DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS, THE. This phrase is found only in Haggai 2:7 (KJV) in a context prob. quoted in Hebrews 12:26, 27. The prophet predicts glory for Zerubbabel’s temple greater in the future than in the present. The v. is often taken as a Messianic prediction like several vv. of Haggai’s compatriot, Zechariah (Zech 3:8; 9:9). The RSV (Hag 2:7) trs. “the treasures of all nations shall come in” (ASV similar), taking the v. to mean that the temple will be enriched by foreign gifts or tribute. This reading changes the sing. noun “desire” to a pl. to agree with the verb. The LXX supports this reading, but the Vul., Syr., and Targ. are against it. The tr. “treasures” for this word is not witnessed elsewhere. It seems from the context that the prophet was looking to the distant future. In Haggai 2:22, 23 he apparently refers to Zerubbabel symbolically as the Messiah, just as Zechariah 6:12 does to Joshua. Haggai 2:7 possibly refers not to the arrival of the Messiah, but to the coming of the leaders of the Gentiles (Gr. eklekta) to join in worship in the Messianic age.