The Meaning of Haggai 2:22 Explained

Haggai 2:22

KJV: And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

YLT: And have overturned the throne of kingdoms, And I have destroyed the strength of kingdoms of the nations, And overturned chariot and its charioteers, And come down have horses and their riders, Each by the sword of his brother.

Darby: and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride therein; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

ASV: and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will overthrow  the throne  of kingdoms,  and I will destroy  the strength  of the kingdoms  of the heathen;  and I will overthrow  the chariots,  and those that ride  in them; and the horses  and their riders  shall come down,  every one  by the sword  of his brother. 

What does Haggai 2:22 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord announced that He was going to overthrow the rulers of the nations of the earth (cf. Exodus 15:5; Daniel 2:34-35; Daniel 2:44-45). He would defeat their armies by turning them against each other (cf. Zechariah 12:2-9; Zechariah 14:1-5; Revelation 16:16-18; Revelation 19:11-21).

Context Summary

Haggai 2:10-23 - God's Judgment Upon The Nations
Two months after the foregoing prophecy, the prophet again remonstrated with the people for still neglecting the Temple, though they appear to have maintained religious rites. As the holy flesh did not sanctify what it touched, so religious observance did not compensate for neglecting the Temple; such neglect would make their service unclean, Haggai 2:14. The earnest toils of the people had met with persistent unsuccess because God was against them, but from the moment of their repentance He would bless them, Haggai 2:18-19. Amid all the upheavals described in Haggai 2:7 the Jews would be preserved, and their safety guaranteed. Disturbances preceded the Savior's first advent, as they will the second; but amid the shaking and overthrowing that are ushering in the new era, let us not fear. All that cannot be shaken will remain; and as God remembered Noah amid the tossings of the deluge, He will care for us, not because of our deserts, but because of His grace. We did not choose Him, but He us [source]

Chapter Summary: Haggai 2

1  He encourages the people to the work,
4  by promise of greater glory to the second temple than was in the first
10  In the type of holy things and unclean he shows their sins hindered the work
20  God's promise to Zerubbabel

What do the individual words in Haggai 2:22 mean?

and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms and I will destroy the strength of kingdoms of the nations and I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them and shall come down the horses and their riders every one by the sword of his brother
וְהָֽפַכְתִּי֙ כִּסֵּ֣א מַמְלָכ֔וֹת וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔י חֹ֖זֶק מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְהָפַכְתִּ֤י מֶרְכָּבָה֙ וְרֹ֣כְבֶ֔יהָ וְיָרְד֤וּ סוּסִים֙ וְרֹ֣כְבֵיהֶ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ בְּחֶ֥רֶב אָחִֽיו

וְהָֽפַכְתִּי֙  and  I  will  overthrow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
כִּסֵּ֣א  the  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
מַמְלָכ֔וֹת  of  kingdoms 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔י  and  I  will  destroy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַד  
Sense: to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated.
חֹ֖זֶק  the  strength 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֹזֶק  
Sense: strength.
מַמְלְכ֣וֹת  of  kingdoms 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
הַגּוֹיִ֑ם  of  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
וְהָפַכְתִּ֤י  and  I  will  overthrow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
מֶרְכָּבָה֙  the  chariots 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.
וְרֹ֣כְבֶ֔יהָ  and  those  who  ride  in  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: רָכַב  
Sense: to mount and ride, ride.
וְיָרְד֤וּ  and  shall  come  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
סוּסִים֙  the  horses 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
וְרֹ֣כְבֵיהֶ֔ם  and  their  riders 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רָכַב  
Sense: to mount and ride, ride.
אִ֖ישׁ  every  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בְּחֶ֥רֶב  by  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
אָחִֽיו  of  his  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.