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By the "glory" is here meant the Shechinah, or bright cloud, emblematic of God's presence and protection, which hovered over the Holy of Holies.

I. THE TWO PERMANENT BUILDINGS WHICH THE JEWS ERECTED. David was grieved because, while he was accommodated in a palace of cedar, the Divine presence dwelt within curtains. He made preparations for a magnificent and durable temple. By the building of this structure, in the time of Solomon, an important promise was faithfully performed. At the consecration of it the personal Jehovah descended His radiant cloud, which filled the house as an emblem of His taking possession of it. In a night vision He assured Solomon that He had chosen this house as the home where His honour, His glory should dwell. Solomon's temple subsisted upwards of four hundred years, when it was utterly demolished by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. When the captives, returned to Jerusalem they began to rebuild the temple, but were discouraged and delayed. To cheer them Haggai was sent, and he was to give this assurance, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former."

II. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH FULFILLED THIS PREDICTION. It is said to be clearly proved that Herod reared his temple on the yet standing foundations of the temple of Zerubbabel. The superior glory of the second temple could not have been any glory that Herod added to it; it must have rested on something spiritual. Haggai explains thus. — He who should be desired and expected by all nations, both Jews and Gentiles, — "shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts." Four years after the superstructure of Herod was fully built upon the foundations of the temple of Zerubbabel, the infant Jesus was introduced into that temple. The presence of Christ is the grand circumstance which verified the prediction of Haggai. Another point in which the glory of the latter house was greater than the glory of the former was the Court of the Gentiles. The temple of Solomon had only two courts — that of the priests and that of the Israelites. The Gentiles were considered as profane; and unless converted, and wholly adopting the Jewish religion, disregarded and despised. This outer court in the second temple admitted all men to a certain consideration among the chosen people. This was a step toward the further admission of the nations into the entire covenant of peace.

(J. Grant.)

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

WEB: The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,' says Yahweh of Armies.