on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes God's incredible promptness: in just twenty-three days after Haggai's message, the entire people were not only ready but actively engaged in rebuilding the temple. This isn't just a date; it’s a testament to the immediate, unified, and energized response stirred by God's word.
on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just three weeks after Haggai delivered God's message, the people, led by Zerubbabel and Joshua, enthusiastically resumed work on the Temple. This verse marks the exact moment, the 24th day of the sixth month in Darius's second year, when they actively returned to the task, demonstrating their prompt obedience to God's call. Their swift action underscores the power of the prophetic word and the people's renewed commitment to rebuilding the house of the Lord.
Imagine receiving a crucial instruction and, within weeks, seeing the entire community mobilized. Haggai's message sparked a remarkable shift.
This verse marks a pivotal moment. Just 23 days after the prophet Haggai delivered God's challenging message on the first day of the sixth month, the people were already hard at work on the Temple.
A Quick Mobilization
This swift action, moving from hearing the prophet's call to actively building, demonstrates a powerful spiritual turnaround.
What happens when a community shifts its priorities from personal comfort to communal purpose?
The intervening weeks between Haggai's prophecy and this date were crucial. The people didn't just start building immediately upon hearing the message; they prepared.
Laying the Groundwork
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The work of God often requires careful planning and dedicated effort, not just immediate impulse.
The short timeframe between Haggai's initial rebuke and the people's renewed commitment highlights the power of God's Word to ignite immediate obedience and purposeful action when His people are ready to respond.
c. 587 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar II, conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and deport many Judeans into exile. This marks a profound spiritual and national crisis.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian king Cyrus the Great overthrows the Babylonian Empire, ushering in a new era for the deported peoples.
538 BC
Cyrus' Decree for Return and Reconstruction
Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled Judeans to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. However, many remain in Babylon, and the project faces significant opposition.
c. 520 BC
Haggai and Zechariah Begin Prophesying
The prophets Haggai and Zechariah are raised up by God to encourage the discouraged remnant in Judah to resume the stalled Temple reconstruction.
August 520 BC— this verse
Haggai's First Message and Call to Action
The prophet Haggai confronts the people and their leaders for prioritizing their own homes over rebuilding the Temple, urging them to consider their ways.
August 520 BC
Work Resumes on the Temple
Spurred by Haggai's message and God's stirring of their spirits, the people and their leaders commit to rebuilding the Temple, gathering materials and beginning construction.
c. 516 BC
Completion of the Second Temple
Under the continued ministry of Haggai and Zechariah, and through the people's diligent efforts, the Second Temple is completed, marking a significant spiritual restoration.
This passage describes the initial steps taken by the returned exiles to restart temple construction, mirroring the prompt action described in Haggai after the prophet's message.
Nehemiah 8:1-2This shows a similar sense of renewed obedience and eagerness among the people when Ezra reads the Law, highlighting a pattern of responsive hearts to God's word after a period of neglect.
2 Chronicles 36:20-23This passage provides the historical backdrop, explaining the devastation of Jerusalem and the temple, which sets the stage for Haggai's call to rebuild and fulfill God's promise.
John 4:23-24Jesus speaks of true worship not being tied to a physical location but to worshipping in spirit and truth, which resonates with the spiritual heart of the rebuilding effort in Haggai, moving beyond mere brick and mortar.
clarkeHaggai 1:15: "In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king."
In the four and twentieth day - Haggai received his commission on the first day of this month and by the twenty-fourth day he had so completely succeeded that he had the satisfaction to see the whole people engaged heartily in the Lord's work; they left their own houses to build that of the Lord. Here was a faithful reprover, and he found obedient ears; and the Lord's work was done, for the p…
ellicottHaggai 1:15: "In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king."
(15) It must be supposed that the intervening three weeks had been spent in collecting timber in the upland region, as was ordered in Haggai 1:8 , and resuming the “work of the house of God.”
The verse emphasizes God's incredible promptness: in just twenty-three days after Haggai's message, the entire people were not only ready but actively engaged in rebuilding the temple. This isn't just a date; it’s a testament to the immediate, unified, and energized response stirred by God's word.
Just three weeks after Haggai delivered God's message, the people, led by Zerubbabel and Joshua, enthusiastically resumed work on the Temple. This verse marks the exact moment, the 24th day of the sixth month in Darius's second year, when they actively returned to the task, demonstrating their prompt obedience to God's call. Their swift action underscores the power of the prophetic word and the people's renewed commitment to rebuilding the house of the Lord.
Just three weeks after Haggai delivered God's message, the people, led by Zerubbabel and Joshua, enthusiastically resumed work on the Temple. This verse marks the exact moment, the 24th day of the sixth month in Darius's second year, when they actively returned to the task, demonstrating their prompt obedience to God's call. Their swift action underscores the power of the prophetic word and the people's renewed commitment to rebuilding the house of the Lord.
"on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king." — The verse emphasizes God's incredible promptness: in just twenty-three days after Haggai's message, the entire people were not only ready but actively engaged in rebuilding the temple. This isn't jus…
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Last reviewed October 2026