifteen years, the work was resumed through the efforts of Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 6:14), who by their exhortations roused the people from their lethargy, and induced them to take advantage of the favourable opportunity that had arisen in a change in the policy of the Persian
government. (See DARIUS [2].) Haggai’s prophecies have thus been characterized:, “There is a ponderous and simple dignity in the emphatic reiteration addressed alike to every class of the community, prince, priest, and people, ‘Be strong, be strong, be strong’ (2:4). ‘Cleave, stick fast, to the work you have to do;’ or again, ‘Consider your ways, consider, consider, consider’ (1:5, 7;2:15, 18). It is the Hebrew phrase for the
endeavour, characteristic of the gifted seers of all times, to compel their hearers to turn the inside of their hearts outwards to their own view, to take the mask from off their consciences, to ‘see life steadily, and to see it wholly.’”, Stanley’s Jewish Church. (See SIGNET.)
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(festive), the tenth in order of the minor prophets, and first of those who prophesied after the captivity. With regard to his tribe and parentage history and tradition are alike silent.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
HAG'GAI (festive), a prophet whose prophetic activity fell after the Captivity, in the second year of Darius Hystaspes, or b.c. 520, Hag 1:1. Nothing is known of his life. The Prophecy of, which is prosaic in style, concerns the repair of the temple, Hag 1:1-12; Hag 2:10-20, the glory of the second temple, Hag 2:1-9, and the triumph of Zerubbabel over his enemies. Hag 2:20-23. The prophet severely rebukes the people for their neglect to build the
house of the Lord, and for their selfishness in living in the luxury of ceiled (or panelled) houses, while the temple was neglected. Hag 1:4. The people obeyed the prophet, and received the promise of God's presence. Am 1:13. The second chapter contains a Messianic reference, and alludes to Christ as the "Desire of all nations," Hag 2:7, or, as others render the passage, "the desirable things of all nations." The Hebrew reads, "They shall come,
the desire of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts."
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
feast; solemnity