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Haggai 2:20-23
New Catholic Bible
Haggai 2:20-23
New Catholic Bible
Promise to the Descendants of David[a]
20 On the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai: 21 Tell this to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah:
I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms
and destroy the power of the kings of the nations.
I will overthrow the chariots and their riders;
both the horses and their riders will fall,
every one of them by the sword of a comrade.
23 On that day,
says the Lord of hosts,
I will take you, Zerubbabel,
my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord,
and I will make you like a signet ring,
for I have chosen you,
says the Lord of hosts.
Footnotes
- Haggai 2:20 Zerubbabel, who rebuilds the temple, is celebrated as a savior of the people: the Lord is with him as he had been with David, his ancestor (2 Sam 7:12-16). For a moment, the entire Messianic expectation connected with the Davidic dynasty is here summed up; but in fact, the dynastic successor will disappear from the scene, to the advantage of the priesthood. Christ will be presented by the Gospels, though in a much different context, as the Son of David (Mt 9:27; 21:9; Lk 1:27; Mk 12:35; . . .).
On a signet ring, which was used to seal documents, there was a likeness of the owner, who kept it very carefully on a cord around his neck (Gen 38:18). In the eyes of Haggai and Zechariah (see Zec 6:12), then, the descendant of David is God’s representative.
