Haggai 2:15—Why does this verse imply that the building of the temple began in 520 b.c.?

Problem: Haggai 2:15 implies that the building of the temple did not begin until 520 b.c.Ezra 3:8–13 claims that the rebuilding of the temple began in about 536 b.c., while Ezra 4:24 says the rebuilding of the temple took place during the reign of Darius, king of Persia. Which one of these is correct?

Solution: All of them are correct. They are simply referring to different aspects of the work. For a discussion of these passages see under Ezra 3:10.

This excerpt is from When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992). © 2014 Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Click here to purchase this book.