I will shake all nations: These words continue the theme of the previous verse. The picture shifts from an earthquake to the area of politics, so Good News Translation translates shake as “overthrow,” which is a possible interpretation. But the image should be kept, if possible, leaving readers to imagine the effects of a nation being “shaken” by an almighty God. In some languages shake or “overthrow” will be rendered as “destroy the power of.” Nations refers to gentile nations.

So that the treasures of all nations shall come in: As a result of this upheaval, the treasures belonging to the gentiles will come in, that is to Jerusalem. Although this passage has Messianic overtones of a general kind, the personal reference found in King James Version “the desire of all nations shall come” cannot be supported by the Hebrew. It is in fact based on a mistranslation in the Vulgate. The verb in Hebrew is plural, which indicates that the singular noun that is its subject should either be taken as having a collective meaning or else should be read with different vowels as a plural passive participle meaning “what is desired.” This latter interpretation is supported by the Septuagint. Revised Standard Version translates the subject as treasures (as do Good News Translation, New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible/Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation). The same thought is found in Isa 60.5. In languages that prefer a personal subject, this clause may be expressed as “all the [gentile] nations will bring their treasures here,” meaning of course to Jerusalem. It is also possible to maintain the LORD as the subject, and say, “I will bring in the treasures of all the nations.” Treasures may also be rendered as “riches” (Bible en français courant), “expensive possessions,” or “precious things.”

And I will fill this house with splendor: As a result of the arrival of the treasures of all the nations, the Temple will be filled with splendor. The word translated splendor (compare New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible) is “wealth” in Good News Translation. Many modern versions have “glory” (New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation). It could thus be a reference to 1 Kgs 8.10-11, where Solomon’s Temple was filled with the glory of the LORD at its dedication. However, most modern commentators take the context here in Haggai to show that material wealth is intended. This is supported both by the reference to treasures in the earlier part of the verse, and by the mention of “silver” and “gold” in the next verse.

For the closing words, says the LORD of hosts, see the comments on verse 4. Here the clause marks the climax of the discourse unit, and translators should indicate this if the resources of their language allow them to do so.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• I will destroy the power of [or, shake] all the nations, and they will bring their expensive possessions here, so that the Temple [or, my house] will be filled with precious things.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Haggai. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .