Haggai 2

1 In the seventh [month], on the one and twentieth [day] of the month, came the word of Jehovah by the prophet Haggai, saying,

On October 17 [of that year], Yahweh gave [me], the prophet Haggai, [another] message.

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,

[The message was that I should] say this to Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and to the other people who were still alive [in Jerusalem]:

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

“Do any of you remember how glorious our former temple was? [If you do, ] what does it look like to you now? It must seem like nothing at all.

4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel, saith Jehovah; and be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith Jehovah, and work: for I am with you, saith Jehovah of hosts.

But now the Commander of the armies of angels says to [all of you], to Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of you people who live in this nation, ‘[Do not be discouraged; ] be strong [DOU], and work [to build this new temple], because I will (be with/help) you.

5 The word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, and my Spirit, remain among you: fear ye not.

My Spirit remains among you, like I promised your [ancestors] when they left Egypt. [So] do not be afraid!’”

6 For thus saith 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];

This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “Soon I will shake the sky and the earth, the oceans and the land again.

7 and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith Jehovah of hosts.

I will shake [again the people of] all the nations, and as a result they will bring their treasures [to this temple]. I will fill this temple with [my] glory.

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

The silver and the gold [that they own] are [really] mine, [so they will bring them to me].

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

[Then] this temple will be more glorious than the former/previous [temple was]. And I will cause things to go well for you all. [That will surely happen because I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, have said it.”

10 On the four and twentieth [day] of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying,

On December 18 of that year, Yahweh gave [another] message to [me], the prophet Haggai.

11 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the priests [concerning] the law, saying,

This is what the Commander of the armies of angels said to me: “Ask the priests [this question] about what is written in the laws [of Moses about sacrifices]:

12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food — shall it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

‘If one [of you priests takes from the altar some] meat that was sacrificed and is carrying it in his robes, if his robe touches [some] bread or stew or wine or [olive] oil or some other food, does that food also become (holy/acceptable for a sacrifice)?’” [When he said that to] the priests, they replied, “No.”

13 And Haggai said, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, is it become unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

Then Haggai asked them, “If someone becomes unacceptable to God by touching a corpse, and [then he] touches any of those foods, will the food [also] become unacceptable to God?” The priests replied, “Yes.”

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

Then Haggai replied, “Yahweh says [this]: ‘It is the same with you people and with this nation. Everything that you do and [all the sacrifices] that you all offer are unacceptable to me [because of the sins that you have committed].

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

Think about what has been happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of my temple.

16 — before those [days] were, when one came to a heap of twenty [measures], there were but ten; when one came to the vat to draw out fifty press-measures, there were but twenty.

When you expected [to harvest] 20 bushels [of grain, you harvested] only ten bushels. When someone went to a [big] wine vat to get 50 gallons [of wine], there were only 20 [gallons in the vat].

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

I sent (blight/hot winds) and mildew and hail to destroy all your crops. But still you did not return to me.

18 Consider, I pray you, from this day and onward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth [month], from the day that the foundation of Jehovah's temple was laid, consider [it].

Starting from this day, December 18, the day when [you] have laid the foundation of my [new] temple, continue to think carefully [about your situation].

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 will I bless [you].

Is there now [RHQ] [any grain] seed left in your barns? [No, because you have eaten the small amount that you harvested]. And there is no fruit on your grapevines and fig trees and pomegranate [trees] and olive trees. But, from now on, I will bless you!’”

20 And the word of Jehovah came the second time unto Haggai on the four and twentieth [day] of the month, saying,

On that same day, Yahweh gave another message to me.

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

[He said, ] “Tell Zerubbabel the governor of Judah that I am going to shake the sky 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 that ride therein; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

I will end the power of the kings of [many] nations [DOU]. I will cause their chariots and their drivers, their horses and [the soldiers] who are riding on them to be destroyed. [What will happen is that I will cause the soldiers] to kill each other with their swords.

23 In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will I take thee, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant, saith Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith Jehovah of hosts.

Zerubbabel, you serve [me well]. So [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, declare that [like kings wear] signet rings [to show that they have authority to rule people], I will appoint you and cause you [to have authority to rule]. I will do that because I have chosen you. [That will surely happen because I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, have said it.”