Haggai 2

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

on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet,

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,

telling him to speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the rest of the people:

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 is left among you that saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Doesn’t it seem as though there is nothing there?

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.

The Lord says: Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel, be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, be strong, all you people of the land. The Lord says: Begin the work, for I am with you. The Lord of hosts says:

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.”

When your ancestors left Egypt I made a promise to you, and I am still with you. Do not be afraid!

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.

The Lord of hosts says: In a little while, I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the 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 will shake all nations, and the precious things of all nations shall come here; and I will fill this temple with glory. The Lord of hosts says:

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

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,

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.”

The later glory of this temple shall be greater than the former. The Lord of hosts says: In this place I will grant prosperity. This is the message of the Lord 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,

In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet:

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

The Lord of hosts says: “Ask the priests for a ruling:

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.

‘If one carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and with that garment touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any food, will it become holy?’” And the priests answered: “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.

Then said Haggai, “If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” And the priests answered: “It would be 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.

Haggai replied: “So is this people and so is this nation before me, the Lord declares, and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

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

Think back from this day, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord.

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.

How were you? When you came to a heap of grain expecting twenty measures, there were only ten; when you came to the wine vat to draw out fifty vessels, there were only 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 struck all the work of your hands with blasting and blight, with mildew and with hail. Yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says the Lord,

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:

‘Think back from this day, think! From the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundations of the temple of the Lord were laid, and consider.

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.”

The seed is in the granary, but the vine and the fig tree and the pomegranate and the olive tree have not yet brought forth fruit. From this day will I bless you.’”

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

This message from the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

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

Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I will shake 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 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 by the sword of his fellow.

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, the Lord of hosts says, I will take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, the Lord says, and will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, the Lord of hosts says.