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:

on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet,

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: —

telling him to speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the rest of the people:

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 is left among you that saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Doesn’t it seem as though there is nothing there?

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.

The Lord says: Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel, be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, be strong, all you people of the land. The Lord says: Begin the work, for I am with you. The Lord of hosts says:

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.

When your ancestors left Egypt I made a promise to you, and I am still with you. Do not be afraid!

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;

The Lord of hosts says: In a little while, I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the 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 will shake all nations, and the precious things of all nations shall come here; and I will fill this temple with glory. The Lord of hosts says:

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

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,

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.

The later glory of this temple shall be greater than the former. The Lord of hosts says: In this place I will grant prosperity. This is the message of the Lord 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:

In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet:

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

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 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.

‘If one carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and with that garment touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any food, will it become holy?’” And the priests answered: “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.

Then said Haggai, “If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” And the priests answered: “It would be 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.

Haggai replied: “So is this people and so is this nation before me, the Lord declares, and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there 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,

Think back from this day, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord.

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.

How were you? When you came to a heap of grain expecting twenty measures, there were only ten; when you came to the wine vat to draw out fifty vessels, there were only 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 struck all the work of your hands with blasting and blight, with mildew and with hail. Yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says the Lord,

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:

‘Think back from this day, think! From the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundations of the temple of the Lord were laid, and consider.

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.

The seed is in the granary, but the vine and the fig tree and the pomegranate and the olive tree have not yet brought forth fruit. From this day will I bless you.’”

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

This message from the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

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

Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I will shake 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 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 who ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, each by the sword of his fellow.

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, the Lord of hosts says, I will take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, the Lord says, and will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, the Lord of hosts says.