Haggai 2

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

In the seventh [month], on the twenty-first of the month, a word of YHWH has been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying,

2 “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,

“Now speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

3 ‘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?’

Who among you has been left that saw this house in its former glory? And what are you seeing it now? Is it not, compared with it, as nothing in your eyes?

4 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.

And now, be strong, O Zerubbabel,” A declaration of YHWH, “And be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest, And be strong, all you people of the land,” A declaration of YHWH, “And do, for I [am] with you,” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

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

“The thing that I covenanted with you, In your coming forth from Egypt, And My Spirit is remaining in your midst, do not fear.”

6 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.

For thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Yet once more—it [is] a little, And I am shaking the heavens and the earth, And the sea, and the dry land,

7 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.

And I have shaken all the nations, And they have come [to] the desire of all the nations, And I have filled this house [with] glory,” said YHWH of Hosts.

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

“The silver [is] Mine, and the gold [is] Mine,” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

9 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.”

“Greater is the glory of this latter house, Than of the former,” said YHWH of Hosts, “And I give peace in this place,” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

10 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,

On the twenty-fourth of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, a word of YHWH has been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying,

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

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Now ask the priests of the Law, saying,

12 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.

Behold, [when] one carries holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and he has come with his skirt against the bread, or against the stew, or against the wine, or against the oil, or against any food—is it holy?” And the priests answer and say, “No.”

13 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.

And Haggai says, “If the unclean of body comes against any of these, is it unclean?” And the priests answer and say, “It is unclean.”

14 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.

And Haggai answers and says, “So [is] this people, and so [is] this nation before Me,” a declaration of YHWH, “and so [is] every work of their hands, and that which they bring near there—it is unclean.

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

And now, please lay [it] to your heart, From this day and onward, Before the laying of stone to stone in the temple of YHWH.

16 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.

From that time [one] has come to a heap of twenty, And it has been ten, He has come to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures, And it has been twenty.

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

I have struck you with blasting, And with mildew, and with hail—All the work of your hands, And there is none of you with Me,” A declaration of YHWH.

18 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:

“Now set [it] to your heart, from this day and onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth [month], even from the day that the temple of YHWH has been founded, set [it] to your heart.

19 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.”

Is the seed yet in the barn? And until now the vine and the fig, And the pomegranate, and the olive-tree, Have not borne—from this day I bless.”

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

And there is a word of YHWH a second time to Haggai, on the twenty-fourth of the month, saying,

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

“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, I am shaking the heavens and the earth,

22 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.

And have overturned the throne of kingdoms, And I have destroyed the strength of kingdoms of the nations, And overturned chariot and its charioteers, And horses and their riders have come down, Each by the sword of his brother.

23 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.”

In that day,” a declaration of YHWH of Hosts, “I take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,” A declaration of YHWH, “And have set you as a signet, For I have fixed on you,” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts!