Haggai 2

1 In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came 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 cohen hagadol, 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 who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn't it in your eyes as nothing?

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, Zerubbabel,' says the LORD. 'Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the cohen hagadol. Be strong, all you people of the land,' says the LORD, 'and work, for I am with you,' says 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 This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Ruach lived among you. 'Do not be afraid.'

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

6 For this is what the LORD of hosts says: 'Yet once more, 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 they will come with the treasures of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory, says 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 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,' says the LORD of hosts.

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

9 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts; 'and in this place will I give peace,' says 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 twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Daryavesh, the word of the LORD came 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 says the LORD of hosts: Ask now the cohanim concerning the law, saying,

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

12 'If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with his fold touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any food, will it become holy?'" The cohanim answered, "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 Haggai said, "If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, will it be unclean?" The cohanim answered, "It will 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 Haggai answered, "'So is this people, and so is this nation before me,' says the LORD; 'and so is every work of their hands. 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 Now, please consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid on 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 only ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty, there were only 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 struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you did not turn to me,' says 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, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since 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? Yes, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree haven't 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 The word of the LORD came the second time to Haggai in the twenty-fourth 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 I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots, and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone 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, says the LORD of hosts, will I take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says the LORD, 'and will make you as a signet, for I have chosen you,' says 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.