The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

236 THE DREAM OF A NEW JERUSALEM AT QUMRAN
The new exodus would be followed by the restoration of Jerusalem:
“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;
break forth into singing and cry aloud,
you who have not been in travail!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
Enlarge the place of your tent,
and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
hold not back, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,
and your descendants will possess the nations
and will people the desolate cities.”…
“O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles,
and all your wall of precious stones.” (Isa 54:1–3, 11–12 RSV)
Although the second temple, dedicated in 515 B.C.E., was similar in
design to the first temple, it was more modest. Perhaps because of the
memory of the first temple or because of the expectations raised by
prophets like Ezekiel and the successors of Isaiah, at least some of the
people were dissatisfied with the second temple. Haggai was commissioned
to say to the remnant of the people:
Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory?
How do you see it now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? (Hag 2:3 RSV
[modified]) 29
But the prophet attempted to transform this disappointment into
renewed hope:
For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake
the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all
nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this
house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine and the gold
is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be
greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give
prosperity. (Hag 2:6–9 RSV)
During the Persian period and under the governor Nehemiah,
Jerusalem became the administrative and religious capital of Judea.
29. Cf. Ezra 3:12. Busink interprets Hag 2:3 as referring to the ruins of the temple
of Solomon (Der Tempel von Jerusalem, 2:776).