Haggai: Structure and Meaning 533 part(10). This division is also supported by the fact that the concluding formula “says the LORD of hosts” ends the second and the fourth oracles only; in the first and the third there is no closing formula. These findings establish the division of the four oracles into two parts: at the beginning of the first part there is a full date indicating the start of the two oracles that end with the closing “says the LORD of hosts” at the end of the second oracle. The third oracle starts again with a full date to indicate the start of a new part, and the fourth oracle ends with the formula “says the LORD of hosts” as in the conclusion of the first part. After establishing the two parts of the book, each made up of two oracles, we find that there is a close connection between the first elements of the two parts, i.e. the first and the third oracles, and between the second elements in each part, i.e. the second and the fourth oracles (11). 3. The First and the Third Oracles In both these oracles the prophet makes allegations against “this people” (1,2; 2,14). This expression does not appear in the other two oracles (12). In both oracles the situation depicted is of economic distress, which is described similarly. The two oracles present two different aspects of the economic distress. Severe natural disasters cause extensive damage to the agricultural produce. The first oracle speaks of drought, 1,10-11, and in third the disasters are blight, mildew and hail: 2,17.19. In both oracles there is an additional economic difficulty: the people work hard but for little yield, 1,6; 2,15. Both descriptions relate also to an emotional disappointment in light of the small crop as against the high expectations. In both oracles the explanation of the difficult economic situation is the destruction of the Temple, and the people’s failure to rebuild it, and in both the prophet maintains that with the construction of the Temple the economic problem will be solved, 1,4.8-11. In the third oracle the prophet declares that on the day of laying of the Temple’s foundation, the economic problem will improve, 2,18-19. In both oracles Haggai demands that the people consider their actions well and mend their ways. Both use the expression: µkykrd l[ µkbbl wmyç (1,5, 7) µkbbl an wmyç (2,15,18). This expression with its variations appears in the (10) Many scholars think that 15b is actually the introduction to 2:1-9, see e.g.: BHS; MITCHELL, Haggai, 58; H.W. WOLFF, Haggai. A Commentary (Minneapolis 1988) 59; Verhoef proposed that this verse functions in a double role, it concludes the preceding oracle, but also is part of the introduction to the next one. See: VERHOEF, “Notes on the Dates in the Book of Haggai”, 262. However, the structure of the Book proves that indeed it is intentional that the first and third oracles only have a full date, while the second and the fourth have a short version of the date. (11) See also: B. CHILDS, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture (Philadelphia 1979) 469-470; KESSLER, The Book of Haggai, 250-251, who both speak of a ABAB structure. (12) Townsend has noticed some of the connections between 1,1-11 and 2,10-19, and demonstrated a similar structure of these oracles. See: T.N. TOWNSEND, “Additional Comments on Haggai II 10-19”, VT 18 (1968) 559-560. Some have noticed a few connections between the first oracle and 2,15-19. But this was used to sustain the opinion that the later unit should be replaced after 1,15a. See Wolff, Haggai, 60.