The interpretation timeline

Hag 1:1

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

Hag 1:1 · Douay-Rheims
“In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Aggeus the prophet, to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, governor of Juda, and to Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, saying:”
Patristic before A.D. 750
420
A.D.
Jerome Patristic
c. A.D. 347–420
“The sword of God, which is the living Word of God, strikes through the things that people of their own accord, without the authority and testimonies of Scripture, invent and think up, pretending that it is apostolic tradition.”
420
A.D.
Jerome Patristic
c. A.D. 347–420
“While you are reflecting upon this thought, meditate upon the mystery that is hidden within it. If we lift up our hands, Jesus triumphs. If we lift up our hands in good works, through our good works, Christ overcomes the devil. Hands, moreover, connote good works, whereupon it is written: "The word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai"; "the word that came by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet." To be sure, the word of the Lord does not come by the hand but by the mouth, but grasp the mysticism of the Scripture. God does not come because of words but because of good works.”
Source
163 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
583
A.D.
Cassiodorus Patristic
c. A.D. 487–583
“"The rejoicings of the Lord are in their throats, and two-edged swords in their hands to execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people." We must observe how beautiful, how useful these differing expressions are. Earlier he said that the saints rejoice in their beds; now he says that the Lord's rejoicings are set in their throats, the sense being that they never cease to praise, whether in thought or in tongue, him from whom they obtain eternal gifts. He also moves on to explain the power that they wield, with the words "and two-edged swords in their hands." The two-edged sword is the word of the Lord Savior, of which Christ himself says in the Gospel: "I have come not to send peace to the earth but a sword." It is a two-edged sword because it contains two Testaments. First it separated Jews from Gentiles; subsequently it segregated and cut off Christians from the enticements of the whole world. There is one sword but two ways of cutting that he grants to the chosen peoples at various selected moments of time. So the prophet says that these swords are in their hands, in other words, in the power of the saints, as Scripture has it: "The word of the Lord came to the hand of Haggai the prophet." So the blessed ones will assume this power and pass judgment in company with the Lord. As Scripture says, "You shall sit on twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." For note what follows: "To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people." This truly takes place when they shall judge in company with the Lord.”
Source
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.