A Temporary and Typical Setback: So far, so good. The return home, the construction of an altar to get worship started, and the laying of the temple foundation had marked the first phase of fulfilling the mission given through Cyrus to rebuild the temple. The second phase, building the temple itself, was to last longer than twenty years. We have to wait until 6:15 to read of its completion. This second phase, with its long delay and fresh start, is narrated in 4:1–6:22. Echoes of 4:1–5 in 6:21–22 reveal that these passages supply a literary framework. The concern of chapter 4 is the delay. Haggai gave internal reasons for it, accusing the community of wrong priorities and mentioning harsh economic conditions (Hag. 1:2–11). Our narrator traced the delay to another factor—external opposition…