Haggai 2

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

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying:

2 Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Josedech, the high-priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: —

“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and also to the remnant of the people. Ask them,

3 Who is there left among you, That saw this house In its former glory? And what do ye see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?

‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not appear to you like nothing in comparison?’

4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith Jehovah; And be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high-priest; And be strong, O all ye people of the land, saith Jehovah, and work! For I am with you, saith Jehovah of hosts.

But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work! For I am with you, declares the LORD of Hosts.

5 This is the covenant which I made with you when ye came out of Egypt, And my spirit remaineth among you: Fear ye not!

This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you; do not be afraid.”

6 For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet once more, in a short time, I will shake the heavens and the earth, The sea and the dry land.

For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

7 I will shake all the nations, And here shall come the precious things of all the nations; And I will fill this house with glory, Saith Jehovah of hosts.

I will shake all the nations, and they will come with all their treasures, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Hosts.

8 Mine is the silver and mine the gold, Saith Jehovah of hosts;

The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, declares the LORD of Hosts.

9 Greater shall be the glory of this latter house than of the former, Saith Jehovah of hosts; And in this place will I give peace, Saith Jehovah of hosts.

The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former, says the LORD of Hosts. And in this place I will provide peace, declares the LORD of Hosts.”

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

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying,

11 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the law from the priests, saying,

“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling.

12 If a man carry holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?’” “No,” replied the priests.

13 Then said Haggai, If a man unclean by a dead body touch any of these things, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.

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

Then Haggai replied, “So it is with this people and this nation before Me, declares the LORD, and so it is with every work of their hands; whatever they offer there is defiled.

15 And now, I pray you, consider [[how it hath gone with you]] From that day and upward, From the time before one stone was laid upon another in the temple of Jehovah.

Now consider carefully from this day forward: Before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,

16 Since that time one hath come to a heap of twenty measures, And there were but ten; One hath come to a vat to draw out fifty vessels from the wine-press, And there were but twenty;

from that time, when one came expecting a heap of twenty ephahs of grain, there were but ten. When one came to the winepress to draw out fifty baths, there were but twenty.

17 I have smitten you with blasting, with mildew, and with hail, Even all the works of your hands; Yet none among you hath turned to me, saith Jehovah.

I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew, and hail, but you did not turn to Me, declares the LORD.

18 Consider, I pray you, From that day and upward, From the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, From the day when the foundation of the temple of Jehovah was laid, Consider ye!

Consider carefully from this day forward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider carefully:

19 Is there yet seed in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig-tree, and pomegranate, and the olive-tree have not borne. But from this day will I bless you.

Is there still seed in the barn? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet yielded fruit. But from this day on, I will bless you.”

20 And the word of Jehovah came the second time to Haggai, on the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,

For the second time that day, the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to Haggai, saying,

21 Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and say: — I will shake the heavens and the earth,

“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth:

22 And I will overthrow the thrones 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, One by the sword of the other.

I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their riders; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.

23 In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, I will take thee, O Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, my servant, saith Jehovah, And keep thee as a signet-ring; For thee have I chosen, saith Jehovah of hosts.

On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will take you, My servant, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and I will make you like My signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of Hosts.”