reiteration addressed alike to every class of the community, prince, priest,
and people, ‘Be strong, be strong, be strong’ (2:4). ‘Cleave, stick fast, to
the work you have to do;’ or again, ‘Consider your ways, consider,
consider, consider’ (1:5, 7;2:15, 18). It is the Hebrew phrase for the
endeavour, characteristic of the gifted seers of all times, to compel their
hearers to turn the inside of their hearts outwards to their own view, to
take the mask from off their consciences, to ‘see life steadily, and to see it
wholly.’”, Stanley’s Jewish Church. (See SIGNET.)
- HAGGAI, BOOK OF consists of two brief, comprehensive chapters.
The object of the prophet was generally to urge the people to proceed
with the rebuilding of the temple.
Chapter first comprehends the first address (2-11) and its effects (12-15).
Chapter second contains,
(1.) The second prophecy (1-9), which was delivered a month after the
first.
(2.) The third prophecy (10-19), delivered two months and three days
after the second; and
(3.) The fourth prophecy (20-23), delivered on the same day as the third.
These discourses are referred to in Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Hebrews 12:26. (Comp.
Hag. 2:7, 8, 22.)
- HAGGITH festive; the dancer, a wife of David and the mother of
Adonijah (2 Samuel 3:4; 1 Kings 1:5, 11; 2:13; 1 Chronicles 3:2), who, like
Absalom, was famed for his beauty. - HAGIOGRAPHA the holy writings, a term which came early into use in
the Christian church to denote the third division of the Old Testament
scriptures, called by the Jews Kethubim, i.e., “Writings.” It consisted of
five books, viz., Job, Proverbs, and Psalms, and the two books of
Chronicles. The ancient Jews classified their sacred books as the Law, the
Prophets, and the Kethubim, or Writings. (See BIBLE.)
In the New Testament (Luke 24:44) we find three corresponding divisions,
viz., the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms.