Haggai 2

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, came the word of Yahweh, by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying:

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,

2 Speak, I pray thee, unto Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, pasha of Judah, and unto Jehoshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, —and unto the remnant of the people, saying: —

“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,

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

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?

4 Now, therefore—Be strong, O Zerubbabel, urgeth Yahweh, and be strong, O Jehoshua son of Jehozadak the high priest, and be strong, all ye people of the land, urgeth Yahweh, and work; For, I, am with you, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.

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.

5 The very thing that I solemnized with you, when ye came forth out of the land of Egypt, That, my spirit abiding in your midst, ye should not fear.

“The thing that I covenanted with you, In your coming forth from Egypt, And My Spirit is remaining in your midst, do not fear.”

6 For, thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet once, a little, it is, —and I am shaking the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land;

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,

7 And I will shake all the nations, and the delight of all the nations, shall come in, —and I will fill this house with glory, saith Yahweh of hosts.

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.

8 Mine is the silver and Mine the gold, Declareth Yahweh of hosts:

“The silver [is] Mine, and the gold [is] Mine,” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.

9 Greater shall be the last glory of this house than the first, saith Yahweh of hosts, —and, in this place, will I give prosperity, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.

“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.

10 On the twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh unto Haggai the prophet, saying:

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,

11 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, —I pray you, ask the priests a direction, saying:

Thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Now ask the priests of the Law, saying,

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

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.”

13 Then said Haggai, If one who is defiled for a dead person touch any of these, shall it be defiled? And the priests answered and said, It shall be defiled.

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.”

14 Then answered Haggai and said, So, is this people and, so, is this nation before me, Declareth Yahweh, and, so, is every work of their hands, —therefore, whatsoever they offer there, is, defiled.

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.

15 Now, therefore, I pray you apply your heart, from this day and upwards, —So long as there had not been laid one stone upon another in the temple of Yahweh,

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.

16 So long were things thus, that, on coming unto a heap of twenty, then was it found to be ten, —on coming unto the vat to draw off fifty measures, then were there found to be twenty.

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.

17 I smote you with blight and with mildew and with hail, in all the work of your hands, —Yet ye did not return unto me, Declareth Yahweh.

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.

18 Apply your heart, I pray you, from this day and upwards, —from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, even from the day when was founded the temple of Yahweh, apply your heart:

“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.

19 Is the seed yet in the store-house? Howbeit, though at present neither, the vine nor the fig-tree nor the pomegranate nor the olive tree, hath brought forth, from this very day, will I bless you.

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.”

20 Then came the word of Yahweh, the second time unto Haggai, on the twenty-fourth of the month, saying:

And there is a word of YHWH a second time to Haggai, on the twenty-fourth of the month, saying,

21 Speak thou unto Zerubbabel, pasha of Judah, saying, —I am shaking, the heavens and the earth;

“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, I am shaking the heavens and the earth,

22 And I will overturn the throne of kingdoms, and will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, —and I will overturn the chariots and them who ride therein, and horses and their riders, shall come down, every man by the sword of his brother.

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.

23 On that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel—my servant, declareth Yahweh, and will set thee as a signet-ring; For, thee, have I chosen, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.

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!