King James Version

What Does Haggai 2:7 Mean?

Haggai 2:7 in the King James Version says “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the...” — study this verse from Haggai chapter 2 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Haggai 2:7 · KJV

Context

5

According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

6

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

7

And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

8

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

9

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Read Haggai 2 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.—God extends the shaking from creation (v.6) to geopolitics—"all nations" (כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם/kol-hagoyim) will be agitated. This comprehensive scope emphasizes that no earthly power, empire, or kingdom lies beyond God's sovereign intervention. All human structures will be destabilized to make way for God's ultimate purpose.

"The desire of all nations shall come" (וּבָאוּ חֶמְדַּת כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם/uva'u chemdat kol-hagoyim) is notoriously difficult to translate. The Hebrew חֶמְדַּת (chemdat) can mean desire, precious thing, or treasure. Grammatically plural ("they shall come"), it may refer to desirable things/treasures of nations or, read messianically, to the One who is desired by all nations. Christian interpretation has traditionally seen this as a messianic prophecy—Christ is the ultimate treasure, the One for whom the nations long (even unknowingly).

"And I will fill this house with glory" (וּמִלֵּאתִי אֶת־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה כָּבוֹד/umilleti et-habayit hazeh kavod)—God promises to fill the second temple with כָּבוֹד (kavod), the weighty, manifest presence that filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:11). This seemed impossible for the modest structure they were building, yet God would fulfill it through the Messiah's presence. When Jesus taught in the temple courts, the glory of God Incarnate filled that house—far surpassing the cloud of Moses's or Solomon's era.

Verse 9 adds that this latter glory will exceed the former. How? Not through gold and cedar but through Christ Himself—"in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9). The Word became flesh and "tabernacled" among us, revealing glory beyond any building could contain (John 1:14). Ultimately, Revelation 21 shows the New Jerusalem needing no temple "for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple"—the ultimate fulfillment of God filling His dwelling place with glory.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Haggai's generation couldn't have fully grasped this prophecy's scope. They knew God promised greater glory for their temple, but how? The answer unfolded over centuries. Nations were shaken—Persia, Greece, Rome—until "when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son" (Galatians 4:4). Jesus entered the second temple (expanded by Herod), taught there, cleansed it, and declared it His Father's house.

The shaking of nations prepared the way for gospel spread. Rome's roads and Pax Romana facilitated missionary travel. Greek language unified the Mediterranean world. Jewish diaspora communities provided initial gospel footholds. God orchestrated history so that when Christ came, the gospel could spread to all nations—the very nations being 'shaken' brought their 'treasures' (converts) into God's house, the church.

The prophecy continues fulfilling today. Every nation that seems stable will be shaken. Every ideology, empire, or system that opposes God will crumble. Meanwhile, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation are being gathered into God's true temple, the church, built on Christ the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-22). The final fulfillment awaits Christ's return, when all knees will bow and the new creation will be filled with God's glory.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Jesus Christ fulfill the role of 'the desire of all nations' as the One who satisfies humanity's deepest longings?
  2. In what ways do you see nations and systems being 'shaken' today as God advances His kingdom purposes?
  3. How does understanding believers as God's temple—filled with His Spirit's glory—transform your view of the church's significance compared to worldly power and institutions?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 16 words
וְהִרְעַשְׁתִּי֙1 of 16

“And I will shake”

H7493

to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.; also a field of grain), particularly through fear; specifically, to spring (as a locust)

אֶת2 of 16
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

כָּל3 of 16
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

הַגּוֹיִ֑ם4 of 16

“all nations”

H1471

a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts

וּבָ֖אוּ5 of 16

“shall come”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

חֶמְדַּ֣ת6 of 16

“and the desire”

H2532

delight

כָּל7 of 16
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

הַגּוֹיִ֑ם8 of 16

“all nations”

H1471

a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts

וּמִלֵּאתִ֞י9 of 16

“and I will fill”

H4390

to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)

אֶת10 of 16
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

הַבַּ֤יִת11 of 16

“this house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

הַזֶּה֙12 of 16
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

כָּב֔וֹד13 of 16

“with glory”

H3519

properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness

אָמַ֖ר14 of 16

“saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֥ה15 of 16

“the LORD”

H3068

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

צְבָאֽוֹת׃16 of 16

“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

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 2:7 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 2:7 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Malachi 3:11 Kings 8:11John 7:37-39Luke 2:10-11Genesis 49:10Daniel 2:44-45

Test Your Knowledge

Haggai 2 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterHaggai Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Haggai 2 with CommentaryAll Haggai ChaptersComplete Haggai QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes