Haggai 1:1

Introduction

1:1 On the first day of the sixth month1 of King Darius’2 second year, the Lord spoke this message through the prophet Haggai3 to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak:4

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1	sn The first day of the sixth month was Elul 1 according to the Jewish calendar; August 29, 520 b.c. according to the modern (Julian) calendar.
2	sn King Darius is the Persian king Darius Hystaspes who ruled from 522–486 b.c.
3	tn Heb “the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet” (בְּיַד־חַגַּי, béyad-khaggay). This suggests that the prophet is only an instrument of the Lord; the Lord is to be viewed as the true author (see 1:3; 2:1; Mal 1:1).
4	tn The typical translation “Joshua (the) son of Jehozadak, the high priest” (cf. ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV) can be understood to mean that Jehozadak was high priest. However, Zech 3:1, 8 clearly indicates that Joshua was high priest (see also Ezra 5:1–2; cf. NAB). The same potential misunderstanding occurs in Hag 1:12, 14 and 2:2, where the same solution has been employed in the translation.