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In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, [a]It is not the time for us to come, the time for Jehovah’s house to be built. Then came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste? Now therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: [b]Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the [c]mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith Jehovah. Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did [d]blow upon it. Why? saith Jehovah of hosts. Because of my house that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house. 10 Therefore [e]for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholdeth its fruit. 11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the grain, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of Jehovah their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as Jehovah their God had sent him; and the people did fear before Jehovah. 13 Then spake Haggai Jehovah’s messenger in Jehovah’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith Jehovah. 14 And Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work on the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God, 15 in the four and twentieth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet, saying, 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, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith Jehovah; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith Jehovah, and work: for I am with you, saith Jehovah of hosts, [f]according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, and my Spirit [g]abode among you: fear ye not. For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations; and [h]the precious things of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith Jehovah of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith Jehovah of hosts.

10 In 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, 11 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No. 13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. 14 Then answered Haggai and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith Jehovah; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean. 15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of Jehovah. 16 [i]Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the winevat to draw out fifty vessels, there were but twenty. 17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the work of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith Jehovah. 18 Consider, I pray you, from this day and backward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of Jehovah’s temple was laid, consider it. 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, the vine, and the fig-tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive-tree have not brought forth; from this day will I bless you.

20 And the word of Jehovah came the second time unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, 21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 22 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 that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. 23 In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith Jehovah of hosts.

Footnotes

  1. Haggai 1:2 Or, as otherwise read, The time is not come for Jehovah’s house etc.
  2. Haggai 1:5 Hebrew Set your heart on your ways.
  3. Haggai 1:8 Or, hill-country
  4. Haggai 1:9 Or, blow it away
  5. Haggai 1:10 Or, over you
  6. Haggai 2:5 Or, Remember the word etc.
  7. Haggai 2:5 Or, abideth
  8. Haggai 2:7 Or, the things desired (Hebrew desire) of all nations shall come
  9. Haggai 2:16 Hebrew since those days were.

A Call to Build the House of the Lord

In the second year of King Darius,(A) on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai(B) to Zerubbabel(C) son of Shealtiel, governor(D) of Judah, and to Joshua(E) son of Jozadak,[a](F) the high priest:(G)

This is what the Lord Almighty(H) says: “These people(I) say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.(J)’”

Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:(K) “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses,(L) while this house remains a ruin?(M)

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought(N) to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little.(O) You eat, but never have enough.(P) You drink, but never have your fill.(Q) You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages,(R) only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought(S) to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber(T) and build my house, so that I may take pleasure(U) in it and be honored,(V)” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.(W) What you brought home, I blew(X) away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin,(Y) while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld(Z) their dew(AA) and the earth its crops.(AB) 11 I called for a drought(AC) on the fields and the mountains,(AD) on the grain, the new wine,(AE) the olive oil(AF) and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.(AG)

12 Then Zerubbabel(AH) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant(AI) of the people obeyed(AJ) the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared(AK) the Lord.

13 Then Haggai,(AL) the Lord’s messenger,(AM) gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with(AN) you,” declares the Lord. 14 So the Lord stirred up(AO) the spirit of Zerubbabel(AP) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak,(AQ) the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant(AR) of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.(AS)

The Promised Glory of the New House

In the second year of King Darius,(AT) on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,(AU) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:(AV) “Speak to Zerubbabel(AW) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,[b](AX) the high priest, and to the remnant(AY) of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house(AZ) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?(BA) But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,(BB) Joshua son of Jozadak,(BC) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with(BD) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted(BE) with you when you came out of Egypt.(BF) And my Spirit(BG) remains among you. Do not fear.’(BH)

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while(BI) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,(BJ) the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired(BK) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house(BL) with glory,(BM)’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold(BN) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory(BO) of this present house(BP) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,(BQ)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,(BR) in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests(BS) what the law says: 12 If someone carries consecrated meat(BT) in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?(BU)’”

The priests answered, “No.”

13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.(BV)

14 Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people(BW) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer(BX) there is defiled.

15 “‘Now give careful thought(BY) to this from this day on[c]—consider how things were before one stone was laid(BZ) on another in the Lord’s temple.(CA) 16 When anyone came to a heap(CB) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat(CC) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.(CD) 17 I struck all the work of your hands(CE) with blight,(CF) mildew and hail,(CG) yet you did not return(CH) to me,’ declares the Lord.(CI) 18 ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought(CJ) to the day when the foundation(CK) of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: 19 Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate(CL) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.(CM)

“‘From this day on I will bless(CN) you.’”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

20 The word of the Lord came to Haggai(CO) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:(CP) 21 “Tell Zerubbabel(CQ) governor of Judah that I am going to shake(CR) the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overturn(CS) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.(CT) I will overthrow chariots(CU) and their drivers; horses and their riders(CV) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.(CW)

23 “‘On that day,(CX)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant(CY) Zerubbabel(CZ) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,(DA) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Footnotes

  1. Haggai 1:1 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verses 12 and 14
  2. Haggai 2:2 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 4
  3. Haggai 2:15 Or to the days past