Haggai 2:7 speaks about the coming of "the desired of nations". Christians say this is a reference to the messiah. But I'm wondering if any of the sages - the commentaries or targum or midrash agreed and saw it as a reference to the coming of the messiah? Can you please check? The only possible reference I know is Sanhedrin 97.
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1I don't understand why it would refer to the messiah: In the Hebrew the verse says "וּבָאוּ חֶמְדַּת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם", in plural. If it refers to the messiah, shouldn't it have said "וּבָא חֶמְדַּת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם", in singular?– Tamir EvanSep 22, 2021 at 15:16
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@TamirEvan now go try explain that to Christians. Probably won't work...– Harel13Sep 22, 2021 at 17:48
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@TamirEvan Yah the thing is the verb is plural but the subject is singular. So if it was referring to wealth- wealth shouldve been in the plural. But if referring to messiah- the verb shouldve been singular. There may be a scribal error here or an error with the vowels.– MoonSep 24, 2021 at 10:44
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@Moon For me there is a better possibility: the verse is what's called a "מקרא קצר" (an elliptical verse, like Rashi says about "וימלא אחרי", "he hath filled after Me", in Numbers 14:24), and means "וּבָאוּ [אלו שהם] חֶמְדַּת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם" ("and came [those/them that are] the desired of nations"). I don't need to resort here to claims of scribal/vowelization errors.– Tamir EvanSep 24, 2021 at 11:32
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1 Answer
None that I can see (not Targum Yonatan, Tanchuma, Tanchuma Buber, Otzar Hamidrashim, Shemot Rabbah, or the following commentators: Ibn Ezra, Malbim, Metzudat David, Metzudat Tzion, Radak and Hoil Moshe). They all say it refers to physical wealth (gold, silver, riches, etc).
Edit: The commentary of the student of the RI"D (can be found here) says that it refers to the armies of Gog and Magog.
Rabbi Yosef Kara (see the link before the previous one) says it refers to the Land of Israel.