Haggai 2

1 In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, the word of Jehovah came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying:

2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and also to the remnant of the people. Ask them,

3 Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? And how do ye see it now? Is it not in your eyes as nothing?

‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not appear to you like nothing in comparison?’

4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says Jehovah, and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and be strong, all ye people of the land, says Jehovah, and work. For I am with you, says Jehovah of hosts,

But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work! For I am with you, declares the LORD of Hosts.

5 according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, and my Spirit abode among you. Fear ye not.

This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you; do not be afraid.”

6 For thus says Jehovah of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.

For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

7 And I will shake all nations, and the precious things of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Jehovah of hosts.

I will shake all the nations, and they will come with all their treasures, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Hosts.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says Jehovah of hosts.

The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, declares the LORD of Hosts.

9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says Jehovah of hosts, and in this place I will give peace, says Jehovah of hosts.

The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says the LORD of Hosts. And in this place I will provide peace, declares the LORD of Hosts.”

10 In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Jehovah came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying,

11 Thus says Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling.

12 If a man bears holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt touches bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?’” “No,” replied the priests.

13 Then Haggai said, If a man who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.

14 Then Haggai answered and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, says Jehovah, and so is every work of their hands. And that which they offer there is unclean.

Then Haggai replied, “So it is with this people and this nation before Me, declares the LORD, and so it is with every work of their hands; whatever they offer there is defiled.

15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of Jehovah.

Now consider carefully from this day forward: Before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,

16 Through all that time, when a man came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When he came to the wine vat to draw out fifty vessels, there were but twenty.

from that time, when one came expecting a heap of twenty ephahs of grain, there were but ten. When one came to the winepress to draw out fifty baths, there were but twenty.

17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the work of your hands, yet ye turned not to me, says Jehovah.

I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew, and hail, but you did not turn to Me, declares the LORD.

18 Consider, I pray you, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of Jehovah's temple was laid, consider it.

Consider carefully from this day forward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider carefully:

19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not brought forth. From this day I will bless you.

Is there still seed in the barn? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet yielded fruit. But from this day on, I will bless you.”

20 And the word of Jehovah came the second time to Haggai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,

For the second time that day, the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to Haggai, saying,

21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth.

“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth:

22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. And I will overthrow the chariots, and those who ride in them. And the horses and their riders shall come down, each one by the sword of his brother.

I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their riders; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.

23 In that day, says Jehovah of hosts, I will take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, says Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet. For I have chosen thee, says Jehovah of hosts.

On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will take you, My servant, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and I will make you like My signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of Hosts.”