Haggai 1:9
You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the Lord of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.
Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
Note blow…: or, blow it away
“You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of Armies, “Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house.
Note “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith Jehovah of hosts. Because of my house that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house.
Related passages
From the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, grouped by the word they explain.
- Ye looked
- They had used all proper means in the cultivation of their lands, and had "sown much;" but when they rationally entertained the most sanguine expectations of a large increase, they were strangely disappointed; and even what they had brought home was unaccountably wasted, as if the Lord had "blown upon it," and driven it away! And the reason was, because they neglected the temple, and left it in ruins, whilst they eagerly employed themselves in building and decorating their own houses; therefore they were visited by drought and famine, and by various diseases on man and beast.
- Haggai 1:6; Haggai 2:16, 17; Isaiah 17:10, 11; Malachi 3:8–11
- blow upon it
- or, blow it away.
- 2 Samuel 22:16; 2 Kings 19:7; Isaiah 40:7; Malachi 2:2
- Why
- Job 10:2; Psalm 77:5–10
- Because
- Haggai 1:4; Joshua 7:10–15; 2 Samuel 21:1; Matthew 10:37, 38; 1 Corinthians 11:30–32; Revelation 2:4; Revelation 3:19