Haggai 2:17

I smote you with blasting,.... That is, their fields and vineyards, with burning winds, which consumed them; with blights by east winds: this shows the reason of their disappointment, and that it was

In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Sacrifices without obedience (in respect to God's command to

I smote; my hand was visible in your losses, scarcity, and disappointments. You; the persons put for their labours, their corn, vines, and olives. With blasting; burning and scorching winds, that blasted all. With mildew; with too much clammy moisture, that like glue cleaves to fruits, and turns to a corrupting of them. With hail; which in these colder countries many times by its violence destroys corn, fruits, and trees, but in those countries doth it oftener. Now here was in these somewhat more of the hand of God, and so the punishment was, as more grievous, so more visible. All the labours; in your ploughing and sowing for harvest, in planting of olives and vines for a vintage. You turned not to me; you did not see my hand, though you felt it, you did not repent of your sinful neglect of me, my worship, and temple, nor thought of building my house. Saith the Lord; this attested with God’ s own hand for witness hereto.

Haggai 2:17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye [turned] not to me, saith the LORD.Ver. 17. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail] Pugnis pluvi, colaphis grandinavi, I have followed you close with one judgment upon another; and all to bring you back into mine own bosom; that as ye had run from me by your sins, so ye might return to me by repentance; but, behold, I have lost my labour, and ye have lost the fruit of your sufferings, which indeed is a very great loss, were ye but soundly sensible of it, Perdidistis fructum calamitatis (Aug.). These Jews were sensible of their calamities and disasters abroad and at home, but they did not wisely inquire into the cause thereof; as David did into the cause of the famine that fell out in his days, 2 Samuel 21:1. God had not hitherto "given them a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear," as it is Deuteronomy 29:4. And as Isaiah 9:13 "The people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts." But after their hardness and impenitent heart treasured up wrath, &c., Romans 2:5. They could not but see themselves grievously crossed, and cursed in all the labours of their hands. Neither were they so blind as not to see God in that they suffered. They had learned that out of Psa 78:47-48; Psalms 29:3, &c. Cicero indeed thought that God minds not mildew, or hail, &c. Nec si uredo aut grando quippiam nocuit, id Iovi animadvertendum fuit: neque enim in regni reges omnia minima curant, &c. As kings take not notice of smaller businesses in their kingdoms, saith he, so neither doth God of these ordinary occurrences. But the Jews (for the generality) had learned better things. And the apostle tells those heathens too, Acts 14:15-17, that God had not left himself without witness among them, in that he did good and gave rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, &c. Cicero himself likewise, another time, could say, Curiosus est et plenus negotii Deus, God taketh care of all, and is full of business. And oh that this truth were as fruitfully improved as it is generally acknowledged! Oh that men would turn at God’ s reproof; his real reproofs, his vocal rods, Micah 6:9; and not put him to his old complaint, "Why should ye be smitten any more? Ye revolt more and more," Isaiah 1:5. This we may wish, but God alone can effect. For till he please to thrust his holy hand into men’ s bosoms, and pull off the foreskin of their hearts; afflictions (those hammers of his) do but beat cold iron. See Jeremiah 2:30-31; Jeremiah 6:29-30; Leviticus 26:41. Plectimur a Deo, nec flectimur tamen: corripimur sed non corrigimur (Salvian.).

(17) I smote you with blasting and with mildew . . .—This is a reminiscence of Amo 4:9, “I have smitten you with blasting and mildew . . . yet have not ye returned unto me, saith the Lord.” “Blasting” and “mildew” are two diseases on corn enumerated by Moses (Deuteronomy 28:22) among the curses on disobedience. The “hail” is added by Haggai, perhaps as particularly destructive to the vines. On the peculiar phrase, êyn ethcem êlay, which here takes the place of the lô shabtem âday of Amos, see Ewald, Grammar, § 262 b.

17. I smote you with blasting and with mildew] “Two diseases of the corn which Moses had foretold (Deuteronomy 28:22) as chastisements on disobedience, and God’s infliction of which Amos had spoken of in these selfsame words (Amos 4:9). Haggai adds the hail as destructive of the vines (Psalms 78:47).” Pusey. labours] Rather, work. R. V. yet ye turned not to me] Lit. yet not (no-such-thing-as) yourselves to me. The word “turning,” or a similar word, may be supplied from the parallel passage in Amos 4:9 : “yet there was no turning of yourselves to me.” The negation is a strong one, and denies any single instance of such turning.

I smote you with blasting and mildew, - two diseases of grain, which Moses had foretold Deuteronomy 28:27. as chastisements on disobedience and God’s infliction, of which Amos had spoken in these self-same words. Amos 4:9.

Haggai 2:17 explains why the threshing floor and the winepress proved sore disappointments. Jehovah smote the fields with “blasting and mildew” (see on Amos 4:9).