Haggai 2

1 In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

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

2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

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: —

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?

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?

4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says Yahweh. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says Yahweh, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says Yahweh of Armies.

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.

5 This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. ‘Don’t be afraid.’

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.

6 For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;

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;

7 and I will shake all nations. The treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh of Armies.

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.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says Yahweh of Armies.

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

9 ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says Yahweh of Armies; ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ says Yahweh of Armies.”

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.

10 In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

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

11 “Yahweh of Armies says: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

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

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 priests answered, “No.”

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.

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

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.

14 Then Haggai answered, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before me,’ says Yahweh; ‘and so is every work of their hands. That which they offer there is unclean.

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.

15 Now, please consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid on a stone in Yahweh’s temple.

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,

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.

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.

17 I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says Yahweh.

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.

18 ‘Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was laid, consider it.

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:

19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree haven’t produced. From today I will bless you.’”

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.

20 Yahweh’s word came the second time to Haggai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,

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

21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, ‘I will shake the heavens and the earth.

Speak thou unto Zerubbabel, pasha of Judah, saying, —I am shaking, 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.

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.

23 In that day, says Yahweh of Armies, I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says Yahweh, ‘and will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says Yahweh of Armies.”

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.