The term Lord of hosts
(Hebrew, yahweh tseba’oth) is a divine title, appearing fourteen times in Haggai (see also Haggai 1:5, Haggai 1:7,Haggai 1:9, Haggai 1:14; Haggai 2:4,Haggai 2:6, Haggai 2:7, Haggai 2:8,Haggai 2:9, Haggai 2:11, Haggai 2:23). In much of Israelite history, this name was used to conjure up notions of war; in various places the term tseba’oth (of hosts,
or Almighty
) is used to speak of an army unit (Judges 8:6; Judges 9:29), and the army of the Lord (Joshua 5:14–15; 1 Kings 22:19). But the consistent use of the term in prophetic material generally and the prophetic books of the Persian period more particularly shows that the term, in reference to God, is not really used in the context of war, but is a name that refers chiefly to the majestic sovereignty of the Lord.1
2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.”