Haggai 2

1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying:

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

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:

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

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

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?

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

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.

5 The word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt have I established, and My spirit abideth among you; fear ye not.

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

6 For thus saith the LORD 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 Lord Almighty says: Soon I will shake the heavens and the earth once more, and the sea and the dry land.

7 and I will shake all nations, and the choicest things of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

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.

8 Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold, saith the LORD of hosts.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord Almighty.

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

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.

10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying:

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.

11 'Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests for instruction, saying:

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: Ask the priests about the law.

12 If one bear hallowed 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 be holy?' And the priests answered and said: 'No.'

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.”

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

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.”

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

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.”

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

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,

16 through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the winevat to draw out fifty press-measures, there were but twenty;

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.

17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the work of your hands; yet ye turned not to Me, saith the LORD —

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.

18 consider, I pray you, from this day and forward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, consider it;

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:

19 is the seed yet in the barn? yea, the vine, and the fig-tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive-tree hath not brought forth — from this day will I bless you.'

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.

20 And the word of the LORD came the second time unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying:

The Lord sent another message through the prophet Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

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

Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, I am going to shake the heavens 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 in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

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.

23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.'

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.