HAGGAI, the tenth of the small prophets, was born, in all probability, at Babylon, in the year of the world 3457, from whence he returned with Zerubbabel. It was this prophet who by command from God (Ezra v. 1, 2, &c.) exhorted the Jews, after their return
Hagiogra- turn from the captivity, to finish the rebuilding of the
phia temple, which they had intermitted for 14 years. His
Haguer. remonstrances had their effect; and to encourage them
to proceed in the work, he assured them from God,
that the glory of this latter house should be greater
than the glory of the former house; which was ac-
cordingly fulfilled, when Christ honoured it with his
presence: for with respect to the building, this latter
temple was nothing in comparison of the former.
We know nothing certain of Haggai's death. The
Jews pretend, that he died in the last year of the
reign of Darius, at the same time with the prophets
Zechariah and Malachi, and that thereupon the spirit
of prophecy ceased among the children of Israel. Epi-
phanius will have it, that he was buried at Jeru-
salem among the priests. The Greeks keep the festi-
val on the 16th of December, and the Latins on the
4th of July.