Haggai 2

1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai.

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

2 Say to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remaining people,

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 Is there anyone left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it seem like nothing to you?

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 So then be strong, Zerubbabel! Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, high priest! Be strong, all you people who remain in the land! Work, for I am with you, says the Lord Almighty.

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 Just as I promised you when you left Egypt, my Spirit continues to be among you. Don't be afraid!

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

6 This is what the Lord Almighty says: Soon I will shake the heavens and the earth once more, and 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 the one desired by all of the nations will come and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord Almighty.

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 Almighty.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,

9 The glory of this second house will be greater than the first, says the Lord Almighty, and I will bring peace in this place. So declares the Lord Almighty.

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 the reign of king Darius, the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai.

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 Almighty says: Ask the priests about the law.

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

12 If someone carries some meat from a holy sacrifice in a fold of their clothes and that fold touches some bread or stew or wine or olive oil or any other kind of food, does that food become holy?” And the priests answered, “No.”

“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 Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes unclean by touching a dead body and then touches any of these foods, do they become unclean?” The priests answered, “Yes, it does become unclean.”

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 responded, “This is how it is with these people, and with the nation before me, says the Lord. All that they do, every offering they bring, is unclean.”

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 think about what you're doing from this day on. Before a stone was laid on another stone in the house of the Lord,

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

16 how was it for you? You expected a store of grain with twenty measures but only found ten. You thought you could empty out fifty measures from the winepress but there was only 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 with blight and mildew and hail everything you were working so hard for, but even so you refused to come back to me, says 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 Think about what you're doing from this day on, today the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month when a foundation was laid for the house of the Lord. Think about it:

“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 the seed is still in the barn. The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate tree, and the olive tree have not yet given 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 The Lord sent another message through the prophet Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

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, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I will shake the heavens and the earth;

22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the nations' kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots and their riders. The horses and riders will fall, and the men will kill each other by the sword.

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

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.