“Now, Be Strong”: The Imperative of Divine Encouragement in Haggai 2:4

וְעַתָּ֣ה חֲזַ֣ק זְרֻבָּבֶ֣ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֡ה וַחֲזַ֣ק יְהֹושֻׁ֣עַ בֶּן־יְהֹוצָדָק֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּדֹ֜ול וַחֲזַ֨ק כָּל־עַ֥ם הָאָ֛רֶץ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה וַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י אִתְּכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃

In the prophetic call of Chaggai 2:4, God speaks directly to the leaders and people of post-exilic Judah. After a long silence and a people demoralized by the modest state of the Second Temple’s reconstruction, this verse is a rallying cry: “Now, be strong!” — repeated three times, once for each key figure or group in the rebuilding effort.

Beneath its urgent tone lies a striking grammatical phenomenon: the imperative form used not only for humans but as a performative act of divine empowerment. This repetition of חֲזַק (“be strong”) is more than an exhortation; it is a linguistic embodiment of strength itself — a word that does what it says.

“Be Strong!”: A Triple Command with Divine Force

The verse opens with a dramatic escalation:

וְעַתָּה חֲזַק זְרֻבָּבֶל… וַחֲזַק יְהוֹשֻׁעַ… וַחֲזַק כָּל־עַם הָאָרֶץ

“Now be strong, Zerubbabel… be strong, Joshua… be strong, all you people of the land.”

This triple imperative is unusual. Typically, Biblical Hebrew avoids repeating the same verb stem (here, Qal imperative masculine singular) so closely. But here, the repetition builds momentum — each “be strong” reinforcing the previous one, until the entire community is addressed in a crescendo of encouragement.

This syntactic structure mirrors the theological message: strength is not reserved for leaders alone — it is extended to the priest, and finally, to the entire people. Each layer of society receives the command, and thus, the promise of divine presence.

From Command to Commission: “Do It, For I Am With You”

After the imperatives comes the final directive:

וַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּי־אֲנִי אִתְּכֶם נְאֻם־יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת

“And do it! For I am with you,” says the Lord of Hosts.

The verb וַֽעֲשׂוּ — “and do it!” — is a plural imperative, addressing the entire community. It follows naturally from the earlier commands to Zerubbabel and Joshua, now expanding to include all who must participate in the rebuilding.

But what makes this clause especially powerful is the juxtaposition of human action (וַֽעֲשׂוּ) with divine assurance (כִּי־אֲנִי אִתְּכֶם). In just a few words, the text encapsulates the core theology of prophetic motivation: human initiative empowered by divine presence.

The Power of Performative Language: When Words Create Strength

Imperatives are usually directed at those capable of immediate response. But in this context — a discouraged people facing the daunting task of rebuilding the Temple — these commands are not simply motivational slogans. They are performative speech acts — words that generate the very strength they demand.

This kind of language appears elsewhere in prophetic literature when divine empowerment is at stake:

הִתְפַּחֲדוּ וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ לָכֶם אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshua 10:10)

קוּמוּ עֹורְרוּ מִשְׁפָּט לְפָנַי (Yeshayahu 51:4)

In each case, the imperative is not just a call to action — it is a call to identity and purpose. And in Chaggai, the repeated חֲזַק functions the same way: it is not merely saying “be strong,” but making it possible to become strong through divine utterance.

The Word That Builds the House

In the end, Chaggai 2:4 is not just a call to rebuild a temple — it is a declaration of how language can shape reality. Through the power of repeated imperatives, God does not merely command strength — He bestows it. He does not merely ask for action — He enables it by His presence.

This verse reminds us that in Biblical Hebrew, grammar is never neutral. Every tense, every repetition, every shift in voice carries theological weight. And here, in this short but potent line, we hear the echo of divine encouragement across centuries: not only to the builders of old, but to all who seek to rise from discouragement and build anew.