< Haggai 1 >

1 In the second year of the reign of king Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, stating
2 The Lord Almighty says this: the people say, “This isn't the proper time to rebuild the Lord's house.”
that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.’”
3 Then the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai, saying,
Then the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying:
4 Is it the proper time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house remains a ruin?
“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”
5 So the Lord Almighty says this: Think about what you're doing!
Now this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways.
6 You have sown much but harvested little. You eat but you're still hungry. You drink but you're still thirsty. You put on clothes but you're still cold. You work hard to earn money but put it in a bag full of holes.
You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”
7 The Lord Almighty says this: Think about what you're doing!
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways.
8 Go into the hills and bring wood to build the house. This will please me and honor me, says the Lord.
Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD.
9 You were hoping for so much, but look, it turned out to be so little. Everything you brought home I blew away. And why was that? Because my house remains a ruin while you are preoccupied with building your own houses, declares the Lord Almighty.
You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the LORD of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.
10 That's why the clouds of heaven refused to send rain, and the earth refused to produce crops.
Therefore, on account of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth has withheld its crops.
11 I called for a drought on the land, on the hills, on the grain fields, on the vineyards, and on the olive groves—on whatever the earth produces—and on people and livestock, on everything you do!
I have summoned a drought on the fields and on the mountains, on the grain, new wine, and oil, and on whatever the ground yields, on man and beast, and on all the labor of your hands.”
12 Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, together with all the remaining people, paid attention to what the Lord said, and to the words of Haggai the prophet that the Lord their God had sent. The people showed reverence before the Lord.
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. So the people feared the LORD.
13 Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, delivered this message from the Lord telling the people, I am with you! says the Lord.
Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, delivered the message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD.
14 The Lord inspired Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remaining people. They came and began work on the house of the Lord Almighty.
So the LORD stirred the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and began the work on the house of the LORD of Hosts, their God,
15 This happened on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of the reign of king Darius.
on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.

< Haggai 1 >