Haggai 2

1 In the seventh [month], on the twenty-first of the month, a word of YHWH has been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying,

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

2 “Now speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Josedech, 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 among you has been left that saw this house in its former glory? And what are you seeing it now? Is it not, compared with it, 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 And now, be strong, O Zerubbabel,” A declaration of YHWH, “And be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest, And be strong, all you people of the land,” A declaration of YHWH, “And do, for I [am] with you,” A declaration of YHWH 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 thing that I covenanted with you, In your coming forth from Egypt, And My Spirit is remaining in your midst, do not fear.”

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

6 For thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Yet once more—it [is] a little, And I am shaking 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 have shaken all the nations, And they have come [to] the desire of all the nations, And I have filled this house [with] glory,” said YHWH 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 “The silver [is] Mine, and the gold [is] Mine,” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

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

9 “Greater is the glory of this latter house, Than of the former,” said YHWH of Hosts, “And I give peace in this place,” A declaration of YHWH 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 On the twenty-fourth of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, a word of YHWH has been by the hand of 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 said YHWH of Hosts: “Now ask the priests of the Law, saying,

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

12 Behold, [when] one carries holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and he has come with his skirt against the bread, or against the stew, or against the wine, or against the oil, or against any food—is it holy?” And the priests answer and say, “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 And Haggai says, “If the unclean of body comes against any of these, is it unclean?” And the priests answer and say, “It is 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 And Haggai answers and says, “So [is] this people, and so [is] this nation before Me,” a declaration of YHWH, “and so [is] every work of their hands, and that which they bring near there—it 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, please lay [it] to your heart, From this day and onward, Before the laying of stone to stone in the temple of YHWH.

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 From that time [one] has come to a heap of twenty, And it has been ten, He has come to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures, And it has been 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 have struck you with blasting, And with mildew, and with hail—All the work of your hands, And there is none of you with Me,” A declaration of YHWH.

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 “Now set [it] to your heart, from this day and onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth [month], even from the day that the temple of YHWH has been founded, set [it] to your heart.

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? And until now the vine and the fig, And the pomegranate, and the olive-tree, Have not borne—from this day I bless.”

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 there is a word of YHWH a second time to Haggai, on the twenty-fourth 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 am shaking the heavens and the earth,

Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

22 And have overturned the throne of kingdoms, And I have destroyed the strength of kingdoms of the nations, And overturned chariot and its charioteers, And horses and their riders have come down, Each 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,” a declaration of YHWH of Hosts, “I take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,” A declaration of YHWH, “And have set you as a signet, For I have fixed on you,” A declaration of YHWH 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.