Haggai 2 · Verse 6

Haggai 2:6

For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
Haggai 2:6, King James Version

Haggai 2:6 in other translations

BSBFor this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.
WEBFor this is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;
ASVFor thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
YLTFor thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Yet once more--it is a little, And I am shaking the heavens and the earth, And the sea, and the dry land,
DARBYFor thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
BBEFor this is what the Lord of armies has said: In a short time I will make a shaking of the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;
WebsterFor thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

What does Haggai 2:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. Yet once, it is a little while--or, "(it is) yet a little while." The Hebrew for "once" expresses the indefinite article "a" [Maurer]. Or, "it is yet only a little while"; literally, "one little," that is, a single brief space till a series of movements is to begin; namely, the shakings of nations soon to begin which are to end in the advent of Messiah, "the desire of all nations" [Moore]. The shaking of nations implies judgments of wrath on the foes of God's people, to precede the reign of the Prince of peace (Is 13:13). The kingdoms of the world are but the scaffolding for God's spiritual temple, to be thrown down when their purpose is accomplished. The transitoriness of all that is earthly should lead men to seek "peace" in Messiah's everlasting kingdom (Hag 2:9; He 12:27, 28) [Moore]. The Jews in Haggai's times hesitated about going forward with the work, through dread of the world power, Medo-Persia, influenced by the craft of Samaria. The prophet assures them this and all other world powers are to fall before Messiah, who is to be associated with this temple; therefore they need fear naught. So He 12:26, which quotes this passage; the apostle compares the heavier punishment which awaits the disobedient under the New Testament with that which met such under the Old Testament. At the establishment of the Sinaitic covenant, only the earth was shaken to introduce it, but now heaven and earth and all things are to be shaken, that is, along with prodigies in the world of nature, all kingdoms that stand in the way of Messiah's kingdom, "which cannot be shaken," are to be upturned (Da 2:35, 44; Mt 21:44). He 12:27, "Yet once more," favors English Version. Paul condenses together the two verses of Haggai (Hag 2:6, 7, and Hag 2:21, 22), implying that it was one and the same shaking, of which the former verses of Haggai denote the beginning, the latter the end. The shaking began introductory to the first advent; it will be finished at the second. Concerning the former, compare Mt 3:17; 27:51; 28:2; Ac 2:2; 4:31; concerning the latter, Mt 24:7; Re 16:20; 18:20; 20:11 [Bengel]. There is scarcely a prophecy of Messiah in the Old Testament which does not, to some extent at least, refer to His second coming [Sir Isaac Newton]. Psa 68:8 mentions the heavens dropping near the mountain (Sinai); but Haggai speaks of the whole created heavens: "Wait only a little while, though the promised event is not apparent yet; for soon will God change things for the better: do not stop short with these preludes and fix your eyes on the present state of the temple [Calvin]. God shook the heavens by the lightnings at Sinai; the earth, that it should give forth waters; the sea, that it should be divided asunder. In Christ's time God shook the heaven, when He spake from it; the earth, when it quaked; the sea, when He commanded the winds and waves [Grotius]. Cicero records at the time of Christ the silencing of the heathen oracles; and Dio, the fall of the idols in the Roman capitol.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens - When the law was given on Mount Sinai, there was an earthquake that shook the whole mountain, Exo 19:18. "The political or religious revolutions which were to be effected in the world, or both, are here," says Abp. Newcome, "referred to; compare Exo 19:21, Exo 19:22; Mat 24:29; Heb 12:26-28. The political ones began in the overthrow of the Persian monarchy by Alexander, within two centuries after this prediction; and if the Messiah's kingdom be meant, which is my opinion, this was erected in somewhat more than five centuries after the second year of Darius; a short period of time when compared with that which elapsed from the creation to the giving of the law, or from the giving of the law to the coming of the Messiah's kingdom. It must be understood that the word אחת achath, once, has a clear sense, if understood of the evangelical age; for many political revolutions succeeded, as the conquest of Darius Codomanus, and the various fortunes of Alexander's successors; but only one great and final religious revolution." - Newcome.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Haggai 2:1-9

Those who are hearty in the Lord's service shall receive encouragement to proceed. But they could not build such a temple then, as Solomon built. Though our gracious God is pleased if we do as well as we can in his service, yet our proud hearts will scarcely let us be pleased, unless we do as well as others, whose abilities are far beyond ours. Encouragement is given the Jews to go on in the work notwithstanding…

Read the full comment on Haggai 2:1-9 →

Haggai 2:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּ֣יkiforH3588
כֹ֤הkhohthusH3541
אָמַר֙'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otof hostsH6635
ע֥וֹדodyetH5750
אַחַ֖ת'a.Chatone [time]H259
מְעַ֣טme.'At[is] a littleH4592
הִ֑יאHi'itH1931
וַאֲנִ֗יva.'a.Niand IH589
מַרְעִישׁ֙mar.'Ish[am] about to shakeH7493
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַשָּׁמַ֣יִםha.sha.Ma.yimthe heavensH8064
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzthe earthH776
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הַיָּ֖םhai.Yamthe seaH3220
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הֶחָרָבָֽה\׃he.cha.ra.Vahthe dry groundH2724

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Haggai 2:6

  • Hebrews 12:26-28

    Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

  • Isaiah 10:25

    For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

  • Luke 21:25-27

    And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

  • Mark 13:24-26

    But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

  • Acts 2:19

    And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

  • Haggai 2:21-22

    Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

  • Joel 3:16

    The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

  • Joel 2:30-32

    And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

  • Ezekiel 38:20

    So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

  • Matthew 24:29-30

    Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

  • Isaiah 29:17

    Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

  • Jeremiah 4:23-26

    I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Yet.
21,22; Heb 12:26-28
it is.
Ps 37:10; Isa 10:25; 29:17; Jer 51:33; Heb 10:37
and I.
Isa 34:4; Jer 4:23-26; Eze 38:20; Joe 2:30-32; 3:16; Mt 24:29,30
Mr 13:24-26; Lu 21:25-27; Ac 2:19; Heb 12:26; Re 6:12-17; 8:5-12
Re 11:9; 6:2-17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Haggai 2:5

    According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

  • Haggai 2:6

    For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

  • Haggai 2:7

    And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

Read all of Haggai 2

Haggai 2:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque así dice Jehová de los ejércitos: De aquí á poco aun haré yo temblar los cielos y la tierra, y la mar y la seca:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car, ainsi dit l’ Éternel des armées: Encore une fois, ce sera dans peu de temps, et j’ébranlerai les cieux et la terre, et la mer et la terre sèche;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn so spricht Jehova der Heerscharen: Noch einmal, eine kleine Weile ist es, da werde ich den Himmel erschüttern und die Erde und das Meer und das Trockene.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		verbum quod pepigi vobiscum cum egrederemini de terra Ægypti: et spiritus meus erit in medio vestrum: nolite timere.