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Thesis advisor: David S. Vanderhooft / The book of Haggai emerged from a dispute in the early Persian period over the propriety and feasibility of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem in 520 BCE. As a record of that dispute, the book is a rhetorical artifact that displays a variety of strategies designed to persuade the Yehudite community that Yhwh wanted his house rebuilt. Theological and socioeconomic objections and obstacles to reconstruction had to be overcome before the Yehudites would accept Haggai’s call to rebuild. This dissertation argues that although some of the Yehudite community accepted Haggai’s claim that Yhwh wanted his temple built, others remained unpersuaded, fearing that the adverse agricultural and economic conditions, as well as the lack of a royal builder, were signs that Yhwh was not ready to begin the period of restoration. The oracles and narrative portions of the book are intended to counter these fears by arguing that Yhwh will provide for the adornment of the temple, bring prosperity to Yehud once the temple is built, and has already designated the Davidide Zerubbabel as the chosen royal builder. Haggai further strengthened commitment to reconstruction by vilifying those Yehudites who failed to support the temple as unclean and non-Israelite. Rhetorical analysis illumines not only particular features of the text but also indicates what theological and socioeconomic sources of opposition to temple reconstruction were most important in this period. This sheds further light on the socioeconomic conditions of early Persian period Yehud. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

This thesis examines the relationship between the Jerusalem temple rebuilding and agriculture in the Book of Haggai. The Hebrew text is replete with agricultural terminology. However, very few have seen that this terminology is central to understanding Haggai’s promulgation that the temple must be rebuilt. In Haggai, agriculture provides crucial insights into Judean agricultural economy within the context of the Achaemenid Empire. This study also throws light upon the importance of agriculture as an economic factor in 6th century BCE Judah. In chapter 1, I situate my research within current critical work on Haggai. I show how earlier research primarily has concentrated on the “independent” sub-province of Judah without attempting to understand the Book of Haggai within the political and economic context of Achaemenid Judah. I also discuss methodology. Chapters 2 and 3 give overviews of the pertinent agricultural background for my study. In chapter 2, I survey agricultural developments in ancient Israel and in the ancient Near East. Archaeological excavations and surveys have revealed a considerable agricultural material culture in Judah. The archaeological record shows that olive and vine production was of great economic value in ancient Israel. The olive and the vine belonged among the most important agricultural products, highly sought after all over the ancient Near East. In chapter 3, I discuss Achaemenid imperial administration and economy under Darius. My claim is that Darius’s imperial policy was the same for all the different parts of the empire. Subsequently, I show how Judah constituted a vital part of the larger economic structure of the Achaemenid Empire. In chapter 4, I demonstrate how Judah, together with numerous other subordinate provinces, contributed to the economy of the Mesopotamian Empires. From an imperial, military, and economic point of view, Judah functioned as a buffer zone between the Mesopotamian Empires and Egypt. Accordingly, my interest is in the Judean political and economic situation in the early period of Darius, as described in the book of Haggai itself. Following the introductory chapters, chapters 5 and 6 provide an exegesis of the Book of Haggai. The purpose of my exegetical work is to demonstrate the relevance of agriculture for the Jerusalem temple rebuilding. Attention is particularly paid to terms like “drought” or “desolate” (Hag 1:4, 9, 11), “time” (Hag 1: 2, 4), “house” (Hag 1:2, 4, 8, 9; 2:3, 7, 8, 9, 15, 18), and “build” (Hag 1:2, 8; Hag 2:18). Chapter 7 contains the conclusion of the dissertation. Summing up, this thesis shows the importance of a prosperous temple economy in Jerusalem for all of Judah. Darius wanted to maximise the economic contribution of Judah. However, in his second year (520 BCE), the Judean agricultural economy was depressed because of drought, crop diseases, blight, mildew, and hail (Hag 1:5–6, 9–11, 2:16– 18). For this reason, Haggai encouraged the Judean people strongly to restore the Jerusalem temple. This would be the only possibility to expand the agricultural industry (Hag 1:7–8; 2:3, 8– 9). However, the temple still remained in a bad state (Hag 1:4; 2:3). Instead, the people wanted to rebuild the Davidic dynasty through Zerubbabel (Hag 1:4, 9; 2:4, 5–6). The Judean preference for the Davidic dynasty caused the end of Zerubbabel (Hag 2:20–23).

Based on the author's thesis, Halle, 1968. / Bibliography: p. 104-108.

The Message of book of Haggai Abstract of Diploma thesis This Diploma thesis deals with message of book of Haggai, uses two original Sources: hebrew text (Tanak) and Greek text (Septuagint). Each of the original text is translated into czech in the context of exegesis research. Both exegeses are constructed verse by verse. This thesis is divided into four chapters. Chapter one focuses on the message of book of Haggai in Tanach, chapter two in Septuagint. Chapter three compares results of both exegeses. The last chapter of this thesis tracks the history of interpretations, i. e. results of selected interpreters: Jan Calvin and others from 19th, 20th and 21st century in the Europe and the USA. Commentaries of book of Haggai do not reflect everything, Author of this thesis reacts on it in last chapter (on the basis of both exegeses). This is the benefit of this thesis. God's message to his people is the most important message of book of Haggai. Most theologians of the Old Testament claim, that God's intention was new Temple in Jerusalem (i.e. Second Temple). The results of this Diploma thesis coincide with the results of Czech theologian Jiří Beneš (2006): God's word about the Temple is the metaphor, the Temple is God's people. God's intention is repented of the heart. The message of book of Haggai coincide...

There is an ancient rabbinic apothegm which asserts that prophecy “ceased” after the last Biblical prophets, Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi. After their deaths, a new phase of divine revelation was believed to have emerged through manifestations of a bat kol (lit. “Daughter of a voice”). This thesis examines the bat kol’s function within the contours of the Babylonian Talmud, primarily, employing philological, literary, and historical analyses. Moreover, it includes a review of parallels with Biblical and Second-Temple era, Apocalyptic works, so as to suggest possible origins. In addition, a sample of about ten stories are presented as representative of larger categories I consider best exhibit the bat kol’s purpose. The categories include: announcing an individual’s entry into the world to come, encomium and disdain towards individuals, matters related to Halacha (Jewish Law), and miscellaneous. As a result we discover how the rabbis employed the bat kol to address contemporary concerns.