15 And now, lay 'it', I pray you, to your heart, From this day, and onwards, Before the laying of stone to stone in the temple of Jehovah. 16 From that time 'one' hath come to a heap of twenty, And it hath been ten, He hath come unto the wine-fat to draw out fifty purahs, And it hath been twenty. 17 I have smitten you with blasting, And with mildew, and with hail—All the work of your hands, And there is none of you with Me, An affirmation of Jehovah. 18 Set 'it', I pray you, to your heart, from this day and onwards, from the twenty and fourth day of the ninth 'month', even from the day that the temple of Jehovah hath been founded, set 'it' to your heart. 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? And hitherto the vine and the fig, And the pomegranate, and the olive-tree, Have not borne—from this day I bless.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Haggai 2:15-19
Commentary on Haggai 2:10-19
(Read Haggai 2:10-19)
Many spoiled this good work, by going about it with unholy hearts and hands, and were likely to gain no advantage by it. The sum of these two rules of the law is, that sin is more easily learned from others than holiness. The impurity of their hearts and lives shall make the work of their hands, and all their offerings, unclean before God. The case is the same with us. When employed in any good work, we should watch over ourselves, lest we render it unclean by our corruptions. When we begin to make conscience of duty to God, we may expect his blessing; and whoso is wise will understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. God will curse the blessings of the wicked, and make bitter the prosperity of the careless; but he will sweeten the cup of affliction to those who diligently serve him.