King James Version

What Does Haggai 1:7 Mean?

Haggai 1:7 in the King James Version says “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Consider: Heb. Set your heart on your ways” — study this verse from Haggai chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Consider: Heb. Set your heart on your ways”

Haggai 1:7 · KJV

Context

5

Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Consider: Heb. Set your heart on your ways

6

Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. with holes: Heb. pierced through

7

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Consider: Heb. Set your heart on your ways

8

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.

9

Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. blow: or, blow it away

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם עַל־דַּרְכֵיכֶם/koh amar YHWH Tzeva'ot simu levavkhem al-darkhekem)—God repeats His command from verse 5 with heightened emphasis. The repetition isn't redundant but insistent: self-examination is urgent. Consider (שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם/simu levavkhem), literally "set your heart upon," demands more than casual reflection—it requires honest, searching evaluation of life patterns, priorities, and the consequences of choices.

The phrase frames both diagnosis (v.6) and prescription (v.8). Between these repeated calls to self-examination, God explains their futility (v.6) and then commands specific action (v.8). The rhetorical structure forces them to connect cause and effect: their economic struggles aren't random bad luck but divine discipline for neglecting God's house. This pattern appears throughout Scripture—God uses consequences to expose misplaced priorities and prompt repentance (Deuteronomy 28, Amos 4:6-11).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The people needed this repeated exhortation because sixteen years of rationalizing disobedience had hardened their hearts. They had grown comfortable with excuses: "The time hasn't come" (v.2), "We're just surviving," "Opposition is too strong." Repetition breaks through self-deception. God's insistence that they "consider your ways" invited them to trace their dissatisfaction back to its source: they had sought first their own kingdom rather than God's (Matthew 6:33).

Reflection Questions

  1. What patterns in your life—repeated frustrations, chronic dissatisfaction, persistent struggles—might God be using to prompt self-examination of priorities?
  2. How does honest evaluation of "your ways" reveal where you've prioritized comfort, security, or personal goals over God's purposes?
  3. What would it look like to "set your heart upon" examining your life with ruthless honesty before God?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 8 words
כֹּ֥ה1 of 8
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

אָמַ֖ר2 of 8

“Thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֣ה3 of 8

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

צְבָא֑וֹת4 of 8

“of hosts”

H6635

a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (speci

שִׂ֥ימוּ5 of 8

“Consider”

H7760

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

לְבַבְכֶ֖ם6 of 8
H3824

the heart (as the most interior organ)

עַל7 of 8
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

דַּרְכֵיכֶֽם׃8 of 8

“your ways”

H1870

a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Haggai. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Haggai 1:7 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Haggai 1:7 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 119:59-60Haggai 1:5Philippians 3:1Isaiah 28:10

Test Your Knowledge

Haggai 1 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterHaggai Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

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